Children of Martin McGraw Jr.

Martin McGraw Jr. is the son of Martin McGraw and Margaret _ of Greenbrier County, WV. Many researchers miss the fact that there are two Martin McGraws in the records for southern West Virginia counties. Neither is signified by Sr. or Jr. in the records so I agree it can be confusing. But once you find all the records and do the necessary math, you learn there were two men, father and son.

Martin McGraw JR married Nancy Wood, daughter of Bailey Wood Sr. and Nancy (surname unknown). The couple was married in Monroe County, WV in May 1806 by Elder John Alderson. By 1820 the family had moved to what was then Nicholas County but in a location that became Fayette County in 1831 (Chimney Corner). Here is the list of children – all daughters – who survived and whom I am able to verify that were born to Martin and Nancy:

  • Malinda McGraw, 1810-1833, m. Richard Milby, died Putnam County, WV.
  • Sarah McGraw, 1811-1886, m1. Harrison Hayes, m2. John Legg, Putnam County, WV.
  • Martha P. McGraw, 1819-1890, m. John Hedrick, d. before 1890 in Putnam County, WV.
  • Susannah McGraw, 1821-1891, m. Nathaniel Vaughn, d. Andrew Co, Missouri.
  • Ida B. McGraw, 1826-1902, m. James M. Duncan, d. 1902 Putnam Co, WV. *Ida’s permission to marry James M. Duncan was provided by her cousin James McGraw, son of Thomas McGraw and Catherine Withrow. This is – or was – on file at the Putnam County Courthouse.
  • Nancy McGraw, 1833-1900, m. Thophilus Oharra or Harrah, d. Fayette County, WV

Note that Nancy McGraw was an infant when her mother died in 1833. Martin married a second wife, Sarah J. Johnson in 1836 Fayette County, WV and proceeded to have more children which are listed in the 1850 Census in Putnam County, WV. The children who were born and survived to Martin and Sarah are:

  • Lucretia A. McGraw, 1836-1873, m. David Smith, d. Mason County, WV.
  • Mary E. McGraw, 1838-1900, m1. William H. Jacobs, m2. John William Duncan, died Mason County, WV. *the informant on the death record referred to Mary’s maiden name as McGrew.
  • Minerva F. McGraw, 1839-unknown, m. James A. Phillips.
  • William H. McGraw, 1846-1930, m. Sarah Francis Duncan, d. Kanawha County, WV.*Note the surname was changed to McGrew.
  • George Andrew McGraw, 1849-1920, m1. Maria J. Hedrick, m2. Eunice Harriet Cox, died most likely in Ohio. *Surnamed changed to McGrew.
  • Samuel Harvey McGraw, 1851-1923, m. Alsonia C. Dodson, died Kanawha County, WV. *Surname became McGrew.

Around 1840 there was a mass migration of McGraw’s to the Kanawha Valley. Martin’s brother Thomas is found in the 1840 Tax List in Kanawha County along with his Withrow brothers-in-law. Note that Putnam County was formed from Kanawha in 1848. Four of Martin and Nancy’s daughters married their spouses in Fayette County. Of the four, only Susannah McGraw Vaughn did NOT migrate to Putnam County. Martin and Sarah migrated to Putnam sometime before 1850. These are the individuals listed in the household in 1850: Martin, Sarah, Nancy, Lucretia, Mary E., Minerva, William, and George. Their ages are not listed.

Before 1855 however, Martin moved the family back to Fayette County. This is apparent given that daughter Ida married (in January 1855 Putnam Co) with permission provided by her cousin James. Why not her uncle Thomas? Thomas was already suffering from consumption (tuberculosis) and died August of the same year (7 months later). To further substantiate this claim is the marriage of Nancy McGraw in July 1855 Fayette County to Theophilus Harrah. And then the marriage of my ancestor Mary E. McGraw to William H. Jacobs on 20 February 1859 in Fayette County. Martin had died in October 1858.

Note the daughter Martha P. McGraw Hedrick above. This is not Martha Pauline McGraw Bolt/Boalt but I’ve reserved that for another post since there is some confusion by some as to who her parents are. Granted, there are other children enumerated in the censuses prior to 1850 but I’ve had to consider that not all lived to be adults, that one male was a nephew (John A. McGraw) and some I just have not been able to verify through the records. If you have an ancestor that you believe was born to Martin and Nancy, drop me a comment and I’ll do my best to figure it out (in time).