Militia

Graves, John Sanders

Statement of Service: Corn Stalk Militia
Rank: Ensign
Date of Commission: May 24, 1802
Unit to which assigned: 40th Regiment, 11th Brigade, 1st Division
County in which Unit was formed: Muhlenberg County

The above record taken from the book titled The “Corn Stalk” Militia compiled by G. Glenn Clift, which contains records of commissions of officers in the organization from the beginning of statehood to the commencement of the War of 1812.

John Sanders Graves (5-7-1769 to 2-3-1853) married Mary Susannah Wooten. He is buried in Hamm Cemetery, Muhlenberg County.

The militia in some areas got the nickname “Cornstalk Militia” because so many of its members showed up for training with cornstalks instead of guns.
Contributed by Helen McKeown