This information is copied word for word from "History of Freestone County Texas by the Freestone County Historical Commission" First edition published in 1978. The information was submitted by Miss Louise Graves. CHARLES H. GRAVES "Although Charles H. GRAVES claimed Fairfield as his home as early as January, 1859, actually very little time was spent there until 1870. Born in Social Circle, Georgia, on September 4, 1844, the son of Dr. Henry Lee GRAVES and Mrs. Rebecca WILLIAMS GRAVES, he was brought to Texas at the age of two in December 1846; lived in Independence and Brenham, Texas, until his parents moved to Fairfield. (See sketch of Dr. Henry Lee Graves). [I will send this in a couple days]. During the early period of the Civil War, Charles H. GRAVES was a student at Baylor University in Independence according to family tradition. At the age of seventeen years and seven months, on April 1, 1862, he enlisted at Independence for the period of the War as a soldier in the Army of the Confederate States of America. However, he gave his age as eighteen. Muster-in-Roll of recruits of Co. I, 5 Reg't Texas Infantry (HOOD'S TEXAS BRIGADE) shows him as being a Private in that Company. He was sent immediately to Virginia, where he was wounded on or about May 12, 1862, sent to sick camp, then transferred to the hospital in Richmond. He was wounded in the leg, from which he never fully recovered; and had a bulliet go through the palm of one ofhis hands, which became somewhat shriveled. Family tradition is that he almost died of measles, and the probability is that after being wounded his condition worsened by having the measles. He was furloughed to Texas in October, no doubt to recover from his wounds. Then, on or before July 23, 1863, he embarked "On detd. secret service for Col BRADFGORD'S Regt. (Texas Calvary). About January 1, 1864, he was promoted to 2nd Lietenant in that Regiment and assigned to Company F. He is shown as being present at Galveston, Texas, on the Regimental Return for MANN'S Reg. Cav. (Texas) (Co. F BRADFORD's Regt. Calvary) for the month of July, 1864, and remained in Galveston, one of the last strongholds of the Confederate Army, with that Regiment until April 30, 1865, when he was granted leave of absence of 45 days to return to his home in Fairfield. Charles H. GRAVES was very proud of having been with HOOD's Texas Brigade. Young, untrained, at less than eighteen years old, he was thrown into merciless conflict and wounded. He remained bitter throughout his life over the South's struggle for a lost cause. A touching tribute came when he died at the age of seventy-seven. Behind his casket walked a number of old Confederate soldiers in their faded gray Confederate uniforms, tottering but proud. Following the War he spent a few years in South America and the Northwestern United States, Oregon in particular. He was in Fairfield in April of 1870 for he advised his father by letter to Brenham that he was considering "reading law" with Mr. Theodoric G. JONES, who had married his sister Bettie and was a lawyer in Fairfield. "License as a Lawyer" dated December 24, 1870 was issued to Charles H. GRAVES. Susan M. COTTEN and Charles H. GRAVES were married on February 7, 1874. She was a beautiful and lovely lady, the daughter of William COTTEN and Mary ANDERSON. (See sketch on William Cotten and family) [already submitted] In 1876 Charles H. GRAVES was elected County Attorney for Freestone County, the first under the Texas Constitution of 1875. There was no District Attorney at the time. At the expiration of his term, he and Mr. B. H. GARDNER, who has come from Alabama to Fairfield in 1876, formed a law partnership which continued for several years. Some time after 1880 Mr. GRAVES "decided to locate on a tract of land," dissolved his partnership with Mr. GARDNER, and moved to Navarro County, Texas, about thirty-five miles from Fairfield. Children of Charles H. GRAVES and Susan COTTEN: (1) Henry Lee, born December 17, 1874 in Fairfield; (2) Mary Alice, born 1877 and died 1881 in Fairfield; (3) Bettie Ophelia, born August 11, 1879 in Fairfield; (4) Charles W., born between 1881 and 1885 in Navarro County; and (5) Frank H. born in Navarro County, November 1, 1886." _________________________________________________________________ Tax headache? MSN Money provides relief with tax tips, tools, IRS forms and more! http://moneycentral.msn.com/tax/workshop/welcome.asp