Mary E. McGraw (abt. 1838 - abt. 1900)

Born about 1838 in Chimney Corner, Fayette, West Virginia, United States

Ancestors

Wife of William H Jacobs — married 20 Feb 1859 (to about 1864) in Fayette County, West Virginia, United States

Descendants

Died about 1900 at about age 62 in Apple Grove, Mason, West Virginia, United States

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Biography

Father Martin McGraw was granted 80 acres on the Waters of Big Creek, Fayette County, WV. From historical county records, it was determined that the property lay in the vicinity of Chimney Corner - 6 miles above Gauley Bridge. This was the birthplace of Mary E. McGraw. She was not of Native American descent.

In the early 1840's this McGraw family and many others in Mary E.'s family moved to Kanawha County to an area which, in 1848, became Putnam County. Research shows that Union District was in the area of the Pocatalico River. In 1850 Putnam County, Mary E. is one of Martin's daughters enumerated in the 1850 Census. Shortly after the Census, Martin returned to Fayette County with his second wife, Sarah Johnson - Mary's mother - and several of the children. Mary's half-sister, Nancy McGraw, married in Fayette County in 1855 to Theophilus O'harrow (Harrah). Mary E. married in Fayette County on 20 February 1859 to William H. Jacobs, three months after her father Martin died.

Note: Although William Jacobs' middle initial appears to be an "R" in the marriage record, all of the Civil War Records for him give an "H" for his middle initial. Details forthcoming in William's own bio.

Mary E. most likely had already given birth to her first child, daughter Virginia E, when the family (husband William H. Jacobs, mother Sarah Johnson McGraw, and Mary's siblings) returned to Putnam County. This would have been between May 1859, when Virginia E. was born, and 18 August 1861 when William H. Jacobs enlisted in the Union Army at Point Pleasant, West Virginia. Mary was three months pregnant with her son John William Jacobs at that time.

The family legend states that William H. Jacobs deserted the family before the birth of his son. According to his Civil War Records, however, his unit, Company H, 4th WV Infantry, was stationed in the area. He was on a "leave of absence" during the time son, John William Jacobs, was born. After that time we find that his cards are marked "deserted" for several quarters. He paid dearly for his desertion. Upon his discharge and return home after more than two years, he apparently was not welcomed home. Weeks later, he re-enlisted in the Union Army at Charleston, WV. Six weeks later, his wife Mary E. McGraw was joined in holy matrimony to John W. Duncan in Putnam County.

Mary E. lived out her life in Mason County where she died about 1900 in Apple Grove, a location south of the Gallipolis Ferry on the Ohio River and north of Mercer's Bottom where her grand-daughter Nora B. Jacobs - McGrew (my great-grandmother) was born to John William Jacobs in 1893.

Sources

• Neither birth nor death records have been discovered to date. Not to be confused with Mary E. Duncan who died in 1905 Mason County, WV.
• Marriage Record to William H. Jacobs: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9Z5-FZZB See also: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/308753 "Vital statistics, 1853-1860 of West Virginia"