Degraf (Schwed)

Georgius De Graeve was born 15 January 1756 in Vinderhoute and died 10 January 1832. He married on 26 November 1780 in Mariakerke to Maria Levina Van Laere. She had been born 26 November 1742 and died 28 November 1801.

The births of the following children born to Georgius De Graeve & Maria Levina Van Laere are recorded in the parish register of Vinderhoute: (1) Judocus, born 31 October 1782, died 1 October 1783; (2) Judocus, born 13 September 1784, died 16 March 1856; (3) Johannes Franciscus [François / Franz], born 19 April 1786; (4) Petrus Franciscus, born 25 June 1788, died 20 July 1788; and (5) Maria Anna, born 24 January 1790, died 25 January 1857.

Johannes Franciscus [Jean François] De Graeve served in the 48th Infantry Regiment of Napoleon's army and fought against the Russians. He was captured by the Russians and on 2 September 1814 was settled in the Volga German colony of Schwed where he was assigned to the household of Christian Reimer. [In subsequent documents his name is generally recorded as Franz Degraf.]

Milovidov records that as of 1814 his a brother and a sister were still living in Ghent.

Franz Degraf is recorded on the 1834 census of Schwed in Household No. 41 along with a note that he died in 1832. The death of Franz Degraf on 25 January 1833 is recorded in the parish register of Schwed.

Also recorded on the 1834 census of Schwed in Household No. 41 are the grandchildren of Franz Degraf (Johann Gottfried, age 14; Elisabeth, age 11; Katharina, age 6; Maria Elisabeth, age 4).

Gottfried Degraf and his family are recorded on the 1850 census of Schwed in Household No. 76.

Gottfried Degraf and his family are recorded on the 1857 census of Schwed in Household No. 57.

Milovidov records that Franz Degraf came from the town of Ghent in the Brabant region of Belgium.