An American Family History

Martin Nicholas Graffius was born May 2, 1722 in Europe.

His wife was named Anne Catharine.

Nicholas Graffius (1746, married Marie Elizabeth Correll),
Peter Graffius (1749),
Rebecca Graffius (1751),
John Graffius (1754),
Abraham Graffius (1756),
Mary Graffius (1759),
Elizabeth Graffius (1762),
Catherine Graffius (1765)
Martin Graffius (1767),
Jacob Graffius (1770). and

They sailed from Rotterdam on the ship Edinburgh and arrived at Philadelphia on September 15, 1749.

At first they settled in York, Pennsylvania.

In 1770 Peter and Nicholas Graffius bought 227 ½ acres on the southeast side of the Juanitas.

John and Nicholas were in Little's Company in 1788.

Nicholas died on May 20, 1790.

Nicholas Graffius, Jr.

Jacob Graffius (1779, married Catherine Nelson),
Martin Graffius
Abraham Graffius
Mary Graffius (married Robert Creswell),
Elizabeth Graffius (married Jacob Smith),
Catherine Graffius (married George Fockler),
Margaret (Peggy) Graffius (1776, married John Nelson),
Susan Graffius (married Hiram Williamson)
Hettie Graffius (married Jacob Rudy),
Charlotte Graffius (1794, married Samuel Miller),
Lyudia Graffius (married James Johnston).

Nicholas was in John Little's Company in 1788.

Nicholas died in 1822.

from History of Huntingdon and Blair Counties; J. Simpson Africa; Louis H. Everts. J.B. Lippincott and Co., Philadelphia, 1883.

Nicholas Graffius settled on the Robert Myton place, and was among the first of the Shaver’s Creek pioneers. He died in West in July, 1822, and was buried at Manor Hill. His widow survived him eighteen years, dying a very aged woman.

Of their eleven children, three were sons, Jacob, Martin, and Abraham. The former married Catherine Nelson, and moved to Ohio. The second son, Martin, was the father of John Graffius, of Petersburg. Abraham also moved to Ohio.

The daughters married, --
Mary, Robert Cresswell, of West;
Catharine, George Fockler, of Huntingdon;
Margaret, John Wilson, of Venango County;
Elizabeth, Jacob Smith, of Logan;
Susan, Hiram Williamson, of Logan;
Hettie, Jacob Rudy, of Barree;
Charlotte, Samuel Miller, of Miller township; and
Lydia, James Johnston, of West.

John Graffius, a brother of Peter and Nicholas, lived on the Raystown Branch. He reared sons named Abraham, Jacob, and William. The former was the father of Abraham Graffius, of Petersburg.

The Graffius family, through its many descendants and by intermarriage with other large families, has become one of the most widely known in the county. 

from Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of the Juniata Valley

. . .The Graffius family is noted in the county, as being widely spread, and extensively intermarried with others of the most extensive and most respected families.

John Graffius, father of the elder and grandfather of the younger Abraham Graffius, was one of a large family of brothers and sisters, of whom a part, at least, seem to have been born in the fatherland, but all married and had families in America.

John Graffius married Miss Correll, of York, Pa., and had eight children, of whom Abraham was the fourth. John Graffius died January 1, 1826.

Abraham, his son, rented his father's farm on the Raystown Branch, cultivated it and raised stock. His wife Catherine, daughter of Henry Rough, was born in Woodcock valley, and married there. Her father was a carpenter. The only child of this union was the son, Abraham Graffius, Jr. The father died in May, 1830.

Mrs. Graffius afterwards married John Aurandt, of Canoe valley, Blair county, Pa., and had two children: Josiah, coal miner; and Rachel, deceased, wife of John Carothers. Mrs. Aurandt died in Blair county, April 17, 1862. She was a member of the Reformed church. . . .