Revised 13 Sept. 1981, Gen. 51

George Bruce Graves (1) was born about 1820 in Montpelier, Washington Co., Vt., died about 1869-70 in Erie, Erie Co., Pa., and was buried in Trinity Cem., Erie, Pa. He married Agnes O'Grady, daughter of Mary Lewis. She was born about 1829 in County Mayo, Ireland, died 31 May 1888 in Erie, Pa., and was buried 1 June 1888 in Trinity Cem., Erie. When she died, there were four daughters listed as survivors, Harriet, Agnes, Annie, and a married daughter in Cleveland. Mrs. Ditrich believes the daughter from Cleveland was Mary.

It is rumored that this Graves family originally came from Scotland. George Bruce Graves supposedly had 13 or 15 brothers and sisters. He was related in some way to Elisha Graves Otis, son of Stephen and Phoebe (Glynn or Glenny) Otis, Jr. from Vermont. George Graves and one of his brothers owned a brick-making business in Tonawanda, N.Y. George and his family moved to Erie, Pa. about 1854.

A Memoir of the Otis Family in America, William Otis, Chicago, 1924, provides some clues to the connection of George Bruce Graves with Elisha Graves Otis, and clues on George Bruce Graves' ancestry. Elisha Graves Otis was born 3 Aug. 1811 in Halifax, Windham Co., Vt. (just across the state line from MA), and died 8 April 1861 at Yonkers, N.Y. He first married Susan A. Houghton on 2 June 1834, and secondly married Mrs. Elizabeth A. Boyd in 1845. This was the Elisha G. Otis who was the inventor of the fast freight elevator. The parents of Elisha were Stephen Otis (probably born in Colchester, Conn.) and Phoebe Glynn, married 27 Feb. 1797. Stephen's parents were Stephen Otis and Lucy Chandler, who lived most of their lives at Colchester, Conn., but later moved to Selborn (?), Mass., and then to Halifax, Vt. The only obvious connection with the Graves family is that Caroline Otis, sister of Stephen Otis (who married Phoebe) and aunt of Elisha Graves Otis, married Ansel Graves. Caroline (Otis) Graves was born 18 Dec. 1764, and died 12 May 1834, leaving children.

Ansel Graves was born 18 Feb. 1767 at East Haddam, Conn., and was descended from John Graves of Concord, Mass. Ansel was a son of James Graves (no. 36, p. 75, 1977 newsletter). This and other clues indicate the possibility that George Bruce Graves was also descended from John Graves of Concord. (R-1)

Children - Graves

+2. Robert Louis Graves, b. 29 March 1849, m. Anna Lichtinger, 20 June 1872, d. 1 Jan. 1912.

3. Mary Graves, b. 1853. Supposedly lived and died in Chicago, Ill., although she may have lived in Cleveland.

+4. Henry Graves, b. 1855. Supposedly lived and died in Chicago, Ill.

+5. Harriet Graves, b. 18 Nov. 1859, m(1) John Frederick Taylor, c. 1882-83, m(2) Peter K. Zimmer, c. 1891-92, d. 21 Jan. 1944.

+6. Agnes Graves, b. 1864, m. Samuel Althof, c. 1885-86, d. 9 Sept. 1939.

7. Francis Graves, bapt. 16 Oct. 1865 (Erie, Erie Co., Pa.), d. 15 Feb. 1879.

+8. Anna Graves, b. 12 April 1868, m. John Joseph Bradley, c. 1889-90, d. 25 Aug. 1932.

CHILDREN OF GEORGE BRUCE GRAVES (1) AND AGNES O'GRADY

Robert Louis Graves (2) was born 29 March 1849 in Tonawanda, N.Y., died 1 Jan. 1912 in Erie, Erie Co., Pa., and was buried 4 Jan. 1912 in Trinity Cem., Erie. He married Anna Lichtinger on 20 June 1872 at St. Patrick's, Erie, Pa. She was born 18 Jan. 1855 in Erie, Pa., was christened in St. Mary's, Erie, Pa., died 13 Nov. 1921 in Frenchtown, Pa., and was buried 13 Nov. 1921 in Trinity Cem., Erie. All their children were born in Erie. (R-1)

Children - Graves

9. George Bruce Graves, b. 23 Oct. 1873, m. Sarah Ann McEcuern, 8 Sept. 1896, d. 28 July 1950.

10. Ida Rose Graves, b. 23 Aug. 1875, m. Frank Butler, 7 Oct. 1896, d. 9 May 1896 (?).

11. Robert Michael Graves, b. 15 May 1877, d. 1 Aug. 1877.

12. Benedict Francis Graves, b. 15 Oct. 1879, m. Lillian Carroll, 12 Jan. 1909, d. 2 Feb. 1948.

13. Ruth Rose Graves, b. 14 Sept. 1881, d. 2 April 1890.

14. Robert Louis Graves, Jr., b. 12 Feb. 1884, m. Margaret Davis, 17 June 1913, d. 25 Oct. 1937.

15. Francis Joseph Graves, b. 16 May 1886, d. 17 June 1958. He was a priest.

16. Marceline A. Graves, b. 14 Dec. 1888, d. 31 July 1889.

17. Catherine S. Graves, b. 12 Aug. 1894, never married, d. Dec. 1976.

18. Malcolm William Graves, b. 2 Dec. 1897, m. Margaret Yockim, 17 Aug. 1920.

Henry Graves (4) was born in 1855. He moved from Erie, Pa. to Chicago, Ill., where he supposedly lived and died. He married. His son, Elmo, visited Erie around 1915 or 1916. He may have had other children, but their names are not known. (R-1)

Children - Graves

19. Elmo Graves

Harriet Graves (5) was born 18 Nov. 1859 in Erie, Pa., was christened in St. Patrick's, Erie, Pa., died 21 Jan. 1944 in Cleveland, Ohio, and was buried in Calvary Cem., Cleveland. She first married John Frederick Taylor about 1882-83. He was born in Marquette, Miss. She secondly married Peter K. Zimmer about 1891-92. He was born in 1864 in Berlin (later Kitchner), Canada, died 1913 in Cleveland, Ohio, and was buried in Calvary Cem., Cleveland. Her first child was born in Chicago, Ill., and all four of her children by Peter Zimmer were born in Cleveland. (R-1)

Children - Taylor

20. Lillian Ann Taylor, b. 23 May 1884, m. Harry A. Myers, 12 Oct. 1910, d. 28 Dec. 1972.

21. Bert Taylor

22. Howard Taylor

Children - Zimmer

23. Irene Agnes Zimmer, b. 10 June 1893, m. Francis Cummings, 9 Feb. 1918. No children.

24. Ruth Marceline Zimmer, b. 6 Nov. 1896, m. John Kutil, d. 19 Jan. 1973. No children.

25. Dorothy Elizabeth Zimmer, b. 7 Nov. 1898, m. Harry E. Thompson, 11 Sept. 1920.

26. Eva Catherine Zimmer, b. 27 Sept. 1901, m. Philip J. Gerhard, 20 Feb. 1925.

Agnes Graves (6) was born in 1864 in Erie, Pa., was christened in St. Patrick's, Erie, died 9 Sept. 1939 in Erie, and was buried in Erie Cem., Erie. She married Samuel Althof about 1885. He was born in 1863, died 22 Aug. 1937 in Erie, and was buried in Erie Cem. Both their children were born in Erie. (R-1)

Children - Althof

27. Vincent Althof, b. 4 Feb. 1886, m. Anita Powers, 30 Oct. 1909. No children.

+28. Mabel Althof, b. 29 June 1887, m. Howard Lewis, d. 14 June 1965.

Anna Graves (8) was born 12 April 1868 in Erie, Pa., was christened 24 April 1868 in St. Patrick's, Erie, died 25 Aug. 1932 in Erie, and was buried in Calvary Cem., Erie. She married John Joseph Bradley, son of James Bradley and Mary ------, about 1889-90. He was born 6 March 1863 in St. Catherine, Ontario, Canada, died 8 Jan. 1926 in Erie, and was buried in Calvary Cem., Erie. All their children were born in Erie. (R-1)

Children - Bradley

29. Francis Bradley, b. 11 Nov. 1891, m. Mildred Carey, d. 20 Aug. 1968. No children.

+30. Ruth Agnes Bradley, b. 17 Nov. 1892, m. Perry A. Shepard, 23 April 1913, d. 2 Dec. 1971.

+31. Lillian D. Bradley, b. 4 June 1897, m(1) John Donlin, 1917, m(2) Edward Black, c. 1923, m(3) Clarence (Robert) Blenner, c. 1928, d. 4 Aug. 1974.

+32. Vincent Bradley, b. 7 Aug. 1902, m. Florence Alloway, 23 Oct. 1923, d. 26 July 1970.

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