This gallery traces the Grigsby family history from 1872 through family photos and information gathered together by William (Bill) Redman Grigsby for his Grandsons, Ryan and Jack. Photographs were cleaned up by Murry Grigsby, Bill's brother. Most of the photos came from Mom and Dad as did life itself. Other photographs were generously contributed by Phyllis and Martin Jones, Janie Root Eddy, Kathleen Staten Thompson, Donald Grigsby, Bud Miers, Terry Miers, Holly Kottenstette Fritz, Jim Miers, Norman Spring, Connie Hester, Lynnette Herring Fleming, Verna Mae Bechtel Staten, Rebecca Rombach Copple, Mrs. Emerson Carey II and Kiki Tomson. We hope you enjoy seeing and reading a small bit of the Grigsby history.
This is a photo that dad provided of our great grandfather, George Selden Graves (dad had written his name on the back of the photo). The photograph also has the name of the photographer and the site in fancy script printing on the back. It says: L. W. Clark Photographer, Streator, ILL. George's wife was Eva Hester and their first born was our grandmother Lida Alma Graves Grigsby who was born in May 1878 in Streator, IL. The June 1, 1880 Illinois census shows George S. (age 25) and Eva (age 24) living in Bruce Township, LaSalle County, Illinois (which is the county where Streator is located) with Lida (age 2) and Beryl (age 3 months). This census also shows that George believed he, his mother and father had been born in Virginia. However, our father thought George had been born in Oldham, Graves County, Kentucky. However, Bill doesn't find a town of Oldham in Kentucky but there are counties named Oldham east of Louisville and Graves south of Paducah. In two later censuses, George indicated he was born in Kentucky and his partents were born in Ohio. Eva was born in Ohio and it is very interesting that the 1880 census says that Lida was born in Illinois but Beryl was born in Kansas (3 months before the 1880 Illinois census). Maybe the so-called Grigsby ears come from George S. and not necessarily the Grigsby genes? This photo may have been taken when George and Eva were married so he would have been about 22 in 1877.

This is a photo that dad provided of our great grandfather, George Selden Graves (dad had written his name on the back of the photo). The photograph also has the name of the photographer and the site in fancy script printing on the back. It says: L. W. Clark Photographer, Streator, ILL. George's wife was Eva Hester and their first born was our grandmother Lida Alma Graves Grigsby who was born in May 1878 in Streator, IL. The June 1, 1880 Illinois census shows George S. (age 25) and Eva (age 24) living in Bruce Township, LaSalle County, Illinois (which is the county where Streator is located) with Lida (age 2) and Beryl (age 3 months). This census also shows that George believed he, his mother and father had been born in Virginia. However, our father thought George had been born in Oldham, Graves County, Kentucky. However, Bill doesn't find a town of Oldham in Kentucky but there are counties named Oldham east of Louisville and Graves south of Paducah. In two later censuses, George indicated he was born in Kentucky and his partents were born in Ohio. Eva was born in Ohio and it is very interesting that the 1880 census says that Lida was born in Illinois but Beryl was born in Kansas (3 months before the 1880 Illinois census). Maybe the so-called Grigsby ears come from George S. and not necessarily the Grigsby genes? This photo may have been taken when George and Eva were married so he would have been about 22 in 1877.
Original size: 500px x 750px |
Current: 200px x 300px |