CSA 11a, 10¢ milky blue tied boldly struck GREENVILLE / N.C. // SEP / 8 cds on pale yellow cover to William Grimes, Raleigh, NC. Particularly appealing. $270.

William Grimes (1823-1884) was born on "Avon Plantation", Pitt County, NC, 2nd of 5 known children born to wealthy planter, Bryan Grimes and (1st) wife Nancy Grist. His mother died when he was 6 years old, and his father married (2nd) Lucy Olivia Blount, daughter of John Gray Blount & Mary Harvey, of "Blount Hall", Washington, Beaufort Co, NC. This union produced 4 more children. William was older brother to Brigadier General Bryan Grimes, Jr, of Civil War fame. William Grimes graduated UNC and Princeton College, and managed the family estates, earning an income from "Yankee Hall", one of the family plantations on the Tar River in Pitt County. William was involved in animal husbandry and owned to Raleigh hotels - the Yarborough House and the Exchange Hotel. On June 25, 1851 he married Elizabeth Hanrahan and they would become parents to 6 children.