Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 21,232, James Graves, S.C.
Page 1

SC

Graves, James
Massey
-
NUMBER
W 21.232
Page 2

2243
South Carolina

Massey Graves,
widow of James Graves decd
S. C.
who died in the year 1795,
of Charleston in the State of S. C.
who was a Dr. of Artillery in the company commanded
by Captain Rutledge of the __________commanded by

command
in the So. Ca.
line for 2 years.

Inscribed on the Roll of So.Co. at the rate of 100 Dollars 0 Cents per annum
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 7 day of August
1838 and sent
Cantwell Charleston So. Co.

Arrears to the 4th of Mar. 1838 $700
Semi-annl. allowance ending 4.
 $50
750.
*


Recorded Book A, Vol 2, Page 172
in the 3.
by D. Addison Clerk


⎨ Revolutionary Claim,
Act July 4, 1836
Page 3

State of South Carolina}
District of Charleston}
On this 6th day of July 1838
personally appeared before the undersigned
Mrs. Massey Graves, a resident of the city of Charleston aged
eighty two years, who being duly sworn according to law deposeth
to the following declaration on Oath, in order to be entitled to the benefit
of the 3" Section of the Act of Congress of the 4" July 1836, That she was
married to James Graves, who was a volunteer private soldier
during the war of the Revolution, and served as such under arms
for two years and more in the South Carolina Militia in the following
manner, to wit, In the year 1776 he was a member of a
Corps call the Artillery of Charleston, for some times commanded 
by Captain Edward Rutledge, and continued to seved in same
from said year of 1776 to the fall of Charleston in May 1780
during this period he went on an expedition with said Corps
to Orangeburg, and to other places which deponent cannont
now call to him, but was absent from her six months
at one time, He served in the Siege of Charleston against the
enemy, and, at the Surrender of Same, was while under
arms, made a prisoner, and continued so a prisoner
on parol up to the period of the invasion of said city
by the British upon the departure of whom the "artiller"
was again reorganized, and said James rejoined it, and continued
a member of same to the time of his death,
She further declares she was married to the said
James Graves in the year 1775 by Doctor Cooper of the
Episcopal church, but that , she has no documentary
evidence of same or of his servcies; She lost [illegible]
his property in the great fire of Charleston on the
27" April last including three bibles in one of which
was the family register of her marriage, and three
of the family, and that, her husband the aforesaid
James Graves died in the year 1795, and that she
was a widow on the 4th July 1836 and still remains
a widow, as will more fully appear by referenced
to the proofs hereto annexed-
Massey Graves x her mark
Sworn to and subscribed on the day and
year above written before me and I also
certify the credibility of the affiant
to the best of my knowledge
[illegible]
of U States
Page 4

State of South Carolina
District of Charleston

I hereby certify that James
Graves was interred in the
Congregational burial ground in the City of Charleston
on the "2" July 1795, being then and 42 years.
I further certify that I am now in my Ninety first
year, and a Revolutionary pensioner, and
that I
knew the said James Graves from his youth, and when
he was an apprentice to the Bricklayers trade, which
was previous to the commencement of the American
Revolution. That said James Graves joined the American 
 side against the British, that, he was a
member of
the artillery 
company during this period
and up to the surrender of Charleston to the British
and that, as a matter
of course he became a
prisoner to the enemy
like all others who were
taken bearing arms against them.
I was myself
a member of said artillery
but my memory
not now enable
me
to state how
memory does
long he
served previous
to said Surrender
but I always regarded him as being
firm on
American side.  I also state to the best
of my
recollection and belief he was a married man
during the Revolution.
and to Massey Graves Widow
now an applicant for a pension. 
I knew her &
her family previous to and
during
the Revolution. 
She was a miss
Massey Phillips.
I further certify
they were worshippers in
said Church as above,
and that they were regarded as moral and worthy
Persons. 
Given under my hand at Charleston So. Co. 
the 5th day of July 1838.

Job Palmer

Clerk and Sexton of said
Church in the year 1795

Though I do not give
the above under oath, having a
conscientious objection to taking an Oath.
I notwithstanding
give the above as being the truth to the best of my recollection & belief.

Job Palmer
Page 5

Rev Widow, &c.

File No. 21232
Massey Graves
Wid. of
James Graves
Priv. Rev. War
Act: July 4th 1836
Index: Vol. A, Ppage 291
[Arrangement of 1870.]
Page 6

mm Graves 
3673 
Massey Graves 
Widow of James 
da (unsure) 
Married 1775 
died 1798 
Allwd $100 per annum
no deduction 2 years Charleston
Artillery
Page 7

State of South Carolina 
District of Charleston 
Office Court of Common 
Pleas Charleston 
I, Charles C Strohecker clerk of the Court of 
Common Pleas for Charleston District of So. Carolina hereby 
certify that Patrick Cantwell is a Magistrate as
set forth in the annexed documents, and that foregoing 
signatures purporting to be his are genuine, I 
further certify that Mrs. Graves the claimant is a 
worthy and fully entitled to credit, and that [illegible] James
Anthony and [illegible] John Cart, Jos. Righton & Job Palmer
The witnesses in this case are reputable persons
and entitled to full credit In testimony where of
I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed
the seal of my office the 27th day of July 1838
Charles C. Strohecker
Clerk of the court of Common
Please Charleston Dist So Carolina
Page 8

State of South Carolina
District of Charleston
Charleston So Carolina
July 1838

We the undersigned certify that from what
 we have heard and known of Mrs. Massey Graves
we believe her statements entitled to credit, and
that Mesr. Palmer, Righton, & Cart & Mr. Anthony
the witnesses to her claim for a pension are highly
respectable, and deserving of confidence, and we
do therefore recomment her case to be favorable
condition of the department
R. Port, Pastor of the Circular Church of which Mrs. Graves is a member
Sam Burgess
Neill McNeill
Jno [illegible]
W. Riley
John L. Wilson
R. W. Seymour
O. L. Dobson
Lawrence Ryan
Alex McDonald
Page 9

State of South Carolina
District of Charleston

On this 16th day of July 1838
personally appeared before
the undersigned Mrs. Mary Anthony, widow a revolutionary
pensioner aged 76 years, and a resident of Charleston
who being duly sworn deposeth that she was well
acquainted with the late James Graves of Charleston
Bricklayer and is a acquainted with his widow Mrs.
Massey Graves, and that, she knew them to be a 
married couple during the war of the Revolution and
subsequently That she always heard and beleives that
James Graves served as a volunteer soldier under arms
against the British, that she believes he served in said
ar under arms for two years.  That upon the fall of
the city he was while under arms made a prison
of war and returned so on [illegible] for twelve months
that she was a resident of said city at the time here referred
to, and was intimate in the family of said James Graves,
that she beleives the marriage of said James Graves to
said Massey Graves took place at the time mentioned
in her affidavid namely in the year 1775, that, she
believes said James Graves died in the year 1795
that, said Massey Graves a widow on the 6" July
1836, and has not since intermarried, and that
she is now in prro circumstances, a sufferer
by the great fire in the city on the 27" April 1838 &
that she always maintained a respectable character
and that her statements are entitled to full credit.
Mary Anthony

Sworn to and subscribed before
me the day and year above written
and I also certify the credability of
the affiant
P. Cantwell not pub & QU
for Charleston Dist. So. Carolina
Page 10

State of South Carolina
District of Charleston
On this 6th day of July
1838 personally appeared
before the undersigned Mr. John Cart, a revolutionary
soldier aged seventy seven years and a resident of
Charleston who being duly sworn according to law
deposeth that he knew the late James Graves
of the city of Charleston bricklayer deceased during the
War of the Revolution to have served as a private
soldier against the British, that, he believes the
Corps which he served as the artillery of Charleston
that, he believes he served under arms in said
war two years, that, he beleives upon the fall
of the city of Charleston he was made a prisoner
of war as being taken under arms and remained
as a prisoner on parol 12 months, He further
declares he believes he was a married mand during
the war of the Revoltuion and has reason to
believe he was married to Mrs. Massey Graves
widow, the present applicant for a pension, and
in the year 1775 as stated in her affidavit, the
Deponent further saith, he believes said Massey
Graves to be his widow, and, and that, she was
 a widow on the 4" July 1836 and that her
character is good and her statements entitled
to credit
John Cart
Sworn to and subscribed
before me the day and year above
written & I  certify the credibility
of the affiant
P. Cantwell
not pub & QU for Charleston
Dist So. Ca.
Page 11

The State of South Carolina
District of Charleston

On this 9th day of July
1838. 
Personally appeared
before the undersigned, Mr. Joseph Righton, a revolutionary
pensioner aged 76 years & resident of the city of Charleston, who being duly sworn according to Law, Deposeth
that he was well acquainted with the late James
Graves of the City of Charleston Bricklayer, that he knew
him during the war of the Revolution, to have been a
private soldier in the Artillery Company of Charleston
of which deponent was sergeant, that he served in
same against the enemy, and at the siege of Charleston,
that he has every reason to believe, he served in said corps under arms against the enemy for two years, as
set forth in the affidavit by his widow Massey Graves saved
on the 6th just before the Honorable Tho. Lee, Dist. Judge of
the U. States, that, at the surrender of said City being taken
prisoner while under arms, he was held a such
for 12 months. That he has every reason to believe
he was married to his  said widow Massey Graves, then
Miss Phillips in the year 1775. That he was acquainted ┃
with them,
and though in poor circumstances, they
retained always, a respectable character, that
he has every reason to believe and said James Graves
died in the year 1795, as stated by Mr John Palmer
the sexton of the circular church, and that his
widow the present claimant for a pension was
Massey Graves, lives and remains unmarried ever since, and is now in low circumstances.

Jos Righton

Sworn to and subscribed before
me the day and year above written
and I also certify the Credibility
of the affiant.


P. Cantwell,
not Pub & QU for
Charleston Dist of So. Co.