The following information was found in our subject files in response to a research request today.
John P. Graves was born May 17, 1824 in Pittsylvania County, Virginia. He married Maria March 21, 1844 in Warren County, Missouri (Maria was the sister of William Glover, who would file a Donation Land Claim just before Graves would). Graves settled his land claim (DLC 290) in the Abiqua region, just North and East of Silverton, Oregon (Around Township 6 South, Range 1 West, Section 13). These records show that he settled his claim October 13, 1849. He had at least four children: David, Philip, Sarah and Samuel Glover.
The 1878 Atlas, shows Graves continuing to own at least a portion of the original land claim, and the nearby butte bearing his name. Graves died September 14, 1910, at age 86 years, 3 months and 27 days in Clackamas County, Oregon.
This detail image is from an atlas first published 1878 by the Edgar Williams & Company out of San Fransisco. It shows Graves’ holdings at that time.
Actually, the children were (all dates are approximate):
David William Graves, b 1845, m Amanda Shepherd
Philip M Graves, b 1847, d 1923, m Ida Salina Milford
Sarah J Graves, b 1849, m John H Daly
Lorenzo Graves, b aft 1850, d bef 1870
Franklin T Graves, b 1855
Flora B Graves, b 1859 m Charles W Hobart
Edward Graves, b 1859
John M Graves, b 1861
Grant Graves, b 1864, d 1946, m Annabelle Toombs
Wilbur S Graves, b 1867
Dolly Graves, b 1869, d 1954, m Thos. Edwin Johnston