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Collection Overview
| Size | 3.5 feet of linear shelf space (approximately 700 items) |
| Abstract | Members of the Graves family of New York and Georgia included Sarah Dutton Graves (fl. 1830-1883), educator and plantation owner, who grew up in Champion, Jefferson County, N.Y., and moved to Covington, Ga., to teach in 1832. She married local planter Iverson Lea Graves (1800-1864) in 1834. After Iverson's death, she became active in the management of the family's plantations in Newton County, Ga. One of her sons, Henry Lea Graves (1842- 1892), was a Confederate soldier and marine, cotton planter, school board member, Georgia state legislator, and member of the Georgia Farmers' Alliance. Other family members include Sarah's father, Nathaniel Dutton (d. 1852), her brother, Henry Dutton (fl. 1830-1857), her son, Iverson Dutton Graves (fl. 1859-1888), her sister, Eunice Dutton (fl. 1830-1839), and her daughter, Cornelia Graves (fl. 1860-1890). The collection is chiefly correspondence, 1830-1870, of Sarah Dutton Graves, Iverson Lea Graves, and Henry Dutton Graves, including letters from family and friends in Jefferson County and other locations in New York and in Georgia about plantation management and routine family matters. Correspondence of Sarah Dutton Graves includes letters to and from teachers and classmates at the Troy (N.Y.) Female Seminary and letters from her husband discussing his military service in the Creek War, 1836. Also included are political and Farmers' Alliance papers of Henry Lea Graves; two physicians' records books of John L. Graves (fl. 1844-1847), probably Iverson Lea Graves's brother; sermon outlines and other religious Papers, some of which probably belonged to Nathaniel Dutton; Civil War letters of Henry Lea Graves, serving with the Macon Volunteers and the Confederate Marines, and others that describe military life in Virginia and Georgia and the daily routine of family life at home; Graves family account books and business Papers, including two volumes of blacksmith's acounts; and a mid- 19th-century scrapbook. |
| Creator | Graves family. |
| Language | English |
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Information For Users
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Subject Headings
The following terms from Library of Congress Subject Headings suggest topics, persons, geography, etc. interspersed through the entire collection; the terms do not usually represent discrete and easily identifiable portions of the collection--such as folders or items.
Clicking on a subject heading below will take you into the University Library's online catalog.
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Biographical Information
Sarah Dutton Graves (fl. 1830-1883), educator and plantation owner, grew up in Champion, N. Y., and moved to Covington, Ga., to teach in 1832. She married local planter, Iverson Lea Graves (d. 1866), in 1834. After Iverson's death she became active in the management of the family's plantations.
Her son, Henry L. Graves (fl. 1842-1892), Confederate veteran and cotton planter, was active in local politics as a state legislator and a member of the county school board. He was also active in the Georgia Farmers' Alliance. Other correspondents represented in the collection include; Sarah's father, Nathaniel Dutton (d. 1852), her brother Henry Dutton (fl. 1830-1857), her son, Iverson Dutton Graves (fl. 1859-1888), her sister, Eunice Dutton (fl. 1830-1839), her daughter, Cornelia Graves (fl. 1860-1890), teachers and classmates from Troy Female Seminary, and family friends in New York and Georgia.
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Scope and Content
The collection consists chiefly of correspondence of Sarah, Iverson, and Henry Graves (bulk 1830-1870). It also includes political papers and Farmers' Alliance papers of Henry L. Graves; two physician's record books of John L. Graves (fl. 1844-1847), probably a brother of Iverson L. Graves; sermon outlines and other religious Papers, some of which probably belonged to Nathaniel Dutton; Graves family account books and business Papers, including two volumes of blacksmith accounts; and a mid-19th-century scrapbook.
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Series Quick Links
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Series 1. Personal Correspondence.
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Subseries 1.1. Sarah Dutton Graves Correspondence, 1830-1860.
Chiefly correspondence of Sarah Dutton Graves with members of her family. Most of the early letters (1830-1839) are to Sarah from her parents, Nathaniel and Elizabeth Dutton, her siblings, Eunice and Henry Dutton, and other relations in Jefferson County and elsewhere in New York, including letters to and from teachers and classmates at the Troy Female Seminary. After 1840, a greater number of letters from Sarah are included. There are also letters to and from Sarah and her husband, Iverson Graves, during her visits to New York, while he was away on business, and while he served in the Creek War (1836). The Creek War letters discuss privations in the army, troop strength and movements, and Graves's feelings about being involved in the conflict.
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Subseries 1.2. Civil War Correspondence, 1861-1865.
Chiefly letters to and from Henry Lea Graves, a private in the Macon Volunteers during 1861-1862 and a lieutenant in the Confederate Marines after October 1862. Letters from Graves discuss routine military life, maneuvers, camp life, and requests for mail; letters to Graves chiefly discuss life on the home front, family news, illnesses, etc. 1861 letters found Henry in the vicinity of Norfolk, Va.; letters in January-September 1862 found him in Wilmington, N.C., and Petersburg, Va.; October 1862-January 1863 letters found him in Petersburg and Richmond, Va.; and letters, 1864-1865, were received by him at Savannah, Ga., and Charleston and James Island, S.C.
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Subseries 1.3. Post-War Correspondence, 1866-1901.
Chiefly correspondence of Henry Lea Graves and Sarah Dutton Graves. After the death of Iverson Graves in 1866, his wife and eldest son took over the management of the family's estate. Early letters provide some detail of plantation management. The bulk of the letters, however, deal with routine family matters, such as weddings, attending church, grandchildren, education, and illnesses.
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Subseries 1.4. Undated Correspondence.
Undated correspondence, chiefly of Henry Lea Graves and Sarah Dutton Graves.
| Folder 16 |
Undated Correspondence #02716, Subseries: "1.4. Undated Correspondence." Folder 16 |
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Series 2. Antebellum Account Books and Business Papers.
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Subseries 2.1. Account Books, 1815-1820, 1825-1846.
Ledgers relating to dry goods and general merchandise. Several books contain total amounts only. See also Series 9, Folder 49, for a scrapbook pasted into an 1817-1818 account book. The relationship of many of these volumes to the Graves family is unclear. It is possible that some of the earlier volumes predate the family's move from North Carolina to Georgia.
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Subseries 2.2. John Graves Cotton Accounts, 1835.
Unbound cotton accounts.
| Folder 25 |
John Graves Cotton Accounts #02716, Subseries: "2.2. John Graves Cotton Accounts, 1835." Folder 25 |
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Subseries 2.3. Blacksmith Account Books, 1834-1835, 1846.
| Folder 26-27 |
Blacksmith Account Books #02716, Subseries: "2.3. Blacksmith Account Books, 1834-1835, 1846." Folder 26-27Folder 26Folder 27 |
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Subseries 2.4. John L. Graham Accounts, 1854-1859.
Iverson Lea Graves was apparently John L. Graham's guardian.
| Folder 28 |
John L. Graham Accounts #02716, Subseries: "2.4. John L. Graham Accounts, 1854-1859." Folder 28 |
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Series 3. Post-War Accounts.
See also Subseries 4.3.
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Subseries 3.1 Account Book, 1870-1884.
Account book that includes house plans and property surveys and a partial division of the Graves family estate.
| Folder 29-30 |
Account Book #02716, Subseries: "3.1 Account Book, 1870-1884." Folder 29-30Folder 29Folder 30 |
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Subseries 3.2. Accounts and Receipts, 1873-1890.
Primarily cotton accounts.
| Folder 31-32 |
Accounts and Receipts #02716, Subseries: "3.2. Accounts and Receipts, 1873-1890." Folder 31-32Folder 31Folder 32 |
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Series 4. Religious Papers, 1840-1858 and undated.
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Subseries 4.1. Sermon Notes, Undated.
Notes for sermons that may have belonged to Sarah Dutton Graves's father, Nathaniel Dutton.
| Folder 33-34 |
Sermon Notes #02716, Subseries: "4.1. Sermon Notes, Undated." Folder 33-34Folder 33Folder 34 |
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Subseries 4.2. Thomas Shepard Sermon, 1840.
| Folder 35 |
Thomas Shepart Sermon #02716, Subseries: "4.2. Thomas Shepard Sermon, 1840." Folder 35 |
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Subseries 4.3. Church membership book, 1850, 1858, 1888.
Membership is broken down by race and gender. The name and location of the church is not indicated. Also includes post war general accounts.
| Folder 36 |
Church membership book #02716, Subseries: "4.3. Church membership book, 1850, 1858, 1888." Folder 36 |
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Subseries 4.4. Scriptural Precepts, Undated.
Nine handwritten pages of biblical rules for leading a spiritual life.
| Folder 37 |
Scriptural Precepts #02716, Subseries: "4.4. Scriptural Precepts, Undated." Folder 37 |
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Series 5. Physician's Records, 1844, 1847 and undated.
Physician records of fees, services, and prescriptions belonging to John L. Graves, probably Iverson Lea Graves's brother.
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Series 6. Academic Papers, 1859? and undated.
A diary, 1859(?), probably of Iverson Graves, with some entries by Henry L. Graves, containing the author's first impression of attending a school away from home, clothing lists, travel record of trip from Georgia to Niagara, meal accounts, and a treatment for a "foundered horse." There are also several essays by "H.L.G." on the "Uses of History" and "Independence."
| Folder 41 |
Diary #02716, Series: "6. Academic Papers, 1859? and undated. " Folder 41 |
| Folder 42-43 |
Essays #02716, Series: "6. Academic Papers, 1859? and undated. " Folder 42-43Folder 42Folder 43 |
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Series 7. Political Papers, 1870, 1880-1892 and undated.
Political letters to Henry Lea Graves in his positions as school board member and Georgia State Legislator, draft bills, ballots, petitions, and other miscellaneous political papers.
| Folder 44 |
Political Papers #02716, Series: "7. Political Papers, 1870, 1880-1892 and undated." Folder 44 |
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Series 8. Farmers' Alliance and Agricultural Papers.
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Subseries 8.1. Farmers' Alliance Minutes, 1890.
| Folder 45 |
Farmers' Alliance Minutes #02716, Subseries: "8.1. Farmers' Alliance Minutes, 1890." Folder 45 |
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Subseries 8.2. Miscellaneous Agricultural Papers, 1876-1891.
Price lists, livestock pedigrees, a copy of "The Sub-Treasury Plan," land surveys, and other miscellaneous forms and papers. Also included are an advertising booklet on "Fertilizers: Their Manufacture and Use," with agricultural notes at the back of the booklet, and two newspaper clippings of letters to the editor by Henry Lea Graves.
| Folder 46 |
Miscellaneous Agricultural Papers #02716, Subseries: "8.2. Miscellaneous Agricultural Papers, 1876-1891." Folder 46 |
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Series 9. Scrapbook, Undated.
Miscellaneous clippings, chiefly from the mid-19th century, pasted into an account book from 1817-1818 (volume S-4).
| Folder 47 |
Scrapbook #02716, Series: "9. Scrapbook, Undated." Folder 47 |
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Items Separated
Processed by: Scott Philyaw, November 1991
Encoded by: ByteManagers Inc., 2008
This collection was rehoused under the sponsorship of a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, Office of Preservation, Washington, D.C., 1990-1992.
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