Marty and Karla Grant

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Moses Grimes (d 1795) of Wilkes Co., NC

[Graham Home] - [Table of Contents] - Moses Grimes

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The author (Marty Grant) is a 6^th Great Grandson of Moses Grimes, if he is indeed the father of my Jeffrey Grimes/Graham, as I strongly suspect.

Important note: The surnames Grimes and Graham were often used interchangeably during the 1700s and early 1800s.

Note: My Graham/Grimes ancestors were typically listed as “Free colored” or “Mulatto” on the various census records, though sometimes listed as white. I’ve found no records (thus far) describing Moses Grimes’s ethnicity as other than white. He was listed in the white columns on the 1790 census. However, I still believe he is my ancestor, and if he’d lived longer, he would probably have shown up in the free colored columns in the various censuses.

Moses Grimes was born prior to ca 1766, that is assuming he was at least 18 when son Jeffrey was born in 1784. He may have been born decades prior to 1766. I just don’t know.

I do not know who Moses Grimes parents were, nor where he was born. He appeared in Wilkes Co., NC records beginning in 1790, but I don’t believe he was born there.

First and foremost, I do not know for certain that Moses Grimes is the father of my Jeffrey, Lewis, John and Nancy Grimes, who are proven siblings according to court records. Moses did have a proven son named John, and I am convinced it is the same John in our family as the time and place and situation all matches.

On 4 Dec 1905 W. W. Johnston, aged 78, gave a statement for Gilliland vs. Board of Education including this interesting bit:

 

...he frequently heard his father and several other old men say that a negro by the name of Grimes bought his freedom, who married a white woman who gave birth to Jeffrey Grimes or Graham, and he Jeffrey Grimes or Graham, married Fannie Eastrick and that he heard Jeffrey Graham or Grimes say that his father bought his freedom ...

If the above statement is true (the “negro” connection was disputed in the same court case), that suggests Moses Grimes was a former slave who purchased his freedom from his master, presumably a man named Grimes or Graham.

Who was the slave owning Grimes/Graham in question? The 1782 tax list for Wilkes Co., NC includes an Edward Graham in Cpt. Guest’s district. He had 200 acres, no slaves, 2 horses and 5 cattle. He was the only Graham or Grimes in Wilkes for that list.

Edward was still in Wilkes for the 1787 state census, listed as Edward Grayham in Cpt. Fargusons’ District. He had a large household, but no slaves. There was a George Graham on the 1787 census in the same district as Edward, but not listed near him. He had one slave. Could that be Moses? Possibly, but I wouldn’t assume it’s him.

There were no other Graham or Grimes listed.

Moses Grimes is listed on the 1790 census in Wilkes Co., NC in the 4^th Company just a few houses from John Eastridge. That’s significant, because Jeffrey and Lewis married Eastridge sisters who I think might be John’s daughters.

1790 Census - Wilkes Co., NC, 4^th Company

Page	Name	Males 16+	Males under 16	Females	Others	Slaves
154	Moses Grimes	1	3	3	~	~

Enumerations                                         Who it might be

1m 16 and up (before 1774)                Moses Grimes (bef 1766)

3m under 16 (1774/1790)                    1. Jeffrey Grimes (1784) son

                                                                  2. Lewis Grimes (1789) son

                                                                  3. Son?

3f (before 1790)                                     1. Wife?

                                                                  2. Daughter?

                                                                  3. Daughter?

Neither Edward Graham nor George Graham from earlier records were still in Wilkes for the 1790 census. However, Boston Grimes had appeared. He was listed in the 16^th Company of Wilkes County, which is a section that became Ashe County in 1799.

Boston Grimes had been in Rowan Co., NC in the 1780s along with his wife Elizabeth. I don’t know if they are related to Moses or not, but certainly could be.

On 28 Apr 1790, in Wilkes County court, it was ordered that James Tugman, Moses Grimes, Nathaniel Baker and John Standley be exempt from paying pole tax for the future.

Why was Moses and these other men made exempt? Usually it had to do with advanced age, or infirmity. Perhaps he was much older than we suspect. The other men named, Tugman, Baker and Standley (Stanley?) were not affiliated with Moses Grimes as far as I can determine.

In Aug 1795, Moses Grimes filed a lawsuit against John Dobson for trespassing, which in those days usually meant that the person either cut timber or somehow used land that wasn’t his own without permission or compensation. Since Moses owned no land as far as I can determine, perhaps this was a different kind of trespassing, or perhaps it involved land he was leasing or share cropping. On 7 Aug 1795, Moses Grimes, with Rowland Judd, Esq., as his bondsman, made a bond for fifty pounds in support of the suit. Judd signed, while Moses Grimes made his mark.

The case never made it trial as far as I can tell, for Moses Grimes died by November 1795.

In November 1795 court, “We the jurors ... do on our oaths present the orphan children of Francis Bishop deceased on sufferance also the children of Moses Grimes deceasd is in a likely way to suffer ...”

Moses was mentioned in court on 6 May 1796, “Ordered by the court that John Grimes, the son Moses Grimes be bound unto Reuben Parkes till he attains the age of 21 years old now aged 4 years.”

The above is the last time I found Moses’s name in the records.

I don’t know if his wife survived him. There are two apparent widows in the records, one named Mary/Molly, and another named Phebe. I don’t think either of them were Moses’s widow though. It’s entirely possible they weren’t widows at all, but daughters of his who went on to have children out of wedlock. I’m not sure.

To do: Look for any Graham/Grimes slave owners in western NC or bordering section of VA who may have freed one of their slaves prior to 1790.

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Children

Moses Grimes has one proven child, a son named John who was born ca 1792 or 1794 depending on which record is more accurate. This John is almost certainly the same one mentioned in the court cases in Buncombe Co., NC which names him as a sibling of Jeffrey, Lewis and Nancy Grimes. It explicitly says they were from Wilkes County. Thus, I’d say Moses is a mostly proven father of all four of those Grimes children, and quite possibly the father of Mary and Phoebe and perhaps James. I’ll explain my rationale for each below. What isn’t clear is why there was an Indenture record for John, but none for the others. Perhaps the others were taken in by a relative, but John was the youngest, and too young for said relative to handle along with the rest. Just a theory.

 

1.         Jeffrey Grimes (later Graham) (1784-1855).

2.         Lewis Grimes (1789-1855).

3.         John Grimes (c1792-aft 1809)

4.         Nancy Grimes

5.         Mary/Molly Grimes (d aft 1807)

6.         Phoebe Grimes (d aft 1830)

7.         James Graham (1785/94-c1848)

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Jeffrey Grimes later Graham was born 1784 in Wilkes Co., NC and died 1855 in Buncombe Co., NC. He married Fanny Eastridge, either in Wilkes or Buncombe. I believe him to be a son of Moses because Jeffrey has a proven brother named John of Wilkes, and Moses has a proven son named John of Wilkes, and it seems to be the same John in both cases. Furthermore, Moses did have three apparent sons Jeffrey’s age with him on the 1790 census.

See Jeffrey’s page for more information.

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Lewis Grimes was born 1789 in Wilkes Co., NC and died 1855 in Buncombe Co., NC. He married Rebecca Eastridge, either in Wilkes or Buncombe. I believe him to be a son of Moses because Lewis has a proven brother named John of Wilkes, and Moses has a proven son named John of Wilkes, and it seems to be the same John in both cases. Furthermore, Moses did have three apparent sons Lewis’s age with him on the 1790 census.

See Lewis’s page for more information.

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John Grimes was born in Wilkes Co., NC, in the 1790s. A court record dated 6 May 1796 refers to him as four years old, which would put his birth date at ca 1791/92. However, the Indenture record, spawned by the same court order, lists him as two and a half years old, which would put his birth at ca 1793/94. The two are close enough, though one wonders which is more accurate.

He was indentured in 1796 to Reuben Parks until the age of 21. There are three men of that name on the 1800 census in Wilkes Co., NC. Which one had John Grimes in his household?

1800 Census, Wilkes Co., NC, p. 56, Reuben Parks, 12101-01301-0-0

1800 Census, Wilkes Co., NC, p. 57, Reuben Parks, 10100-00100-0-0

1800 Census, Wilkes Co., NC, p. 57, Reuben Parks, 21010-20010-1-0

I think the answer leaps out. It’s the third one on the list, who has one free colored person in his household. John would have been between 6 and 8 at this point.

In February 1803 court, Reuben Parks requested to be released from the Indenture binding John Grimes to him. The reason was not given. The court agreed, then bound John to James Reynolds until 21 years old. His age at the time was not given, though it would have been between 9 and 12.

On 30 Jan 1809, John Grimes’s Indenture was rescinded, and he was bound to John R. Johnson until age 21. He would have been from 15 to 17 at this time. James Reynolds was not mentioned by name in this court record.

This is the last record I found for John Grimes until mentioned in a 1905 court case.

John R. Johnson, Esq, was listed on the 1810 census in Wilkes Co., NC. He didn’t seem to have John Grimes in his household:

1810 Census, Wilkes Co., NC, p. 895, John R. Johnson, Esqr., 31010-30010-0-0

There were no free colored entries in the household, nor any “extra” white males, unless John was the white male age 10-15 (born ca 1794/1800) which works. However, back in 1800, John R. Johnson had one male under 10 (ca 1790/1800) with them, so it could be that son still home in 1810 instead of John Grimes.

There is a “J. Grimes” listed on the 1810 census in Ashe Co., NC, which was next door to Wilkes.

1810 Census, Ashe Co., NC, p. 7, J. Grimes, 20100-10100-0-0

Is this John Grimes? It certainly could be. If so, he wasn’t 21 yet, so did he buy his way out of his Indentured servitude? Quite possibly. On the other hand, this entry might be Jacob Grimes instead, who was mentioned in Ashe County records in 1805 and in Wilkes in 1808. It could also be my ancestor Jeffrey Grimes, who might have been married already by 1810, though he’d already began acquiring land in Buncombe Co., NC by 1808, so I don’t think it’s him. But I can’t rule out Jacob.

J. Grimes was just three houses from my ancestor Jacob Fouts. I mention this because in 1830, an apparent widow “Febe” Grimes is in the same neighborhood. She could be John’s widow, or Jacob’s widow, depending on who J. Grimes actually is.

I mentioned that John Grimes wasn’t found in the records again until 1905. On 11 Nov 1905 Mary Tabor (daughter of Jeffrey Graham), aged 84 gave a statement for Gilliland vs. Board of Education. Some interesting bits:

 

Q. Do you remember your grandfather Graham?

A. I do not. I have heard my father speak often of him.

             ...

             Q. Who was Nancy Graham or Grimes?

             A. My father's sister. I have seen her.

             Q. Who was John Graham?

A. My father's brother. Never seen him.

Q. Where did they live?

A. In Wilkes County, N.C.

Thus, the last record we have for John Grimes is dated 1809, or possibly 1810 if the Ashe County census entry is him. Mary Graham Tabor was born in 1822, so it makes sense that she never saw him as he probably died before she was born.

I don’t know if John Grimes ever married. If the 1810 census entry is him, then perhaps he did. If so, “Febe” might be his widow. However, I have nothing to connect her directly to him. For now I have her listed as a potential daughter or daughter-in-law of Moses Grimes. More on her below.

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Nancy Grimes was born in Wilkes Co., NC sometime before 1795. She was apparently alive into the 1820s and beyond, as her niece Mary Graham Tabor (b 1822) remembered seeing her:

On 11 Nov 1905 Mary Tabor (daughter of Jeffrey Graham), aged 84 gave a statement for Gilliland vs. Board of Education. Some interesting bits:

 

Q. Do you remember your grandfather Graham?

A. I do not. I have heard my father speak often of him.

             ...

             Q. Who was Nancy Graham or Grimes?

             A. My father's sister. I have seen her.

             Q. Who was John Graham?

A. My father's brother. Never seen him.

Q. Where did they live?

A. In Wilkes County, N.C.

Moses Grimes had three females at home with him in 1790. One is presumably his wife, the other two are presumably daughters. One is likely Nancy Grimes, unless she was born after 1790.

Unfortunately, the 1905 court case is the only record of her I’ve found so far.

I didn’t find a marriage record for her in Wilkes. That she was listed as Nancy Grimes in 1905, suggests she never married. She would have presumably lived with a sibling or other relative through the years.

Theodore Graham, son of Jeffrey, made this statement in Gilliland vs. Board of Education, “says that Nancy Grimes or Graham is the woman mentioned in the certificate attached to this affidavit, and that she is his aunt, his father’s sister, and lived in Wilkes County; and as he has been informed and believes was apprenticed to one Martha Parlier in Wilkes County. And as he is informed and believes had other brothers and sisters apprenticed in same county.” 9 May 1906.

The certificate in question was provided by the Wilkes County Clerk of Court 26 Oct 1905 and included this from August 1825 court: Ordered that Nancy Grimes age six be bound unto Martha Parlier until age 18.

This record is actually for a much younger Nancy Grimes, born ca 1819, who was still living in Wilkes in 1850 with an apparent daughter named Amanda (born ca 1842). It is highly unlikely this Nancy (c1819) is a sister of Jeffrey (1784), especially if he is a son of Moses who died in 1795. Of course it’s possible she was born to Moses’s widow long after his death, thus would be Jeffrey’s half sister. That seems unlikely as well.

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Mary/Molly Grimes was born before ca 1781 if we assume she was at least 16 when her son Allen Grimes was born in 1797.

It isn’t clear whether Mary was a Grimes widow, or a Grimes by birth. If the latter, then she had children out of wedlock. If the former, I have yet to find a likely husband for her. One possibility would be Moses Grimes himself. He died ca Nov 1795. I’ve found nothing yet that proves his wife survived him nor what her name was. Mary certainly could have been his widow. However, her proven son Allen was born two years after the death of Moses. Her other likely son is also named Moses, so that strongly suggests a connection at least. For now, I’ll list her as a child of Moses Grimes (d 1795).

There were no Grimes or Graham listings on the 1800 census in Wilkes Co., NC.

In Feb 1803 court, it was ordered that Allen Grimes, child of Molly Grimes, aged five years the 18^th of June last, be bound unto Milley Humphreys until the age of 21.

The above record proves Allen’s birth date as 18 Jun 1797 and that he is a son of Molly Grimes who was presumably still living at the time since named.

On 14 Aug 1807, the court sent a summons to have Gordon Chafus arrested to answer a complaint from Lewis Underwood. The same summons noted that Mary Grimes, Febe Grimes and Jesse Robinett were also summoned, for the defendant.

That’s the last record I have for Mary/Molly Grimes. Her son Allen married in Wilkes in 1817, then moved to Indiana in the late 1820s. She had another likely son named Moses Grimes who married Telitha Gibbs in the 1810s. He died before 1820. I suspect Moses is Mary’s son because Moses was the bondsman for her son Allen’s 1817 marriage.

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Phoebe Grimes was born before ca 1792, assuming she was at least 16 when her first child was born ca 1808. Her 1830 census entry shows her born ca 1775/1794, so that works with ca 1792, though also means she could be much older.

It isn’t clear whether Phoebe was a Grimes widow, or a Grimes by birth. I strongly suspect she’s a widow of the “J. Grimes” from the 1810 Ashe Co., NC census. That could be John Grimes (son of Moses) or Jacob Grimes, connection unknown. I base this on J. Grimes living in the same community of neighbors in 1810 that “Febe” was listed in, in 1830. That does prove a connection, but not necessarily that she was his widow.

There were no Grimes or Graham listings on the 1800 census in Wilkes Co., NC.

On 14 Aug 1807, the Wilkes County court sent a summons to have Gordon Chafus arrested to answer a complaint from Lewis Underwood. The same summons noted that Mary Grimes, Febe Grimes and Jesse Robinett were also summoned, for the defendant.

As noted, J. Grimes is listed on the 1810 census in Ashe Co., NC (see John Grimes entry above for this entry). This could be Phoebe’s husband.

I didn’t find Phoebe on the 1820 census.

She is listed on the 1830 census in Ashe County in the same neighborhood J. Grimes had been in back in 1810, thus my belief she could be his widow.

1830 Census, Ashe Co., NC, p. 4, Febe Grimes, no whites. FC=010000-110100

I didn’t find any record of her after the 1830 census.

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James Graham was born ca 1784/93 per his ages on the 1830 and 1840 censuses. He married in Wilkes Co., NC, and was listed as Free Colored on the two aforementioned census records, so it seems likely tome that he is connected to the Moses Grimes family. He is old enough to be a son of Moses, though I have no proof he is. He could easily be a grandson or nephew instead, or perhaps not even related.

On 1 Nov 1822, James Graham obtained a marriage bond in Wilkes Co., NC to marry Mary Passon. James Allison was bondsman. Both James Graham and Allison signed with a mark.

I don’t think “Passon” is Mary’s actual surname, but a misreading of what it actually is, though I don’t know what it is. Parsons perhaps? Or Pearson? I have not seen the original bond, only the published abstract which says Passon. There are some other marriages for “Passons” which are almost certain Parsons.

Mary Passon, or Parson(s), was born ca 1804/05 per her age on the 1850 census (45), born in North Carolina, perhaps Wilkes County. I don’t know who her parents were.

They moved into (then) neighboring Carter Co., TN by 1830 and were listed there on the 1830 census. They were the only Graham family in the county for this census.

1830 Census, Carter Co., TN, p. 142, James Graham, 0 whites, FC=200100-301000

They are still in Carter Co., TN for the 1840 census, again the only Graham family listed.

1840 Census, Carter Co., TN, p. 171, James Graham, 0 whites, FC=320100-120100

They moved to neighboring Washington Co., TN in the mid 1840s.

The last record I found (so far) for James is dated 19 Feb 1846 when he signed the marriage bond for his daughter Martha Graham to marry William Hyder in Washington Co., TN.

James was dead by 1850 for his wife Mary was listed as head of household. The youngest child at home with her was 2, or born ca 1847/48, so if not a grandson instead, that indicates James died ca 1847-1850.

There were other Grahams in Washington Co., TN in 1850, but nearby. The others were all white families, whereas Mary and family were listed as Mulattos.f

1850 census, Washington Co., TN, The 4 Subdivision, # 1033/1061

The previous household contained another likely child of theirs.

1850 census, Washington Co., TN, The 4 Subdivision, # 1032/1060

I didn’t find widow Mary Graham on the 1860 census.

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For Family Group Sheet and other notes see my database pages for Moses Grimes.

Revised: January 15, 2025

Copyright © 1996-2025 Marvin A. Grant, Jr. All Rights Reserved.

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