I have some additional information on Graff family. The earliest Graff in Lancaster County appears to be Hans Graff who was Mennonite and came to Pennsylvania in 1704. He died in 1746 in Earl Township, having warranted property there but did not take it up. His son Jacob stayed in Europe. The Mennonites had a huge land warrant from the Penn Family in the late 17th Century, and had a number of small migrations after that. Then the great Mennonite Migration of 1717 promoted by Martin Kendig included the families of Hans Graff, and Martin Graff. Hans Graff Sr. and Jr. are found in 1717 Lancaster County tax records, and he had a son Jacob that died in 1771 in Cumberland County, PA. Hans Graff Jr. died in 1749 in Lampeter Township. Martin Graff is found on a 1729 Lancaster County naturalization list. (Source: January 1994 Mennonite Family History) You find the name Graff quite a bit in the list of early Lancaster County warrants: In 1733 you have John Jacob Graff on Cocalico Creek (actually Middle Creek a tributary), Andreas Graff on Conestoga Creek; 1734 George Groff on Mill Creek (actually Tulpehocken); Martin Graff in Earl Township later surveyed by Joseph Graff in 1762 with neighbor Jacob Graff (survey D-82-41, which was property of Hans Graff warrant undated), Andrew Graft in Tulpehoken Township (Berks County), Peter Good in Earl Township surveyed by Peter Graff, Hans Groff Leacock Township; In 1735 Martin Graff warranted property from a large tract warranted in the name of Martin Kendig and John Herr (survey A-79-156) and was between Mill Creek and Conestoga Creek, and had neighbor Henry Bear. In 1737 George Groff on Quittaphilla Township (??); 1738 Martin Graff on Quittaphilla Creek; 1739 Andreas Graaf in Bethel Township at Blue Mountain; John and Christopher Graaf Bethel Township at Blue Mountain, Stephen Graff on Conwango Creek, Jacob Graff in Cocalico Township. Then on Feb. 19, 1741 Daniel, Mark, Samuel and Hans Graff each had warrants in Earl Township. Hans has no survey, but it is noted as on a branch of Mill Creek). Three of these properties are adjacent, with Mark's survey noting it was in right of Hans Graff. An adjacent property was that of Jacob Bowman, which the survey shows was on Conestoga Creek. The Ephrata listing of 1770 includes the following names: Mark Graff, Maria Graff, Jacob Graff and wife, Joseph Graff, and John Bowman. Comparing the land surveys with the Ephrata listing, we have Joseph Graff and neighbor Jacob Graff circa 1762, with Jacob's property previously owned by Hans Graff. The Mark Graff survey also shows that it was previously warranted by Hans Graff, and his neighbors are Daniel and Mark. However, Joseph's property was previously warranted by Martin Graff. One would assume Daniel, Samuel and Mark are brothers, and likely sons of Hans Graff the immigrant. Joseph would appear to be a son of Martin, and Martin likely another son of Hans. Peter is also likely tied to this group. We also could have three Martin's. The warrantee of the Kendig land is likely immigrant Martin Graff. Martin of Earl Township appears to be a son of Hans the immigrant. Then there is Martin on Quittaphilla Creek (Lebanon County). Martin of Quittaphilla is likely related to George of Quittaphilla. George of Mill Creek (actually Tulpehocken) owned property adjacent Christopher (Stophel) Stump in Heidelberg Township, now Lebanon County. George Graff Jr. owned property in Berks County that was also adjacent to Christopher (Stophel) Stump, as well as German Baptist George Beshore. The property of George Graff Jr. was originally warranted by John and Christopher Graff. The property of Andreas Graff was patented by Daniel Beshore, son and neighbor of George Beshore. George of Quittaphilla and George of Mill Creek appear to be the same person, as is Andrew and Andreas of Bethel. A Jacob Graff, also lived in this area, and is likely a descendent of George or Martin. So George, Andreas, John, Christopher as well as Martin of Quittaphilla, are likely related. The other missing people are Andrew of Conestoga, Stephen, who owned property in what became York County, Hans of Leacock, Jacob of Cocalico, and John Jacob also of Cocalico. So I see five groups in later records. You have Hans the 1704 immigrant that seems to be tied to the Ephrata group. You have Martin the 1717 immigrant with unidentified ties. You have Hans the 1717 immigrant with unidentified ties. You have the Lebanon/Berks Graff's group, and then Andrew of Conestoga, Stephen of Conewango, Hans of Leacock, and the Jacob's of Cocalico left over. Bill Thomas

Bill, I have information that is missing from your analysis. My extended Graff family lived on Cocalico Creek in what is now East Cocalico Township, just east of what is now Ephrata, very close to Henry Mohler and Michael Frantz. Unfortunately, their land holdings do not show up in your sources because they lived on John White's huge holdings originally deeded 8 August 1687. The patriarch of my Graff family was Christian Graff (died 1748). After he died, his heirs (his widow and his children) deeded 140 acres to Henry Mohler on 13 May 1752 (Lancaster County., Deed Book S, pp. 28-30). This deed is invaluable because it names the widow and the surviving five children and their spouses. The oldest son Christian Graff (died 1748) was Jacob Graff (died 1776), and he is the one who was the father of my Jacob Graff who moved to North Carolina. The death dates of Christian (1748) and Jacob (1776) are from the Death Register of the Ephrata Society of Seventh-Day Baptists. I use Julius S. Sachse's account of the Death Registers published in the Pennsylvania Magazine of History, Vol. XIV, 1890, pp. 297-312, 387-402. The 1776 death of Jacob Graff is also based on his will (Lancaster County, Will Book C, Vol. 1, page 339). The extended Christian Graff family was very tight in terms of where they lived on Cocalico Creek just east of Ephrata, and also in terms of how they worshipped. Basically the whole family were members of the Ephrata Society. You have named in your message below those who were members in 1770. Members who died before 1770 are included in the Ephrata Death Register. In addition to the patriarch, Christian Graff (died 1748), there was the death of Jacob Graff's daughter, Priscam (died 20 February, 1749). She was mentioned in the Register as 28 years of age at her death and that she was the daughter of the aged Bro. Jacob Graff. The members you listed for 1770 are also included in the Death Register. My Jacob Graff seems to have moved out of Cocalico about 1760. He was not a known member of the Ephrata Society as were his parents and grandparents. I got the about 1760 date of departure from Cocalico from my microfilm of the Cocalico tax records for 1751-1808. 1759 was the last year that both he and his father appeared in the tax rolls. After that, there was only one Jacob Graff. My Jacob Graff/Groff/Grove shows up in Rowan County during the 1780s. He is listed with a group of known Brethren who were keeping guard at the Salisbury jail. He is listed as a member of the Ashe County Brethren community in Sappingtons Carolinas book. I suspect that he was Brethren due to his family being members at Ephrata. He may have been a member himself but was not around in 1770 for Morgan Edwards to record him. Then there is the matter of his children's names. They are the same as the names of his brothers and sisters and his nephews and nieces back in Cocalico. Someone is going to have to convince me that my logic is faulty before I would dare to tackle the multitude of Graffs/Groffs in Lancaster County. I have found a single tight-knit family that fits as well as can be expected and I am using documented evidence, except for one thing: I cannot yet prove that the Jacob Graff whose parents and grandparents were Ephrata members is the same Jacob Graff who ended up in North Carolina. So far I am using religion and children's naming patterns as my way of connecting the dots. I think you misinterpreted my previous message, and I am hopeful that this one might make things more clear. Dwayne Wrightsman ----- Original Message ----- From: "William Thomas" <wbtst2@atlanticbb.net> To: <brethren@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, April 12, 2008 3:30 PM Subject: [BRE] Graff Info >I have some additional information on Graff family. > > > > The earliest Graff in Lancaster County appears to be Hans Graff who was > Mennonite and came to Pennsylvania in 1704. He died in 1746 in Earl > Township, having warranted property there but did not take it up. His son > Jacob stayed in Europe. The Mennonites had a huge land warrant from the > Penn Family in the late 17th Century, and had a number of small migrations > after that. Then the great Mennonite Migration of 1717 promoted by Martin > Kendig included the families of Hans Graff, and Martin Graff. Hans Graff > Sr. and Jr. are found in 1717 Lancaster County tax records, and he had a > son > Jacob that died in 1771 in Cumberland County, PA. Hans Graff Jr. died in > 1749 in Lampeter Township. Martin Graff is found on a 1729 Lancaster > County > naturalization list. (Source: January 1994 Mennonite Family History) > > > > You find the name Graff quite a bit in the list of early Lancaster County > warrants: In 1733 you have John Jacob Graff on Cocalico Creek (actually > Middle Creek a tributary), Andreas Graff on Conestoga Creek; 1734 George > Groff on Mill Creek (actually Tulpehocken); Martin Graff in Earl Township > later surveyed by Joseph Graff in 1762 with neighbor Jacob Graff (survey > D-82-41, which was property of Hans Graff warrant undated), Andrew Graft > in > Tulpehoken Township (Berks County), Peter Good in Earl Township surveyed > by > Peter Graff, Hans Groff Leacock Township; In 1735 Martin Graff warranted > property from a large tract warranted in the name of Martin Kendig and > John > Herr (survey A-79-156) and was between Mill Creek and Conestoga Creek, and > had neighbor Henry Bear. In 1737 George Groff on Quittaphilla Township > (??); 1738 Martin Graff on Quittaphilla Creek; 1739 Andreas Graaf in > Bethel > Township at Blue Mountain; John and Christopher Graaf Bethel Township at > Blue Mountain, Stephen Graff on Conwango Creek, Jacob Graff in Cocalico > Township. Then on Feb. 19, 1741 Daniel, Mark, Samuel and Hans Graff each > had warrants in Earl Township. Hans has no survey, but it is noted as on > a > branch of Mill Creek). Three of these properties are adjacent, with > Mark's > survey noting it was in right of Hans Graff. An adjacent property was > that > of Jacob Bowman, which the survey shows was on Conestoga Creek. > > > > The Ephrata listing of 1770 includes the following names: Mark Graff, > Maria > Graff, Jacob Graff and wife, Joseph Graff, and John Bowman. > > > > Comparing the land surveys with the Ephrata listing, we have Joseph Graff > and neighbor Jacob Graff circa 1762, with Jacob's property previously > owned > by Hans Graff. The Mark Graff survey also shows that it was previously > warranted by Hans Graff, and his neighbors are Daniel and Mark. However, > Joseph's property was previously warranted by Martin Graff. One would > assume Daniel, Samuel and Mark are brothers, and likely sons of Hans Graff > the immigrant. Joseph would appear to be a son of Martin, and Martin > likely > another son of Hans. Peter is also likely tied to this group. > > > > We also could have three Martin's. The warrantee of the Kendig land is > likely immigrant Martin Graff. Martin of Earl Township appears to be a > son > of Hans the immigrant. Then there is Martin on Quittaphilla Creek > (Lebanon > County). > > > > Martin of Quittaphilla is likely related to George of Quittaphilla. > George > of Mill Creek (actually Tulpehocken) owned property adjacent Christopher > (Stophel) Stump in Heidelberg Township, now Lebanon County. George Graff > Jr. owned property in Berks County that was also adjacent to Christopher > (Stophel) Stump, as well as German Baptist George Beshore. The property > of > George Graff Jr. was originally warranted by John and Christopher Graff. > The property of Andreas Graff was patented by Daniel Beshore, son and > neighbor of George Beshore. George of Quittaphilla and George of Mill > Creek > appear to be the same person, as is Andrew and Andreas of Bethel. A Jacob > Graff, also lived in this area, and is likely a descendent of George or > Martin. So George, Andreas, John, Christopher as well as Martin of > Quittaphilla, are likely related. > > > > The other missing people are Andrew of Conestoga, Stephen, who owned > property in what became York County, Hans of Leacock, Jacob of Cocalico, > and > John Jacob also of Cocalico. > > > > So I see five groups in later records. You have Hans the 1704 immigrant > that seems to be tied to the Ephrata group. You have Martin the 1717 > immigrant with unidentified ties. You have Hans the 1717 immigrant with > unidentified ties. You have the Lebanon/Berks Graff's group, and then > Andrew of Conestoga, Stephen of Conewango, Hans of Leacock, and the > Jacob's > of Cocalico left over. > > Bill Thomas