Maria Mervine Fontaine Grimes

Brief Life History of Maria Mervine

When Maria Mervine Fontaine Grimes was born on 16 February 1789, in St James Northam Parish, Goochland, Virginia, United States, her father, Capt Aaron Benjamin Fontaine, was 35 and her mother, Barbara Terrell, was 32. She married Sterling Grimes, M.D. on 24 June 1810, in Jefferson, Kentucky, United States. They were the parents of at least 2 sons and 2 daughters. She died on 18 July 1822, in Greensboro, Washington, Georgia, United States, at the age of 33, and was buried in Greensboro City Cemetery, Greensboro, Greene, Georgia, United States.

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Family Time Line

Sterling Grimes, M.D.
1782–1826
Maria Mervine Fontaine Grimes
1789–1822
Marriage: 24 June 1810
Thomas Prather Grimes
1811–1885
Sterling Fontaine Grimes
1813–1856
Mary Jane Grimes
1816–1884
Ann America Grimes
1818–1865

Sources (9)

  • Mariah Fountain, "Virginia, Births and Christenings, 1853-1917"
  • Maria M. Fontaine, "Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954"
  • Maria Mirvan Fontaine Grimes, "Find A Grave Index"

World Events (8)

1791

Bill of Rights guarantees individual freedom.

1795 · Yazoo Land Fraud

As Georgia had been weakened during the Revolutionary War, it was unable to defend its Yazoo lands, or land west of the Yazoo River. Thirty-five million acres were sold to four companies for $500,000 as Governor George Mathews signed the Yazoo Act on January 7, 1795. Angry Georgians protested in the streets as they felt bribery and corruption were involved and the sale was far below market value. The legislation tried to rescind the Yazoo Act, but much of the land had been sold to third parties. The issue made its way to the United States Supreme Court and it was determined that rescinding the law was an unconstitutional infringement on a legal contract. The government took full possession of the territory by 1814 and awarded its claimants over $4,000,000.

1800 · Movement to Washington D.C.

While the growth of the new nation was exponential, the United States didn’t have permanent location to house the Government. The First capital was temporary in New York City but by the second term of George Washington the Capital moved to Philadelphia for the following 10 years. Ultimately during the Presidency of John Adams, the Capital found a permanent home in the District of Columbia.

Name Meaning

Some characteristic forenames: French Armand, Andre, Normand, Pierre, Emile, Fernand, Lucien, Marcel, Adelard, Henri, Jacques, Laurent.

French and Walloon: topographic name for someone living near a spring or well, from Old French fontaine, from Late Latin fontana, a derivative of Latin fons (see Font ); or a habitational name from Fontaine, the name of several places in various parts of France. Compare Fountaine .

Shortened form of French Lafontaine , a variant of 1 above.

Dictionary of American Family Names © Patrick Hanks 2003, 2006.

Possible Related Names

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