CLICK HERE for the History of Bond and Montgomery Counties, Illinois in 1882
CLICK HERE for the Portrait and Biographical Records of Montgomery and Bond Counties, Illinois, 1892.
Daniel and Nancy (McAdams) Graff
Daniel and Nancy (McAdams) Graff
Photos courtesy of Shawn Graff
GRAF GENERATIONS:
1. Nikel Graf + Anna Christina Mullers
2. Johann Casper Graf + Anna Cecilia Colter
3. Johann Philip Graf + Maria Catharina
Geffinger
4. Johann Casper Graf + Katharina Margaretha
Philipp
5. Johann Peter Graf + Anna Marie Shey (Johann Peter is brother to Valentine, of my family line)
6. Daniel Graff + Nancy McAdams
DANIEL GRAFF.
The subject of this sketch, a fine old German-American farmer located in
Central Township, came to Bond County, Illinois in 1841 with no means, but now
possesses one hundred and eight acres of fine land and is the only one of the
original settlers left in Central Township.
A sketch of his life will prove interesting.
Daniel Graff was born in a province of
Rhenish, Bavaria July 22, 1821, and is the son of Peter Graff, a native of the
same place. Grandfather Caspar Graff was
also a Bavarian, where he followed an agricultural life and served under Napoleon in the Russian campaign. His
death occurred in Germany when he was about eighty-eight years of age.
The father of our subject also became a
farmer, but with only moderate success.
He came to America in 1853, after which he made his home with our
subject and died at the age of eighty-two years, a member of the Reformed
Protestant Church. The mother of our
subject was Mary Shire, a native of the same province as her husband, and she
became the mother of five children, namely: Michael, Daniel, Henry, Barbara and
Peter. Her life ended when she was only
thirty-seven years old. She had been a
member of the Reformed Protestant Church and her remains now lie buried in
Germany. The father of our subject
contracted a second marriage, when Catherine Colter became his wife, and two
children were born of this marriage, Frederica and Fred.
Our subject was reared on the farm in Germany
and attended excellent schools there until he was eighteen years of age. He then started for America and after a
tiresome voyage of sixty-one days on the Atlantic Ocean, and ten days more
before he landed at New Orleans, he was ready for his last stage of the journey
and came up the Mississippi River to St. Louis.
Leaving the city he went into St. Clair County, but returned to St.
Louis, remaining until the spring of 1841, when he entered forty acres of his
present farm from the Government, and very soon bought more land, it being all
wild at that time. The few log houses of
the settlers were far apart, deer ran in droves across his farm, and wolves and
turkeys were daily seen. The first act
of our subject was to erect a log cabin in the woods, and here he lived until
1849, when, having cleared up the most of his farm, he felt it to be a fit
place to which to bring his bride.
However, June 3, 1846, he had enlisted in the Mexican War, where he
served twelve months under Gen Scott. He
took part in the bombardment of Vera Cruz and the battle of Cerro Gordo, and
was in many skirmishes. After he came
home he was married, September 25, 1849, to Miss Nancy McAdams, who was born
December 5, 1831, in this township.
Twelve children have been born to our subject and his wife, seven of
whom are now living, namely: Sylvanus C., Lois C. [Lewis], Clara, Mary, Henry,
Don and Vansie. Sylvanus C. married Lucy
Durant and they live in this township; Lois C. [Lewis] married Clara Hockett
and they live in Mills Township; Clara married A. T. Porter and they live in
Vandalia, Ill.; Mary married Edward Briggs and they live in Montgomery County;
Henry married Leulla [Luella] Bird and they live in Mills Township, this county.
Mr. Graff now owns one hundred and eighty
acres of improved land, and he has cleared almost all of it himself and has
carried on both grain and stock-raising on it.
His present comfortable residence was erected in 1869 where he and his
family reside. Our subject is a staunch
supporter of the principles of Democracy.
His wife is a devout member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Mr. Graff has served his district as School
Director acceptably for nine years and taken great interest in educational
matters. He has not only seen the growth
of his own fortunes, but has viewed with satisfaction the march of improvement
in the district and county. Always ready
for any move which seemed to promise well for his neighborhood, Mr. Graff has
made a favorable impression on all with whom he comes in contact.
This portrait and biographical record, page 412 in the original account, was sent
to me by Shawn Graff, the GGG Grandson to Peter, who is Daniel’s brother. Bond County is the county referred to in the document. Portrait and Biographical Record of Montgomery and Bond Counties, Illinois, published in 1892.
Eleanora Yoos Graf, wife of Peter Graf
The grave of Peter Graf.
