Genealogies: The Cole, James, and Graves Families' Genealogies

Richard Cole Sr. was born 23 April 1729 in Pennsylvania. He married Ann Hubbard Born 1730. Richard Cole Sr. was a Revolutionary Soldier and early settler of Woodford County. He started the infamous Cole Tavern at his farm on the Leestown Pike and Elkhorn Creek. The early settlement was known as Sodom and later Fishers Mill. The tavern burned in the winter of 1811. Ann Hubbard Cole died in February 1795. After the death of his wife Richard married Emsey Margaret James. Richard Sr. died 21 November 1814. Richard, Ann and many of the family are buried in the Cole Family Cemetery on the hilltop next to where the tavern once stood. A 1922 census of the cemetery showed the following headstones: Ann Cole wife of R. Cole died Feb. 11, 1795 age 65 years. Richard Cole died Nov 21, 1814, Susan Palmer born 1778 died 1823, William Y. Cole Born Sept 16, 1788 Died June 19, 1823, Amos Cole Born Feb. 1798, Died May 12, 1827, James Cole Born Sept. 8, 1804, Died Feb. 27, 1827. Jesse Cole Born May 21, 1793, Died Aug. 3, 1833, Julia Austin, wife of James M. Austin, Died July 11, 1835, age 18, Mrs. Sally Cole Born Oct 1, 1765, Died Nov 8, 1836, Richard Cole Born April 23, 1763, Died July 9, 1839, Greenberry Moore Born Oct 31, 1815, Died Mar. 21, 1852, Jesse R., daughter of G & S.F. Moore Born Aug. 25, 1851, Died May 9, 1852. Today there is only one lone headstone standing, That of my fourth great grandmother Ann Hubbard Cole.

Richard Cole Jr. Bought the Offutt Inn in 1812. The site located at Nugent’s Crossroads in Woodford County is still standing today. The site restored by The Woodford County Historical society is now privately owned. This was the Site of the famous Black Horse Tavern and a very early stage stop. Zerelda Cole Mother of Frank and Jesse James was the granddaughter of Richard Cole Jr. See The Graves Family Photo’s.

James Cole son of Richard Cole Jr., was born in 1804 and died at the early age of 23 in 1827. James married Sally Lindsay born in 1803. They were cousins. James was the father of Zerelda Cole.

Robert James was born in 1818 and died in 1851. He married Zerelda Cole Born in 1825 and died in 1911. They were the parents of Frank and Jesse James.

Benjamin Graves son of Rice Graves and Jane Young was born in Louisa County Virginia in 1765 and died about 1836 in Woodford County. He married Sally Cole Daughter of Richard Cole and Ann Hubbard. Benjamin is named in the will of his father Rice Graves who was a Revolutionary Soldier. Benjamin was an early settler of Woodford and the father of seven children. The Graves family was prominent in Government affairs, farming, horse ranching and numerous other businesses. Mary Emma Graves, daughter of Benjamin Graves and Sally Cole, married Thomas Sims Graves in Woodford County Kentucky on 12 October 1833. This was the second Wife of Thomas S. Graves, his wife Harriet Gist having died in 1831. The witness on the marriage bond was Nelson Graves (Mary’s brother) and Leonard Israel Fleming.

(Last modified: Jan 30th 2014, 10:21)

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