Admiral Thomas GRAVES

1605 - 1653  (48 years)

• Name	Thomas GRAVES
  Prefix	Admiral
  Born	6 Jun 1605	Stepney, Middlesex, England
  Gender	Male
  Also Known As	GREAVES
  Immigrant?	Y
  Cause of Death	Killed in a sea battle with the Dutch in the English Channel
  Died	31 Jul 1653	At sea
  Person ID	I43297	Main
  Last Modified	1 Nov 2017

  
  

  Family	Katherine GRAY,   b. 30 Jun 1605, Stepney, Middlesex, England ,   d. 21 Feb 1681, Charlestown [Boston], Suffolk, Massachusetts  (Age 75 years)
  Children	+ 1. John GRAVES,   b. 1633, Stepney, Middlesex, England ,   d. 8 Oct 1664, Hampshire, England  (Age 31 years)
  Last Modified	26 Jul 2017
  Family ID	F30515	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  This is not the Thomas Graves born in 1598. —— Thomas Graves was born 6 June 1605 at Ratcliff, England, near London (or at Stepney, England) was baptized 16 June 1605 at Stepney and died 31 July 1653 in a sea battle with the Dutch in the English Channel. Thomas Graves sprang from a prominent shipbuilding and mariner family of London, and came to America as early as 1628. He was a skillful shipmaster, and was mate of the “Talbot”, in which Higginson came to Salem, Mass. in 1629. He was mate of the “Arabella”, master of the “Plantation” in 1630, master of the “Plough” in 1631, of the “Whale” in 1632, of the “Reformation” and “Elizabeth Bonaventura” in 1633 and 1634, and of the “James” in 1635. He was master of the first American built ship, the “Tryall”, on her second voyage in June 1643, and followed the sea more or less until his death. For some years he commanded a vessel running between Boston and the ports of the mother country. By this means he kept up his acquaintance with men and affairs in England. He was on familiar terms with the principal men of the MA Colony, and was held by them in high esteem, being pronounced by Gov. Winthrop after his death in 1653, "an able and godly man". Winthrop wrote his name Greaves. He married Katherine Gray before 1635 (probably by 1630) in England. She was born about 1606 in Harwich, England and died 21 Feb. 1682. He brought his family (consisting of his wife and two children) to America about 1636 or 1637 and settled in Charlestown, MA. His last four children were born in MA. Thomas Graves was admitted to the First Church, Charlestown, with his wife, 7 Oct. 1639, and was made freeman at general court, Boston, on 13 May 1640. He was granted 250 acres of land in Charlestown and Woburn. He continued to follow the sea, and while in command of a merchantman captured a Dutch "man-of-war" vessel in the British Channel, for which gallant act he was appointed by Parliament captain of the frigate President in the Royal Navy on 30 May 1652. The following year he was appointed Rear Admiral of the White by Oliver Cromwell, after the overthrow of King Charles I and on board the St. Andrew (with 360 men and 56 guns) he participated in naval battles with the Dutch, and was killed 31 July 1653. His body was landed from the fleet in Aldborough Bay, Co. Suffolk, England, 8 Aug. 1653, and buried the same day, his wife's family being from that county. Parliament granted his family 1000 pounds. His will dated 13 June 1652, deposited with his brother Abraham in England, was forwarded to America. It was presented for probate by his widow several months after his death. In his will he mentions his children Thomas, Nathaniel, Susanna, Rebecca, Joseph and John, who was the co-executor with Katherine Gray. One other son, William, was born in England and is said to have died young.