• General Notes

  John Graves  is believed to have been born about 1703 in the German Palatinate. William Carroll Graves, a greatgrandson of John, in a genealogical outline written in 1870, says that John died in 1804 at the age of 101.
  
  Although the date of his arrival in America is uncertain, it was probably 1730. According to Roy Stockwell, the following record is from Pennsylvania Colonial Records, vol. 3, p. 386: "At the courthouse in Philadelphia, Sept. 5, 1730, a list was presented of the names of forty-six Palatines who, with their families making in all 130 persons, were imported here in the ship Alexander and Ann, William Clymer, master, from Rotterdam, but last in Deal." In this list appears the name of Johann Sebastian Graff. It is probable that this is the man whose name is recorded as John Graff, the father of Jacob and Sebastian Graff, born in Berks Co., Pa., in 1746 and 1747. This may explain the origin of the name Boston, the anglicized form of the name Sebastian, which "Old John" gave to one of his children. The family name was probably not changed from Graff to Graves until the family moved to North Carolina.
  
  In what is now Alamance Co., but until 1848 was Orange Co., N.C., was a settlement of Pennsylvania Dutch. The prevailing sect was the German Reformed Church, and services continued in German until about 1800. On Stinking Quarter Creek, not far from the present Burlington, N.C., was the Graves Church about where "Old John of Stinking Quarter" lived. In the 1750's many "Pennsylvania Dutch" migrated to western North Carolina. Old John moved there prior to 1757 (presumably from Berks Co., Pa.), and settled on Stinking Quarter Creek, a branch of the Alamance.
  
  W. C. Graves says that John moved from North Carolina to East Tennessee when he was quite old. Records in Orange Co., N.C., show that John deeded property in Orange Co. to his son Jacob on Nov. 22, 1799, so it is probable he moved to Tenn. about 1800. He lived in Tenn. with his grandson John (son of Jacob). He died on his grandson's farm and was buried near the old Presbyterian church in Big Valley, Claiborne Co., Tenn.
  
  The name of John's wife is unknown. The list of arrivals contains nothing to indicate whether he was married or had children prior to his arrival in America. It is believed that John had a large family, perhaps 17 children. According to Roy Stockwell, the names of only five are known, not necessarily born in the order shown. However, T. H. R. Neal also names William. (R-200, R-203)
  

Details of John Sebastian's family with Maria Magdelen