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Amanda Graves (Irons)
- Museum / Archive
- Elgin County Archives
- Part Of
- Graves Family Collection
- Description Level
- Item
- GMD
- graphic material
- Date Range
- ca. 1930s
- Accession Number
- 2021-41
- Storage Location
- M5 S2 Sh4 B8 F1 2
- Museum / Archive
- Elgin County Archives
- Part Of
- Graves Family Collection
- Creator
- Bradt Studio
- Description Level
- Item
- Accession Number
- 2021-41
- Storage Room
- Archives 4th Floor Storage Room
- Storage Location
- M5 S2 Sh4 B8 F1 2
- GMD
- graphic material
- Date Range
- ca. 1930s
- Series
- Graves Family Collection - Photographs series
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sep ; 8.5 x 14 cm
- History / Biographical
- Amanda Mahali Irons was born on October 4, 1840 in her family's home on River Road, Township of Southwold. Her father was Samuel Irons, who was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and was raised in slavery. He escaped to Niagara Falls, Canada, and eventually settled in St. Thomas. Here, he married Annie Leonard and they lived in a log cabin on River Road. They had ten children including Amanda, Samuel, George, James, Annie, John, Dan, Mary Elizabeth, Charlotte and Caroline.
Amanda married Lloyd Graves on August 19, 1868. Lloyd and Amanda had twelve children together: Oliver, Ernest, George, Walter, William, Emma, Hattie, Etta, Martha Jane, Frank, Bertha and Norman. They lived in a frame building on Concession 2, in the Township of Malahide. Around 1900, they moved their home to Mount Salem, and eventually built an extension.
Amanda died at the age of 99 in 1939. Along with her husband and ten of their children, she is buried in Dunboyne Cemetery.
- Scope and Content
- A photograph showing Amanda Graves (nee Irons). The reverse of the photograph has a Bradt Studio stamp, and the following handwritten message: “Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. From Mrs. Graves [likely Amanda Graves].”
This photograph was given to Oral Babcock, who lived next door to the Graves family in Mount Salem.
- Name Access
- Graves (family)
- Mount Salem (Ont.)
- Subject Access
- Black History
- Website / Street View Notes
- URL directs to a newspaper article published in 1934, in which Amanda Graves was interviewed.
Less detail