Sixth Generation

359. Mary Frances WALTERS was born on 3 February 1846 in Virginia. She died on 9 May 1923 at the age of 77 in Woodstock, Shenandoah County, Virginia.

I thought at first Mary "V." might be a stepdaughter living in Azariah Graves' household in 1860. There's some confusion dealing with the two wives named Martha and when Azariah married the second Martha. In 1860, Mary V. was already 13 years old and yet she had not appeared in the 1850 census with Azariah's family. In the 1900 census, Martha Walters would say she had had two children, both living - the ladies Mollie Belle and Bettie Flinn were in the household but neither were Martha's daughters. I have come to believe the enumerator possibly made an assumption they were her daughters and in reality, Azariah Walters third wife had no children at all. I believe that Azariah raised his nieces, Nancy & Mary F. Walters, daughters of his deceased brother Alexander.

I found a Mary Walters, age 4, living with Elizabeth Walters, widow of Archibald, in Caswell Co, Yanceyville, in 1850. Undoubtedly that was this orphaned child.

In an email exchange it was evident that there is an obituary for Mary F. Gravely who died 9 May 1923 at the home of her son, James G. Gravely, at Woodstock, VA. She was a daughter of Alexander and Mary Walters and widow of Peyton B. Gravely. She had two sons, Peyton B. Gravely and James G. Gravely; three daughters, Mrs. Kate Cabell, Mrs. Mary Clapp, and Mrs. Nannie Turpin. Mrs. Turpin lived in Colorado. Mrs. Nannie D. Green, mother of Mrs. Jno T. Watson, her only sister had died six years previously. She was buried Green Hill Cemetery. The Danville Bee, 10 May 1923, p.5.

Based on information about Alexander Walters marriages and census ages, it would seem likely that Sarah Paschal was the mother of the young Mary F. but instead it seems that Mary was an infant when they married, her mother perhaps having died at the time of her birth. She also appears to have been named for her mother. And, Mary F.'s obituary did state Nancy, or Nannie Green, had been her only sister and that her mother was Mary Walters.

1880 Census. Danville, Pittsylvania Co, VA
P. B. Gravely, age 45, b. VA, tobacco manfgr
M. F., wife, female, age 34
Kate W., dau, age 7; Payton, son, age 4; Jas. G, son, age 2
Annie Gravely, age 26, Sister
Catharine Morton, Black, age 23, servant
Lucy Puryear, Mulatto, age 20, servant
Lewis Peatross, Mulatto, age 15, servant
Ed. Coleman, Black, age 30, servant

1900 Census. Danville Ward 3, Danville City, VA Hh 14
Gravely, B. Payton, b. May 1835, age 65, married 28 years, b. VA as were his parents, tobacco manufacturer
Mary, wife, b. Feb 1852 [marked over - said 1842 underneath, but that wasn't right either - she was age 4 in 1850], age 48, 5 children, b. VA as were her parents
J. George, son, b. Jan 1879, age 21
N. Daisy, dau, b. Jun 1881, age 18
Mary, dau, b. Aug 1885, age 14
Olliver, Annie, servant, Black, b. May 1873, age 27, married 4 years, has had 3 children, only 1 living
Otis, son of servant, b. Feb 1895, age 5.

1910 Census. Danville Ward #3, Independent City, VA, Hh 27
Peyton B. Gravely, age 74, married once for 38 years, b. VA, living on his own income
Mary T., wife, age 64, has had 5 children, all are living.
James G., son, age 34, has been married twice.
Mary A., daughter in law is age 30, has had no children, they have not been married a year
Peyton, son, age 32, single
Alexander Jacobs, lodger, age 55

1920 Census. Stonewall, Shenandoah Co, VA, Hh 83
James G. Gravely, age 42. Alice S., wife, age 40 Born VA as were their parents.
Mary F., mother, age 74, b. VA as were her parents
Mary G. Clapp, niece, age 11, b. NC as was her father [This may have been Mary F's granddaughter, not her niece - she was James G's niece.]

Virginia Death Certificate #141334
Mrs. Mary Francis Gravley died 4 May 1923 at Woodstock, Shenandoah Co. of intercranial hemorrhage. She was a widow, born 3 Feb 1846 in Virginia. Her parents listed as Alexander Walters and Mary Frances Vesen, both born in Virginia. J. G. Graveley of Woodstock was the informant. Buried in Danville on May 11th.

The Danville Bee, 10 May 1923, p.5
Mrs. P. B. Gravely Dies at Woodstock, VA
Mrs. Mary F. Gravely died on Wednesday, May 9, at the home of her son, Jas. G. Gravely, at Woodstock, VA., having been suddenly stricken with paralysis on Friday, May 3rd, the end coming quickly.
She was in her 76th years, was born and reared in Danville, the daughter of the late Alexander and Mary Walters. The widow of Peyton B. Gravely, one of Danville's former largest tobacco manufacturers, she resided in Danville during her entire life with the exception of a few years prior to the death of her husband. Five children survive her; two sons, Peyton B. and Jas. G. Gravely, and three daughters; Mrs. Kate Cabell, Mrs. Mary Clapp, and Mrs. Nannie Turpin. Mrs. Nannie D. Green, mother of Mrs. Jno. T. Watson, her only sister, died about six years ago.
The remains, accompanied by all of her children, except Mrs. Turpin who lives in Colorado, will arrive on train No. 135, about 4 pm on Friday, May 11. The funeral party will go direct from the station to Green Hill Cemetery. Services will be held at the grave.

Mary Frances WALTERS and Peyton B. GRAVELY were married on 24 October 1871 in Martinsville, Henry County, Virginia. Peyton B. GRAVELY was born in May 1835 in Virginia. He died on 10 August 1915 at the age of 80 in Woodstock, Shenandoah County, Virginia.

The 1990 census gave his birth as May 1835 which is different from the July 15th noted in the following obituary.

The Henry Bulletin, 13 Aug 1915
Woodstock, VA, Aug 10. Capt. Peyton B. Gravely died here Saturday. He came to Woodstock 5 years ago from Danville. Oldest son of Willis Gravely Sr, b. Henry Co, July 15, 1835. His father died Aug 1886, age 86, and his mother who was Miss Anna M. Barrow, died Dec 1886. Capt Gravely married 24 Oct 1871, Martinsville, to Miss Mary F. Walters, formerly of Pittsylvania Co. Survivors: wife & five children, Mrs. Kate W. Cabell of New York, Peyton B. Gravely Jr., James G. Gravely of Woodstock, Mrs. Nannie Turpin, and Mrs. Mary V. Clapp.

Mary Frances WALTERS and Peyton B. GRAVELY had the following children: