Edmund Paza Gragg

Updated 6.16.2014 - See footnote 1
Updated same date - See footnote 2


I touched on Edmund Paza Gragg and his family in an earlier blog.

According to his death certificate¹, his father was William E. Philyaw, a son of Moses and Lucinda Ann "Lucy" Holden Philyaw.  His mother was Nancy "Nicey" Coffey, a daughter of Joseph and Isabella Lindsay Coffey.  At Edmund's birth, Nancy was the widow of William Obediah Gragg, often referred to as "Revolutionary Bill" Gragg.

Edmund Paza Gragg Family
Photo contributor unknown*

Edmund was born on Mar. 5, 1850 in Caldwell Co., NC and died in Rabun Co., GA on Dec. 21, 1920.  He married Mahuldah Vasty, maiden name unknown, c1870.  She was born Feb. 9, 1952 in NC and was likely married to Edmund there.  She died on Dec. 22, 1925, five years and one day after the death of Edmund.  Both are buried at Flat Creek Baptist Church Cemetery at Clayton in Rabun Co.

She and Edmund were parents of seven boys and one girl.  Margaret was born in Feb., 1872 and appeared with her parents in Rabun Co. through the 1910 census.  In 1910 she appeared as a widow.  Two children with surname Jones appeared in the Edmund household as "grandsons."  In 1920 both grandsons were still with Edmund but, no mention of their mother.

John Newton Gragg was the eldest son, born Jan. 19, 1873 and died Jun. 22, 1961.  John married Della Gosnell on Feb. 11, 1906 in Rabun Co.  She was born Jun. 18, 1878 in GA and died there on Mar. 31, 1962.  She and John are also buried at Flat Creek.  They had at least two sons, Elbert, born c1907 and Gordon H., born Sep. 13, 1909, died May 18, 1999 and buried at Flat Creek.

Edmund Paza Gragg Family Identified
Click on images to enlarge

Daniel L., next eldest, was born in Jul., 1877.  He married Texie Shed on Mar. 31, 1901 in Habersham Co., GA.  She is likely a sister to Missouri Shed, below.

Elijah L., born Feb., 1879, died Mar. 18, 1958 in GA and buried at Flat Creek.  His wife was Missouri Shed, born in Habersham Co., GA in 1881.  They were married in that county on Dec. 17, 1902.  I haven't yet found a death date or place for Missouri.  Their children were:  Winona, Harley, Chester, Roy and Ora M.

Albert J., born Apr., 1882, married Sarah Benfield on Dec. 24, 1905 in Rabun Co.  One known child, Lee, a son, born c1908 in Rabun Co.

Miles McKinney, born Jun. 15, 1884, died Dec.22, 1949 in Clayton, Rabun Co. He is also buried at Flat Creek**.

Burgess Greenville, born Apr. 16, 1888, died Jun. 24, 1970 in Clayton.  He married Alpha Omie Smith, date not yet known, who was born Jul. 10, 1887, probably in GA, died Sep. 21, 1965 in GA.  Both are also buried at Flat Creek.  They had at least one child, a son, Burgess Ray, born Aug. 21, 1922, died Sep. 13, 1922 in Habersham Co.  He was buried at Clarkesville, Habersham Co. at the Macedonia Cemetery.

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¹I have not personally seen the death certificate. The info was told to me by another researcher.  There is a copy of the certificate and an obituary on Ancestry.au but they are too small to read and access is prohibited without additional subscription fees.  I do not believe anyone can read the parents of Edmund on the certificate displayed on Ancestry.au.

²The Gene & Gale McCoy Family Tree at Ancestry.com provided a readable death certificate as well as the surname and parents of Edmund's wife, Mahuldah Vasty Gragg, daughter of Ellis and Margaret Gragg.

*For proper credit, please notify me if you are the owner/contributor of this photograph.

**See Flat Creek Cemetery at Find A Grave

Edmund Paza Gragg Death Certificate
Thanks to Gene & Gale McCoy Family Tree
at Ancestry.com