Genealogy Table of ContentsGenealogy Table of Contents
5. Jakob GRAEFF was born 26 Nov 1833 in Germany. He was the son of John GRAEFF and Elisabeth MESSEMER. Jakob Graeff, born 26 Nov 1833, was still in Germany in 1855.
6. Catherine "Kitty" GRAEFF was born 1835 in Bavaria, Germany. She was the daughter of John GRAEFF and Barbara REICHWEIN. Catherine died 29 Dec 1866 in Pottsville, Schuylkill, Pennsylvania.
1850 - Age 13 with family in Tremont, Schuylkill Co., PA on 8 Oct 1850.
1854 - Married 7 January 1854.
1858 - Named as one of four surviving children in her father's estate papers filed on 2 Aug 1858 by Reuben Kline, administrator for the estate.
1860 - Tremont, Schuylkill Co., PA; Conrad Bordel age 40, Cath. 24, Jacob 5, Mary 3, George 1. Catherine gave her birthplace as Bavaria and Conrad gave Prussia. Jacob age5 was listed as having a personal estate value of $25.
1861 - Conrad enrolled 10 Sep 1861 in Company H, 96 Regiment of Penna Volunteers. 1862 - Conrad died 8 Oct 1862 in US Hospital Newark NY of Chronic Diarrhea.
1864 - Catherine became insane in the spring of 1864 and was sent to an asylum in Pottsville, PA where she died on 29 Dec 1866.
1866 - After Catherine's death, the children where sent to an Orphan School at McAlisterville, Juniata Co., PA. While at school, their home address was Shamokin, Northumberland Co., PA.
1866 - William Graeff, Catherine's brother, was guardian for the children after Catherine's death. [File 147615]
1870 - Certificate in Pension File states that the persion was $8 per month with an addition $2 per child beginning 25 Jul 1866. The certificate was dated 11 May 1870.
1870 - Daughter, Mary, died.
1876 - Catherine's son, Jacob, married Rosa Langerman.
1880 - Son, George a miner age 21, was living with Christian Graeff, his uncle, for the census in Cameron Twp., Northumberland Co. PA.
1886 - Sons, Jacob and George, served as sureties for John Graeff to act as administrator for Barbara (Reichwein) Graeff's estate.
1886 - Jacob Bordel purchased his grandmother's (Barbara Graeff) property in Trevorton, Northumberland Co., PA from her estate.
1894 - Jacob Bordell, age 39, signed an afidavit to support Mary Caroline (DeLong) Graeff's pension application in which he states he knew the soldier, John Graeff, for at least thirty years.
REFERENCE: Letter received in Oct 1993 from Charles Taylor who was researching children of Civil War casualties who were schooled by the state of Pennsylvania after the was. I obtained his name from a file in the LDS files. His information was obtained from pension files at the National Archives. She married Conrad BORDEL 7 Jan 1854 in Tremont, Schuylkill Co., Pennsylvania. He was born 1820 in Germany. Conrad died 1 Oct 1862 in Newark, New Jersey.
Family tradition was that the Bordel family were brewers in Germany.
They had 3 children:
15. M i. Jacob BORDEL b. 8 Feb 1855
16. F ii. Mary BORDEL b. 20 Jul 1857 d. 12 Dec 1870
17. M iii. George BORDEL b. 27 Feb 1860 d. 1923
7. John H. GRAEFF was born 23 Oct 1839 in Tremont, Schuylkill, Pennsylvania. He was the son of John GRAEFF and Barbara REICHWEIN. John died 12 Nov 1892 in Shamokin, Northumberland, Pennsylvania, and was buried 16 Nov 1892 in Shamokin, Northumberland, Pennsylvania.
1850 - Age 13 with parents in Tremont Twp., Schuylkill Co., PA on 8 Oct.
1860 - Not found for this census. I have checked every John Graeff(Graff) in the 1860 census in PA without success.
1861 - John H. Graeff is described in his military pension records in 1877 as being 5-ft, 6-in tall, weighting 130 lbs, with a light complexion.
1861 - John enlisted on 14 Aug 1861 as a musician in Company "C" of the 50th Regiment of the PA Volunteer Infantry. The Company Muster Roll states on 8 November 1861 "Sick at Baltimore." On 20 January 1862 it states, "Left in the Hospital at Washington, Oct 8, 1861. For January/February 1862 it says, "Confined in the Provost Marshal House."
1862 - In an "Affidavit for Commissioned Officer", Capt. Daniel F. Burkett, states that John Graff was wounded at the Battle of Antietam in Maryland on 17 September 1862... "while engaged in action, received a wound in the right thigh." He was struck by a minnie ball on the inside of the right thigh about three inches above the knee joint, the misile passing directly outward and through the muscles in front of the bone. He was treated at Columbia College Hospital, Washington, DC where he remained two months. In the "Examining Surgeon's Certificate" it states that John was, "One fourth incapacitated for obtaining his subsistence by manual labor from the cause above stated."
1863 - The following summer, on 16 July 1863, John Graff and Mary Caroline DeLong were married at Harrisburg, PA.
1864 - In Jan and February of 1864, John was on Provost Duty at Harrisburg PA. Assigned to duty temporarily in Co. F, 79 Regiment of the NY volunteers. He was honorably discharged on 29 September 1864 at the expiration of his term of enlistment. In 5 February 1877 in a "Declaration for Original Invalid Pension" John Graff states his occupation is "Shoemaker and Laborer" and that since his discharge he had lived in Shamokin and Tremont, PA. His daughter, Mary Rebecca, told her daughter, Kathryn Finn Kelley, that her father made boots, saddles and leather goods.
1867 - Christian Graff and John H. Graeff signed an affidavit stating that they both were "well acquainted with Conrad Bordel late Co. H 96 PA recd. and his wife Catherine Bordel decd. and know that they had the following children..." Catherine Bordel was their older sister.
1870 - Age 35, Caroline M. age 25 in Paxinos, Northumberland Co., PA, a shoemaker. Children: William A. age4, Barbara E. age 2, and James DeLong age 8.
1879 - A Mary C. Graff is listed on the Grantee index to Deeds for Northumberland Co. in Vol. 92:177 as the purchaser of a property in Shamokin on 5 Oct 1879 (Recorded 10 Jun 1885) from Thos Baumgardner & an. (THIS MUST BE CHECKED)
1880 - Age 39, Caroline age 35 in ______?
1883 - A John Graff is listed on the Grantee index to Deeds for Northumberland Co. in Vo. 90:222 as the purchaser of a property in Marshallton(Coal) on 5 Oct 1883 (Recorded 30 Jul 1884) from Thos Baumgardner et al. (THIS MUST BE CHECKED)
1884 - A John and Mary C. Graff are listed on the Grantor index to Deeds for Northumberland Co. in Vol. 91:23 as selling property in Shamokin on 7 Aug 1884 (Recorded 27 Aug 1884) to Martin Somerdak. (THIS MUST BE CHECKED)
1885 - A John and Mary C. Graff are listed on the Grantor index to Deeds for Northumberland Co. in Vol. 92:178 as selling property in Shamokin on 6 Jun 1885 (Recorded 10 Jun 1885) to John Konopki. (THIS MUST BE CHECKED)
1887 - A Mary C. Graff is listed on the Grantee index to Deeds for Northumberland Co. in Vol. 95:765 as the purchaser of a property in Marshallton(Coal) on 6 Jun 1887 (Recorded 5 Sep 1887) from Thos. Baumgardner et al.
1890 - A John and Mary C. Graff are listed on the Grantor index to Deeds for Northumberland Co. in Vol. 102:675 as selling property in Marshallton (Coal) on 20 Jun 1890 (Recorded 1 Dec 1890) to John W. Gillespie et al.
1890 - On 27 Dec 1889, the Shamokin Herald reported that Constable John Graeff shot and killed Mathias Jacob Yacabonus, a Russian Pole, on the railroad, near Luke Fidler office, Saturday evening between 6 and7 o'clock. Yacabonus, alleged unlicensed liquor dealer, was shot resisting arrest. John Graeff was tried for murder and found not guilty.
1892 - John was sheriff of Shamokin; he died as a result of being shot on his way home from work. He was 54. According to family tradition, his grandson, Emmett Finn had the bullet. It was supposed that friends of Yacabonus avenged his death.
At the time he died, John, was an installment solicitor. His death record states he died near Excelsior, PA. His body was found in the creek under Long Bridge of the Lehigh Valley Railroad. He had been shot. He married Mary Caroline DeLONG 16 Jul 1863 in Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania. She was born 26 Aug 1844 in Lykenstown, Dauphin, Pennsylvania. She was the daughter of Peter DeLONG and Amanda CARSON. Mary died 4 Nov 1916 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and was buried 6 Nov 1916 in Darby, Pennsylvania.
NOTES for Mary Caroline:
The only remaining photo of Mary Caroline gives the appearance of her being a stoic woman, and indeed she suffered through many painful events in her life.
She married John Graff in Harrisburg, PA in 1863 where he was recuperating from a wound he received at the Battle of Antietam in Maryland.
John served as constable of Coaltown, a community outside of Shamokin, PA, and while trying to serve a warrant on a man for selling liquor without a license, he shot the man as the man tried to run away. John was tried for murder in Sunbury and found not guilty; he was murdered himself several years later. It was suspected that the family of the man John shot sought revenge.
Several years after her husband's murder, her youngest son, Benjamin, contracted tuberculous of the spine, which left him paralyzed from the waist down for the rest of his life. He was able to walk, but only while wearing a full body brace.
Mary Caroline associated Benjamin's condition with an accident he had while playing leaf frog when he was about five-years old. On their Civil War pension affiavit, it is noted that "ten years ago was injured in back, has spinal trouble ever since." As a child, this writer was forbidden to play "leaf frog" because of the story of this accident handed down through the family.
Benjamin lived for 12 years after first becoming paralyzed; he died in 1911 just five years before his mother, Mary Caroline, who died in 1916 at age 72.
A letter found in John Graff's pension file written by Mary Caroline Graff is as follows: Phila. Pa. 9/16/1916 Commissioner of Pensions Dear Sir, I hereby certify that I, Mary Caroline Graff, am the widow of John Graff of Co. C, 50" Regt. Penn. Vol. inf. Who was enrolled the 14th day of August 1861, in Schuylkill Co. I, Mary Caroline Graff, was born at Dauphin Co. Aug 26th 1844. The no. of my pension Certificate 403,255 and present address, 1849 Ritner St. Phila. Pa.
A notorized letter in the same pension file is from the Pastor of Trinity Evangelical Church, Harrisburg, PA and reads as follows:
Harrisburg, Pa. Sept. 25th, 1894. This is to certify that the Marriage Record of the Evangelical Church of Harrisburg, PA. contains the following record. "July 16, 1863, Jno. H. Graeff, of Tremont, to Miss Caroline DeLong of Lykenstown, Dauphin Co. Pa." Duly signed by the then pastor, Rev. R. Drisher. The above record is an exact copy of the original. Signed, (Rev.) J. Berg Esenwein.
1910 - Age 65 as Mary C. in Philadelphia living with Asa and Cecelia B. (graeff) Parker at 1849 Ritner street [Census 240/0907/0156]
Mary Caroline is buried in an unmarked grave at Holy Cross Cemetery in Darby, PA. The lot is in the Parker name; Benjamin and Cecilia Parker are also buried in the same lot, in addition to Robert Parker, son of Asa T. Parker.
They had 8 children:
18. M i. William A. GRAFF b. 30 Jun 1866 d. 26 Apr 1894 19. F ii. Barbara E. GRAFF b. about 1868 d. 20. M iii. John Franklin GRAFF b. 13 Oct 1870 21. F iv. Mary Rebecca GRAFF b. 30 Mar 1873 d. 10 Feb 1955 22. F v. Cecelia Beatrice GRAFF b. 27 Apr 1877 d. 7 Jul 1959 23. F vi. Caroline Elizabeth GRAFF b. 18 Feb 1879 24. M vii. Michael James GRAFF b. 1 Nov 1882 d. 1 Jan 1966 25. M viii. Benjamin GRAFF b. 29 May 1885 d. 28 Oct 1911
8. Andrew GRAEFF was born 1841 in Pennsylvania. He was the son of John GRAEFF and Barbara REICHWEIN. Andrew died before Jan 1929 in Wisconsin.
NOTES for Andrew:
1858 - Named in father's estate papers.
1860 - Age 19 with mother in Tremont Twp., Schuylkill Co., PA on 6 Jun.
1880 - Age 34 with his brother Christian on 8 Jun in Cameron Twp.,Northumberland Co., PA [NA film #__ p,. 3, ln. 36.
1880s - Moved with his brother and family to Wisconsin sometime in the late 1880s. Also lived with his nephew, Ira Christ Graff, for 13 years.
1900 -
1910 -
1916 - Named in his brother's obituary as a surviving brother.
1920 -
1928 - Died shortly before Jan 1929. Never married.
9. William GRAEFF was born 1843 in Pennsylvania. He was the son of John GRAEFF and Barbara REICHWEIN.
1850- Age 7 with family in Tremont, Schuylkill Co., PA.
1858- Not named in father's estate papers filed by Reuben Kline on 2 Aug 1858.
1860- Tremont, Schuylkill Co. PA: William (17) was a shoemaker apprentice living with John E. Lehman, a shoemaker, and his family two blocks from his mother's property.
1867- Named as the guardian of the minor children of sister Catharine (Graeff) Bordel in US pension file for Conrad Bordel. Conrad Bordel died 8 Oct 1862 during the civil war and Catharine died in Dec 1866.
1869- William Graeff bought Lot #10, Block 67 from John B. Douty and wife Lavina on 13 Sep 1869 in Shamokin, recorded 17 Mar 1871 in Deed Book 60, p. 382 & 383. [This from the deed of sale in 1879].
1870- Shamokin, Northumberland Co., PA (NA Roll 1384; p. 71, dwelling 489, family 573): William Graff age 27 living in the same household as Elizabeth (nee Fuller) age 24 and William Fry age 26. William gave his occupation as shoemaker. His brother John was also a shoemaker in Northumberland Co. for this census. William was listed as owning real estate worth $1000.
1871- Barbara Graeff of Cameron Twp, sold 162 acres and 68 perches to William and Christian Graeff for $1600 on 22 Sep 1871. Barbara bought this property from Anthony Hinghar for $1400 on 28 Oct 1865 (recorded Deed Book XX, pp. 443, 444 & 445. on 27 Mar 1866)
1872- William married by Jun 1872 Barbara Reichwein. She may be his first cousin, d/o of his supposed uncle Christian Reichwein. Christian's daughter, Barbara Reichwein, would have been 23 at the time. She was a twin to Johannes, both b. in Thalheim in Germany; they appear on the ship passenger list as Johannes 5, Johannes 5 in 1854.
1873- Son William James b. 6 Mar 1873 and bap. at St. Patrick's Church in Trevorton on 6 Apr 1873. Jacob Schwartz and Elizabeth Kley (Clay?) were godparents.
1878- William Graeff borrowed $2000 from his uncle Christian Reichwein (perhaps father-in-law) on 31 Aug 1878 recorded in Mortgage Book Vol. 17, page 457.
1878- On 12 Sep 1878, William and Barbara Graeff served as godparents for William Henry s/o Jacob Schwartz and Elizabeth Clay at St. Patrick's Catholic Ch. in Trevorton.
1879- A William Graeff and wife Barbara sold property (#10 Block 67) in Shamokin to R. J. Aucker on 18 Jul 1879. One of the wittnesses to the sale was Christian Reichwine. The [Deed Book 77, p. 92] On the same day, Barbara Graeff, wife of William, of Shamokin purchased from Reuben S. Aucker for $1500 Lot #10, Block 67. This is the same property sold earlier in the day ???
1880-
1881- William Graeff of Zerbe Twp. paid off a mortgage held by Christian Reichwein for $2000 as recorded in Mortgage Book Vol. 17 page 457 of Northumberland Co., PA.
1884- William Graeff and wife Barbara of Shamokin sold to William S. Renn of Lower Augusta Twp. for $3350 Lot #10 Block 67 in Shamokin Vol. 88:576 on 1 Apr 1884. He married Barbara REICHWEIN before Jun 1872 in Pennsylvania.
They had 1 child:
26. M i. William James GRAEFF b. 6 Mar 1873
10. Christian Lester GRAEFF was born 15 May 1845 in Tremont, Schuylkill Co., Pennsylvania. He was the son of John GRAEFF and Barbara REICHWEIN. Christian died 24 Apr 1916 in Menomonie, Dunn Co., Wisconsin.
1850 - Christian age 5; b. PA; with family in Tremont Twp., Schuylkill Co., PA
1860 - Christ age 15; b. PA; as laborer living with mother in Tremont Twp., Schuylkill Co., PA
1870 - Christian age 24: b. PA; living with mother, Barbara "Grave" in Cameron Twp. Northumberland Co., PA on 10 June 1870. His occupation was "Engineer".
1871- Barbara Graeff of Cameron Twp. Northumberland Co. sold the 162 acres in Cameron Twp. to William and Christian Graeff for $1600. [Northumberland Bk.61, p. 547]
1867 - Christian Graff and John H. Graeff signed an affidavit stating that they both were "well acquainted with Conrad Bordel late Co. H 96 PA recd. and his wife Catherine Bordel decd. and know that they had the following children..."
1873 - Barbara and William sold to Christian a property in Cameron Twp. on 15 Aug 1873 (date of deed) recorded on 7 Jan 1881.
1874 - Married about this time.
1874 - Christian and William sold a property on 1 Jul 1874 in Cameron Twp. to Nathan Henninger. [Vol. 68;542] Possibly the same property their mother, Barbara, sold to William & an. on 17 Jul 1871 which was recorded 22 Sep 1871.
1876- A John and a Barbara Graffe were sponsors for Barbara Margaret b. 22 Jul 1876, child of Christian Graffe and Mary Margaret Brown at St. Edward Church in Shamokin, Northumberland Co., PA. If this is Barbara Graeff's son, Christian, then John was possibly Barbara's son, since her husband, John, died in 1858.
1880 -
1887 - Christian and Mary M. sold a property in Cameron Twp. Northumberland Co., PA to Emma Tobias [Vol 114;240]
1897 - Moved to South Dakota, but shortly after moved again to Minneapolis.
1898 - Spring of 1898 moved to Dunn County, MN.
1900 - Lucas, Dunn Co., WI; Christian age 55, Mary 46; a farmer b. in PA; father & mother b. France; [WI Vol. 19 12th Census; 80-99; 1623; 1787]
1910 -
1916 - Died 24 Apr 1916 in Menomonie, Dunn Co., WI
He was born in Pennsylvania May 15, 1845, and there married Mary Brown. They came to Wisconsin about twenty-eight years ago, living in St. Croix county and in Minneapolis, later coming to Dunn county and settling on the farm nine miles west of the city which has been their home for the last twenty-five years.
Deceased is survived by his wife, who is in failing health, and six children, Ira at home, Mrs. Bertha Schultz of this city, Clyde and Mrs. Laura Cook of Cumberland, Mrs. Ida Kruger of Superior and George of Cramer, N.D. One brother, Andrew Graff, and sixteen grandchildren also survive, two of the grandchildren being present at the funeral.
The funeral was held at 10 o'clock this morning at St. Joseph's Catholic church, Rev. Father Albert Dorrenbach officiating. Interment was in the Catholic cemetery.
Obituary: Dunn Co. News, Thursday 23 Nov 1916.
MRS. MARY M. GRAFF died at her home in the town of Lucas, Saturday, Nov 18, after a lingering illness of about two years.
Mary Margaret Brown was born July 15 1853 in Newport, PA , and was united in marriage to Christian Graff in Shamokin, PA. They came to Wisconsin about Twenty-eight years ago and settled on the farm in the town of Lucas which has been their home since. Mr. Graff died April 24, 1916. Six children survive. They are Mrs. Owen Kruger of Duluth, Ira of the town of Lucas, Mrs. Stewart Cook of Cumberland, Mrs. H. F. Schultz of Menomonie, Clyde of Geen Flora and George of Bottineau, N.D. All the children were present at the funeral services, which were held Wednesday, Nov. 22, at 10 a.m. at St. Joseph's Catholic church in this city. Rev. Father Albert Dorrenbach officiated. Interment was made in the church cemetery.
Christian married (1) Caroline LAGERMAN before 1874 in Pennsylvania. She was born about 1850 in Prussia. She was the daughter of Henry LAGERMAN and Mary ________. Caroline died 1873 in Trevorton, Northumberland C, Pennsylvania, and was buried in Trevorton, Northumberland C, Pennsylvania.
NOTES for Caroline (Lagerman) Graeff:
1870 - Caroline is age 20 for the census of Shamokin, PA living with her parents Henry 46 and Theresa 44.
1873 - Burial church record in Trevorton, PA show Caroline's parents as Henry and Mary and her death as 1879, but the grave marker says 1873 for her death.
No children have yet been identified.
They had 8 children:
27. F i. Ida GRAFF b. 9 Apr 1873 d. 28. F ii. Barbara Margaret GRAFF b. 2 Jul 1876 d. 1879 29. M iii. Ira Christ GRAFF b. 9 Nov 1878 d. 15 Jul 1954 30. F iv. Anna GRAFF b. 1881 d. 31. F v. Laura Edna GRAFF b. 14 Jul 1883 d. 21 May 1945 32. F vi. Bertha Alice GRAFF b. 27 Dec 1885 d. 7 Jul 1969 33. M vii. Clyde Irvin GRAFF b. 14 Apr 1892 d. 7 Jul 1969 34. M viii. George GRAFF b. 13 Jan 1896 d. Jan 1969
11. Elizabeth GRAEFF was born 1847. She was the daughter of John GRAEFF and Barbara REICHWEIN.
NOTES for Elizabeth:
1850 - Age 3 in parent's home.
1860 - Age 13 with mother.
1870 - Not accounted for in this census. She may have died by this time. There is a family tradition that one daughter died young when her dress caught on fire.
12. Wilhelm GRAEFF was born 29 Nov 1829 in Germany. He was the son of Konrad GRAEFF and Elisabeth KLOS.
13. Georg Michael GRAEFF was born 7 Feb 1831 in Germany. He was the son of Konrad GRAEFF and Elisabeth KLOS.
14. Josef GRAEFF was born 24 Jan 1839 in Germany. He was the son of Konrad GRAEFF and Elisabeth KLOS.