Grimes Family

1826 Inventory of John Grimes property

First, a refresher---the name Grimes and Graham are interchangeable. Read my earlier post or read this which is probably more than you ever wanted to know about the name Graham---but read the first paragraph, for sure. Here's another reference to the Graham/Grimes. And, DNA supports the connection---note there are 254 with the name Graham but only 204 applied under name Graham---the other 50 are with the name Grimes. Finally, John Grimes is referred to as John Graham in this court document (#11).The bottom of the document above names the heirs of John Grimes estate: William Grimes, John Grimes, James Grimes, Eleanor Herren [Hearn], Catherine Wright living in Kentucky, and Hannah Crow, Mary Carrico, Elizabeth Like, Armintha Houghland living in St. Louis County.

We have had many questions about William Graham that these documents on John Grimes and Mary Grimes found on a website with Missouri Judicial Records may answer (there are dozens of records which I have not reproduced under "Mary Grimes" and "John Grimes"). First, why did William Graham leave his wife and children in Jefferson County to settle in St. Louis County around 1828-1835? Why did he "sell" the farm and why was that document in his brother's probate file? Why is the Graham family so litigious when it comes to wills? (click on "wills" or "legal documents" to the left) What happened to his father John Graham who appeared to be affluent for early St. Louisians (his probate was not found under that name)? What is the relationship to the Carricos? Vincent was the administrator of John Graham's estate; John Graham was a witness to Jean Baptiste Carrico's burial---those are family roles. The document below is pivotal to answering a lot of these questions (double click to enlarge)

The Grimes family intermarried on several occasions with the Carricos. Daniel Carrico (one of the plantiffs in the law suit) was married to Mary Grimes (William Graham's sister). The other plantiff in the law suit was Abraham Like whose wife was another sister---Elizabeth Grimes. Jonathon Crow who was the administrator of John Grimes and Mary Grimes estates was married to another sister Hannah Grimes. The husband of the fourth St. Louis sister Armintha Grimes was also involved with the lawsuit---William Hougland.

I have to say the document above makes me pretty angry---for 1828, Abraham Like is charging $50 for 3 weeks of care for Mary Grimes? And $8 for a shroud? She was his wife's mother! It appears that the court agreed since some was "disallowed" and some was placed in 2nd class in 1830 (whatever that means)
I may not be a good judge of costs in 1828 St. Louis, though since I think the bill above for medicine is also too much. I'm very confused by this document---what is 82.81 1/2 ? My husband also notes that the earlier math was inaccurate---that should have totalled 28.25.

During the trial, Mary Grimes Carrico and Blanche Jenkins were called for the defense; the plantiffs called Charles Prewett, Cinderella/Lucinda Prewett and Sally Coll (Caugh). I'm not sure why, but the documents call these witnesses on the trial of Abraham Like not Daniel Carrico---maybe Daniel was cleared before the trial.
Despite the unlikelihood that there were two people with virtually the same name, whose wives have the same name, whose children have the same names who associated with the same families in North St. Louis County at the same time in the early 1800's, one of the Grimes descendants has assured me that her ancestor, John Grimes, Sr. was not in Missouri in the 1700's as was John Graham.   I will keep these Grimes/Graham blogs up so other family historians can find the information and because these people are probably related.

We no longer believe this John Graham is related to our William Graham, but will keep this up to help others in their genealogical quest.