My Genealogy Hound

Benjamin F. Graves, known throughout Merry Green Township as a farmer and stock raiser of prominence, was bom January 20, 1847, in Saline County, Ark., and is the son of J. R. Graves, who came to Arkansas when a young man and located in what is now Saline County, having lived in adjoining counties ever since. He has been married three times; his present wife was formerly Miss Sophronia Baggett, and she is highly esteemed and beloved by her step children, who speak in the most exalted terms of her. B. F. Graves remained with his father until he grew to maturity, receiving all the advantages of education that could be obtained at that time, and on January 9, 1870, he married Miss Georgia A. Ward, of Grant County. Mrs. Graves, a daughter of Thomas and Martha Ward, formerly of South Carolina, was reared and educated in Saline County. After his marriage Mr. Graves moved to Simpson Township and remained there until 1888. He then sold out and bought where he now resides, here having 160 acres of land with about ninety-five cleared and cultivated. A good frame house and other buildings are among the improvements he has made, and quite recently has built a large addition. Mr. and Mrs. Graves are the parents of seven children, and have adopted two orphans whom they are carefully educating with their own little ones. Their names are: L. Augustus, Martha S., Sophia D., Aphens T., John T., George and Benjamin. The names of the orphans are Alta Bell Ward and Martha Castilla. Mr. and Mrs. Graves and three of the children are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Sheridan, and he belongs to the Agricultural Wheel, in which he is steward.