Frank Willet Graves

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• _UID: 95B9C30B51614CABB9E98BDD8B61A089E424

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Frank Willett Graves was born June 2, 1877 in Bureau County, Illinois, to Jason Lee Graves and Lucy Kendall Graves. He had eight siblings, including a twin who died when she and Frank were two years old.

Frank farmed with his father. In 1911, when he was 33, Frank bought land at Coweta, Oklahoma, and began farming there. The same year he met Ida Stemmons who had come to Coweta to visit her brother. They were married January 31, 1912 at her home in Golden City, Mo. They had three children, Lucy, Frances, and Wilbur. In 1916 the family moved from Coweta to Harvey County, Kansas where Frank farmed for a number of years. In 1929 the family moved to Whitewater where Frank worked for the local grain mill.

In his later years Frank also carried mail to the train station. It was a thrill for his grandchildren to go with him to watch the Rock Island Rocket snatch the mail pouch from the yardarm where Frank had hung it minutes before. Frank would also thrill his grandchildren by taking them to the town dump where he'd pick up furniture items he could repair. At Christmas it was time to open presents when Frank came into the room shaking a set of New England sleigh bells.

Frank was a good-natured, gentle man who loved to work in his woodworking shop above his garage. He died March 17, 1958, at age 80, as he waited at the depot for the Rocket to pick up his mail bag.

Frank married Ida Belle Stemmons on 31 Jan 1912 in Golden City, Barton County, Missouri, USA. Ida was born on 20 Mar 1875 in Golden City, Barton County, Missouri, USA; died on 28 Mar 1977 in Peabody, Marion County, Kansas, USA; was buried in Peabody, Marion County, Kansas, USA, Prairie Lawn Cemetery. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• _UID: 713E793CD9774319B489447783D1E65EA017

Lucy married Earlden Enola Davis on 11 Jun 1937. Earlden was born on 25 Nov 1910 in Whitewater, Butler County, Kansas, USA; died on 19 Oct 1994 in Wichita, Sedgwick County, Kansas, USA; was buried in Wichita, Sedgwick County, Kansas, USA, White Chapel Memorial Gardens. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• _UID: BA8E6E98852946B286A81900311C5BAD9084

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Frances Laura Graves Skinner was born March 28, 1915 at Coweta, Oklahoma and died August 20, 2005 at Peabody, Kansas at age 90. Her parents were Frank and Ida Stemmons Graves. She had a brother and a sister, Wilbur and Lucy. The family moved to Harvey County, Kansas when Frances was a child, and then to Whitewater where she graduated from high school in 1932.

She graduated from Butler County Junior College and then Kansas State Teachers College at Emporia. She taught five years in country schools, Prairie Center in Marion County, then Hazel Dell in Harvey County and Brainerd in Butler County. Following that, she taught 20 years at Peabody Elementary School.

She married Merle Skinner June 6, 1943 at her parents' home in Whitewater. They lived on the farm northeast of Peabody for most of their married life. They had three children. Frances was a longtime member of Peabody United Methodist Church and its Womens' Society of Christian Service and various other church circles. She was a member of Sorosis for 61 years. She had also been a member of the Up and Doing club northeast of Peabody in the 1940s and 1950s. She had beautiful handwriting.

Frances enjoyed her flower and vegetable gardens, traveling, and spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. In her childhood she was active in 4-H. The high point of that period was baking an angel food cake in a contest at the Kansas State Fair in 1930. She won a $13 prize. She enjoyed helping her great-grandchildren with their 4-H projects. In 2005, shortly before she died, she was recognized at the Marion County Fair as the oldest former 4-Her there.

Frances and Merle celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in June 1993. When she turned 90 there was a party for friends and family. Frances celebrated every turn of the season and loved showing her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren each new wonder of the natural world. For many years she made daily notations on her kitchen calendars and now those calendars are a cherished record of our lives.

Frances married Merle David Skinner on 6 Jun 1943 in Whitewater, Butler County, Kansas, USA. Merle was born on 14 Jun 1901 in Peabody, Marion County, Kansas, USA; died on 4 Jan 1994 in Newton, Harvey County, Kansas, USA; was buried in Peabody, Marion County, Kansas, USA, Prairie Lawn Cemetery. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• _UID: 3FA63C84304049F8B0AF17A3E22E64BB9ECF

Wilbur married Evelyn M. Crooks on 10 May 1942. Evelyn was born on 28 Feb 1920; died on 15 Oct 2001; was buried in Anthony, Harper County, Kansas, USA, Forest Park Cemetery. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]