Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

Graves & Strang, Inc., of Stamford, was
born October 26, 1868, in Springfield, New
Jersey, son of Henry Martin and Julia M.
(Higgins) Graves.
(I) Thomas Graves, his paternal an-
cestor, was born in England before 1585,
and came to New England with his wife,
Sarah, and five children, all of mature
age. They settled in Hartford, Connecti-
cut, where he was a property holder in
1645. He was exempted from training
in the militia on account of his age. In
September, 1661, he removed to Hatfield,
Massachusetts, and died in November,
1662.
(II) Isaac Graves, son of Thomas and
Sarah Graves, was born probably as early
as 1620, in England, and came with his
father to New England. He was made a
freeman in Boston, Massachusetts, May
16, 1659, and was sergeant of the militia.
He served as clerk of the writs for Hat-
field, Massachusetts, whence he had removed
in 1661. He was killed in an Indian
attack, September 19, 1677. He
married Mary Church, daughter of Rich-
ard and Anna Church, who came in 1637
to New England, and she died June 9,
1695.
(III) John Graves, son of Isaac and
Mary (Church) Graves, was bom in 1664,
and died in 1746. He lived in Hatfield,
Massachusetts. He married Sarah Banks,
daughter of John Banks, of Chelmsford,
Massachusetts.
(IV) Isaac (2) Graves, son of John and
Sarah (Banks) Graves, was born July 10,
1688, and died May 30, 1781, in Sunder-
land, Massachusetts, whence he had removed
about 1714. He married, in 1713,
Mary Parsons, daughter of Jonathan Par-
sons, of Northampton, Massachusetts,
born July 8, 1688, died March 9, 1769.
(V) Phineas Graves, son of Isaac (2)
and Mary (Parsons) Graves, was born
April 30, 1726, in Sunderland, Massachu-
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
343
setts, and died April 20, 1806. He married,
November i, 1753, Rhoda Smith,
born February 25, 1732, died March 24,
1819.
(VI) Levi Graves, son of Phineas and
Rhoda (Smith) Graves, was born August
14, 1766, in Sunderland, Massachusetts,
and died January 16, 1830. He married,
January 20, 1791, Pamelia Arms, daughter
of David and Sarah (Rodman) Arms,
born February 28, 1766, died in June, 1854.
Levi Graves removed to Canaan, Columbia
county, New York.
(VII) Rhodolphua Graves, son of Levi
and Pamelia (Arms) Graves, was born
October 18, 1796, in Conway, Massachu-
setts, and died November 24, 1866, in
Brooklyn, New York. He married, February
17, 1825, Catharine N. Warner,
daughter of Lupton Warner, of Canaan,
New York, born April 5, 1801. They removed
to Kinderhook, New York.
(VIII) Henry Martin Graves, son of
Rhodolphua and Catharine N. (Warner)
Graves, was born November 30, 1829, in
Kinderhook, New York, and died in December,
1896. As a lad he learned the
trade of hatter with his father. After the
death of his father he went into business
in New York City, and from there removed
to Springfield, New Jersey. He
established a hat factory in the adjoining
town of Milburn, and continued active
in that business until shortly before his
death. He manufactured a general line
of felt hats. Mr. Graves was a Republican
and active in local affairs. He served
for many years as a member of the Town
Committee and the School Board, respec-
tively. He was a firm believer in the
principle that each able-bodied citizen
should perform his just share of public
service. Mr. Graves married, November
7, i860, Julia M. Higgins, daughter of
Samuel Higgins, of Spencertown, New
York. They were the parents of five