My Genealogy Hound

John Grimes is a son of William Grimes, and grandson of Gainsford Grimes, who came from England to America before the Revolutionary War and served in South Carolina under Gens. Washington and Greene. At the close of the war he (Gainsford Grimes) went to Culpeper County, Va., but returned to England soon after, and was married to Nancy Poe, a member of the celebrated Poe family, who about this time immigrated to America. Aaron Poe, the celebrated Indian fighter, was also a member of this family. After his marriage Mr. Grimes returned to America, settling in Culpeper County, Va., where he reared a family of six children: John, James, William, Gainsford, Isaac A. and Lydia. He died in Virginia at the age of seventy-seven years, a member of the Regular Baptist Church. William Grimes was born in 1804 on the old homestead in Virginia, and was married to Sarah England, which union resulted in the birth of nine children: John, Louis C., Martha A., Benjamin F., James P., William, Melissa, Clementine and Norabesca. Mr. Grimes and family moved to Tennessee in 1845, and resided on a farm of 300 acres until 1857, at which time he moved to Missouri; he died in Newton County in 1862. He lost all his property during the war, except his farm of fine bottom land, consisting of 287 acres. He was a member of the Missionary Baptist Church, and a Democrat in politics. John Grimes, his son and the subject of this sketch, was born in Virginia July 15, 1828, and at the age of nineteen years went with his father to Tennessee. Here he married Margaret L. Beeler, a daughter of Ellery Beeler. Nine of Mr. Grimes’ eleven children are living: William, Louis C., Elizabeth, Sarah, James P., Lee F., Matilda, Holda and Robert L. Mr. Grimes has always been industrious, and has a fine river bottom farm of 500 acres. In 1861 he joined Company D, Second Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry, but was dismounted in 1862. He was at Chickamauga, Murfreesboro, Cold Harbor, Spottsylvania, Wilderness, Gettysburg and many other engagements. While on picket duty, in September, 1863, he was taken prisoner, but, after being confined at Indianapolis for three months, managed to make his escape with forty-seven others in the night, and made his way to the Confederate lines. He served until the close of the war, and from that time until 1867 made his home with his mother.