Richard D. Graves Will

Richard D. Graves Will
Submitted by Donna G. Ferrell

Georgia, Walker County. Know all men by these present that I Richard D.
Graves of the County of Ellis and state of Texas being of sound mind do make
and publish my last will and testament. First I give and bequeath unto my
sister Matilda Wright for her own use twelve hundred dollars in gold which is
in the possession of brother John E. Graves of Wilson County Tennessee. 2nd
I give and bequeath unto my brother (John) E. Graves twelve hundred in Gold
in his possession. 3rd I give and bequeath unto my niece Puss Green two
hundred dollars in gold in the possession of brother John. 4th I give and
bequeath unto my brother Williamson Stokes Graves a track of land lying in
Ellis County Texas containing two hundred sixty acres.
5th I give and bequeath unto my nephew Ulexus Wright a tract of land lying in
Ellis containing one hundred and sixty acres. 6th I give and bequeath to my
brother John's sons Burnice and Malkejah two parcels of land in Ellis County
Texas containing seven hundred acres. 7th I give and bequeath unto my
brother John and sister Matilda my interest in my mother's estate to be
equally divided between them. 8th I give and bequeath to my brother John one
house and lot in the town of Waxachachie in Ellis County Texas and all of my
notes, accounts, money and all other property not here disposed of, out of
all ___ he is to pay all my past debts and expenses. 9th I hereby appoint
John E. Graves my brother and James P. Wright my brother-in-law executives of
this my last will and testament, __ __ __ I have __this day, set my hand and
seal the 18th day of November 1863.

Richard D. Graves
Wittness:
Lawson Black
B. N. McCutchon
Wm Caruthers

Recorded, April Term 1866, Wilson Co Tennessee
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Puss Green was Rebecca Ann Graves the dtr of Williamson Stokes Graves,
Richard's niece. She married first Samuel Green.

Richard D. Graves was born ca 1828 in VA the son of Benjamin & Mildred
Hancock Graves. He removed from Wilson Co TN after the 1850 census to Ellis
Co Texas. In the 1860 Ellis Co TX Census he was listed as a horse trader.
He was a member of the Texas Militia in 1860. At the beginning of the Civil
War he returned to his family in Wilson Co leaving his gold with his brother
John for safe keeping. He then traveled to Bardstown KY to inlist 27 Sept
1862 in the 8th (Baxter Smith's) TN Cavalry. On the May 1863 Muster Roll he
is listed "sick in the hospital since 01 Apr 1863." After this note the army
has no other information on Richard D. Graves. He did not return to Wilson
Co TN or Ellis Co TX, but wrote his will in Walker Co GA. The Battle of
Chickamauga took place 19 & 20 Sept 1863, Smith's 8th Cavalry was in this
battle, they were then ordered to take post under Brigadier General H. B.
Davidson in GA, just across the TN border. Did Richard fight in that battle,
did he die from injury or illness? The search continues.

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