Jonathan Graves was born 17 November 1774 in Spotsylvania
County, Virginia, to Isaac Graves (1741-1818) and Elizabeth
Cowherd Graves (1751-1791). He became a prosperous planter in
Orange County, Virginia. He married Margaret Long (ca.
1791-1853), and they had children. He died 14 August 1849, and
was buried in the family plot at Pleasant View.
Papers, 1807-1847, of Jonathan Graves (1774-1849) of Orange
County, Virginia, consisting of correspondence to Graves from
his brother, Francis Graves (1783-1858) of Green County,
Kentucky; S. D. Crenshaw (1787- 1859) of Richmond, Virginia;
Henry Holcomb of Gallia County, Ohio; John Z. Holladay of
Fairfax County, Virginia; and James Vass (1770-1837) of
Fredericksburg, Virginia. The letters contain mostly family
news or are concerned with business matters. There is also a
prospectus for a newspaper to be published in Fredericksburg,
titled the
Daily Whig News.
Item a: Letter. Francis Graves of
Green County, Kentucky, stating that he does not receive
mail from his family in Virginia, informing Jonathan
Graves that he had married and acquired land, and giving
the prices of commodities in Green County,
24 May 1807.
Item b: Letter. Jacob Boar of
Rockingham County, Virginia, informing Graves that he
has sent him four bushels of clover seed and apologizing
for the necessary delay in sending the seed,
10 February 1812.
Item c: Letter. Francis Graves stating
that his family is well, and discussing unrest among
slaves in Green County, Kentucky; the price of wheat,
tobacco, beef and pork; and the sale of a horse,
25 November 1816.
Item d: Letter. S. D. Crenshaw of
Richmond, Virginia, concerning his personal and business
debts, informing Graves that his family is well and
noting the prices of commodities in Richmond,
16 October 1821.
Item e: Letter. Crenshaw to Graves,
concerning money owed Graves and extending an invitation
to Graves and his wife to join the Crenshaws for
Christmas,
15 November 1822.
Item f: Letter. Francis Graves to
Jonathan Graves, informing him that he will be traveling
to Virginia to serve as administrator for part of an
estate in Amelia County, Virginia, and that he is hoping
to visit Jonathan in Orange County,
25 December 1822.
Item g: Letter. Crenshaw to Graves,
concerning his purchase and sale of hay and flour,
10 April 1823.
Item h: Letter. Crenshaw to Graves,
providing family news, inviting Graves for a visit,
commenting that his business is doing well, and giving
prices for corn, wheat and other commodities,
5 September 1823.
Item i: Letter. From Crenshaw, stating
that business is doing well, he expects to be able pay
debts, he will be in Orange County in the spring and
hopes to see Graves, his family is doing well despite a
bout with the measles and giving prices for various
commodities,
29 February 1824.
Item j: Letter. Henry Holcomb of
Gallia County, Ohio, to Jonathan Graves, describing his
travels through the Kanawha salt works and arrival at
Gallia County, where he purchased a mill and went into
business, and asking that Graves and Crenshaw sell his
property in Virginia and send him the proceeds,
2 April 1825.
Item k: Letter. From Crenshaw, stating
that he will be sending Graves some sugar, offering to
sell him lime, and inviting him for a visit,
12 August 1825.
Item l: Letter. From Crenshaw,
providing family news, stating he had sold Graves' wheat
and is sending lime, discussing his slaves and his
tavern,
27 August 1825.
Item m: Letter. From Crenshaw, stating
he may travel to Kentucky to see land that he recently
purchased, providing the prices of commodities in
Richmond, and sending family news,
16 June 1826.
Item n: Letter. From Crenshaw,
informing Graves that he has a new daughter and stating
that times are hard for businesses in Richmond,
21 September 1826
Item o: Letter. From Crenshaw, sending
the prices for wheat, corn and tobacco in Richmond,
stating that he has bought the property of a hotel and
that business is good,
17 December 1826.
Item p: Letter. From Crenshaw, stating
that business had been very good, but was now in a lull,
informing Graves on the prices of flour and slaves, and
discussing the low interest rates on money,
30 June 1827.
Item q: Letter. Crenshaw asking for
help from Graves in collecting on a debt owed to
Crenshaw,
6 July 1827.
Item r: Letter. From John Z. Holladay,
Fairfax County, Virginia, to Graves, concerning whether
a bond Graves signed could be considered usury,
24 October 1830.
Item s: Letter. From John Vass of
Fredericksburg, Virginia, concerning Vass' purchase of
Graves' wheat and Graves' purchase of goods from Vass,
9 November 1830.
Item t: Prospectus. For the
Daily Whig News , a Whig
party newspaper to be published in Fredericksburg, by
Lewis O. Magrath, William F. Farish and James Raines,
7 May 1847.
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