Deacon John Grave Foundation
Madison, Connecticut

Exhibit | House | Document Collection | Account Books | Family History | Calendar

Grave Family Account Books

In the 1670s the Town of Guilford encouraged settlement in the section called Esterly Farms, or East Guilford (incorporated as Madison in 1826). In 1675 John Grave I obtained an allocation land there, with the condition that the land be farmed and a house built on the property within three years. However, it is unlikely that John I ever lived in East Guilford as he had a substantial stone house in Guilford. On July 7, 1682 John Grave I deeded to John Grave II twenty-seven acres of his Third Division land.

In 1679 John I purchased a leather-bound account book, inscribed his name and began to record his dealings with the community. This simple act was the beginning of a long tradition in the Grave Family of recording all their financial transactions.  John's first entry describes the purchase of 18 pairs of gloves from Goodman Thornton whom he paid in flax. He then sold the gloves to various people keeping two pair – one for his wife and one for himself. This tradition continued unbroken until the last entry in volume 3 of the account books in 1895.

The Grave Family Account Books, now held by the Connecticut State Library, offer a glimpse into daily life in the early years of Connecticut. Together with church and estate records, they faithfully record births, marriages, and deaths and how each affected the lives of the Graves and their finances.

An indexed transcription the first two volumes of the account books is available for research purposes at the Grave house.

Hannah Grave's dowry as recorded in the first volume of the account books by her father John Grave I is included in the exhibit "Making Ends Meet". A transcription is also available.

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