Grahams Write From Around The World
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rushlight123@hotmail.comPhil Graham Mar 18, 2010 Quote Reply Re: Graham History Page
Thanks a lot Joe. Any suggestions for finding records for Graham ancestors before 1800? I'm trying to find some record of my John Graham born 1756 and his father James G. Graham born sometime before that. I know they were born in Ireland (and I'd bet in or around the Glenwherry area) but have hit the proverbial brickwall. Thanks again. I really enjoy your site.
Joe Graham
Mar 31, 2010 - 5:37PM
Quote Reply Re: Graham History Page
JOHN GRAHAM, A GLENWHERRY FELON AND HERO,1824
John Graham was a resourceful character who was transported in 1824 for stealing hemp from a Linenmaker. At the base prison in Australia John set about befriending some local aborigines and learned much from them of their way of life and survival skills he was moved to the more brutal prison colony of Moreton Bay in 1827 and after seeing first hand the bruta1it dished out to the prisoners he decided to remove himself even if it meant death at the hands of the unruly tribe of aborigines that lived in the bush outside the Bay who were known to be cannibals, However, away he went and before long he was surrounded by a tribe of savages but before they could get hacking him to death one of their women folk declared that John was “The White Ghost” of her dead husband and she saved him from certain death but he was forced to live with her from that point and he must have thought it better than the prison colony for he stayed with her from 1827 to 1833. But he must have got bored for he somehow he then turned up again at the Prison Colony at Moreton Bay where he tried to convince the authorities that he had put in a terrible time with the aborigines whom he called, “hordes of savages and cannibals” and protested that he should be pardoned after having suffered so much. The prison authorities who had other plans for him pointed out that no one had ever gone so deep into the bush and returned to tell the tale and since he was in the bush so long then he must know his way about it very well. Apparently just days before John’s return to the prison, a ship, the “Stirling Castle had sank and if there was any hope of rescuing the crew should they have survived the shipwreck then a rescue party would need to go through the bush which was unmapped and highly dangerous and John, with his experience they decided was the man to led the party.
Among the ship passengers were the well to do Captain Frazier and his wife, Mrs Eliza Frazier, “Lead this rescue party” John was told. “and you will be given an immediate pardon”. John jumped at the offer and set off with his team and after many days trek they cane to the cove where the ship had floundered and found the beach strewn with the half eaten corpses of Captain Frazier and his crew, but there was no sign of Eliza Frazier After burying the bodies they began to search the nearby bush and soon came on Eliza running naked and demented through the trees having been treated in a fashion you may well imagine by the aborigines. John and his team brought her back to the prison, which by the way was the spot where the now famous city of Brisbane grew up round.
John got his pardon and spent the rest of his life gold mining there.
This John Graham was the cousin of another noble ancestor of mine, Watty Graham the 1798 United Irishman who was hanged for his part in the rebellion of that time. Phil Graham
Apr 5, 2010 - 7:52PM Quote Reply Re: Graham History Page
Thanks Joe but not my "John Graham". My John Graham was born in Ireland in 1756 and married in Pennsylvania in about 1789. His father James G. Graham too was born in Ireland. Some other information I have says they may have settled in County Tyrone after being forceably relocated from the Border Lands. Jim Graham Georgia
Apr 10, 2010 - 10:27AM Quote Reply Re: Graham History Page
Thank you for this site !!! Our family story is too long to share here . I am descended from John Graham from Ireland who immigrated to the British America colony of Georgia and served two years as an indentured servant in Gen. Ogelthrope's Georgia colony in the late 1700's . He was , according to my research , a ' tanner ' and harness maker by trade . John then received a 700 acre land grant from king George III to settle in the neighboring colony of South Carolina . We have been in America ever since with many of John Graham's descendents now in all the Southern United States mainly in the states of South Carolina , North Carolina , Georgia and Florida . I have met many of our ' cousins ' in the above locations . I would be interested in email communication w/ other Irish Graham's , both ladies and gentlemen , still in the old country ( Ireland ) .
Regards ,
Jim , Virginia , Joel and Jonathan Graham ( my wife and sons ) Brenda Graham
Apr 10, 2010 - 3:43PM Quote Reply Re: Graham History Page
I read your mail about the graham family. My name is Brenda Graham Blackburn, I am from Hiwassee, Virginia and my ancestors came from Scotland. We are Scottish-Irish. My great-great-grandfather was Bryant Graham. I have been doing some research and this has been very interesting. I would love to hear more about my ancestors. Clare Graham USA
Joe Graham Answers; I would not be too quick to add the ‘Scottish’ prefix to the Irish there Clare , for you must remember these people within 2 generations embraced a love of the land they were born in, namely Ireland, and many forfeited their lives as Irish patriots in the struggle for Irish Independence, and as such they chose to be known as “The United Irishmen”, not “The United Scots/Irishmen”
Apr 10, 2010 - 5:52PM Quote Reply Re: Graham History Page
Hi, I came upon your site wondering how to start looking for the origins of my ancestor John Graham who emigrated from Ireland (but I don't know where) to Milwaukee, Wisconsin sometime between 1820-1870. I found the background on the Grahams in Ireland very interesting! And I want to thank you for putting up the site. I am not really confident of being able to find out more about my ancestors but I'm going to have a try as this is where I got my own surname. Is there any best place to begin if that's all I have to go on? I know that his name was John Graham and he was married to Amelia, but that's it. He was a plumber, and he named his first child William Clarence. That name is in its 4th generation in my family now. Any suggestions will be very gratefully received, even just a hint. Thanks for the interesting info and lovely photos! Clare Graham Beverley Texas
Apr 10, 2010 - 8:17PM Quote Reply Re: Graham History Page
Mr. Graham, do you live in or near Glenwherry?
I've just learned that a Sanderson ancestor is buried in Glenwherry Presbyterian Churchyard.
I looked to see if there were any Graham-Sanderson intermarriages, but I didn't come across any.
Your photo of the churchyard and the tall monuments was fascinating.
Is there any chance that you recall any Sanderson monuments there?
Sincerely,
Beverly Jones
Texas, U.S.A.
Joe Graham Answers; I live about 30 miles from Glenwherry, Yes Beverley there are many Sanderson’s interred In The Local Cemetery, and there has been many many intermarriages between the Graham’s and the Sanderson’s,
Re: Graham History Page
Dear Mr. Joe Graham,
I recently learned that my great-great-great grandparents may have been born in Glenwhirry, Ireland.
A family member provided me with some information:
William Todd (born about 1797)married Margaret Thomson (born about 1801) in 1822. Both were born and married in Glenwhirry, Ireland. Their daughter was Anne Todd (born about 1825) who married William Robinson (born about 1822). Anne and William were married about 29 April 1846 in Ballyeaston, Ireland.
I am hoping that there might be a small remote possibility of a connection with your family lines or the area of Glenwhirry and Ballyeaston.
Any assistance you can provide will be greatly appreciated.
Fred Vance
Joe Graham Answers; Hiya Fred, The name Robinson is a well recorded name in Glenwherry Fred, there is a lovely story going back about 100 years of their ‘Green Castle’ and I think that story will perpetuate forever their family link to the ancient Townland. Many Glenwherry couples married In the Church at Ballyeaston simply because there was no church there until 1823 when Francis Graham paid for the building of the first Presbyterian Church in the Townland of Glenwherry. The Graham family actually imported a teacher, supplied a home for him and his family, while he taught the children of the area.
CLARE GRAHAM, TORONTO. WRITES .... What a gorgeous website! And what fascinating history, gives me a clue where I might start some research. My Graham name comes from a Joseph Graham born about 1819 "somewhere" in Ireland; came to Milwaukee & there married Amelia Kane. They had 2 children William & Agnes. William had 2 children William Clarence & Joseph. I'm named after William Clarence. Soooo hard to trace them but we might be related! Anyway this is a fascinating website and I am grateful to you for taking the trouble to put it all together in such a beautiful way (very cute kids too!)
New Hamburg, NY now living in New Bern, NC
Francis Graham Married Ann Long
David Graham Married Ann McCrea in 1864
William Graham Married Ann McMaster in 1865
Samuel Graham Married Mary Ann McCullough in 1871
David and Ann Graham (nee McCrea),of Kernyhill, Glenwherry, My Great Grandparents) were parents of my Grandmother, Elizabeth Graham, Born 2-6-1865, David and Ann had three other children, Ann, Samuel, and a 'female' child. Their farm was on the hill (Kernyhill) immediately behind "The Battery Inn".
James and Isobelle Graham of Kinneygallagh, Glenwherry were parents of my Grandfather, James, who was a "Grahamstown" Graham, son of another James Graham.
James Graham and Elizabeth Graham,(nee Graham), my Grandparents had three children, Ann, Richard and James (my father). I suppose I must mention that at some point Elizabeth converted to Catholicism before the birth of her two sons Richard and James, hence they were both baptised Catholic at birth. James Sen. died in 1906. It was soon after that Elizabeth and the three children moved to Ballinahinch, County Down, where they lived at Dromore Street. Ann by then had finished schooling but the boys attended St. Patrick's Catholic School in the town. Elizabeth died at Ballinahinch and is buried locally.
James Graham and Catherine Graham (nee Mullan). My Parents had 12 children, Bridget, Patricia, Elizabeth, Richard, Annie, Patrick, Hugh, Joseph, Myrtle, Brian, Noel, Geraldine.
Dear Mr. Graham,
I am rather new in genealogy research and stumbled upon your website. It is wonderful and fascinating with the information and history you share with readers. Thank you for making it available to us!!
I am writing with hope that you can provide information or recommend a way I might find information on my Graham great-great-grandparents who came to the United States from Antrim County. All of my elderly relatives have now passed away and the younger generations do not have any ancestry information.
My great-great grandfather died in Michigan, USA in 1887 at approximately 57 or 58 years old. That means he would have been born in Ireland 1829/1830. All I have to go on is information provided on their death certificates. That information was provided by a daughter at the time of their death. My goal is to find documentation or proof of where they came from in Antrim County as well as any family information such as did they have brothers and sisters? Did they stay in Ireland if they existed? I am not asking you to do genealogy research for me. I'm hoping you may offer suggestions as to how I might find the inforamtion I seek.
Here is what I know:
Hugh Graham b. 1829/30 b. Ireland, Antrim Co. (my g-g grandfather)
his mother = Mary Graham (per Hugh's death ctf)
his father = Oliver Graham
Hugh married Martha Graham b. 1830, Belfast (per her obitiuary) (my g-g-grandmother)
her father = David Graham (per Martha's death ctf)
her mother = Ellen Graham (per Martha's death ctf)
I would love to confirm Hugh and Martha's parents existence as well as establish if Hugh and Martha had brothers and sisters they may have left in Ireland. One of Hugh & Martha's sons, David, my g-grandfather named a son Josia. I noticed that name a lot on your website. I know sometimes in old days people used their middle name to avoid confusion with a father or grandfather they may have been named after. Same goes for women named after mothers and grandmothers. I don't know if the names I have for Hugh and Martha's parents are their given names or perhaps their middle names.
I have used Ancestry.com looking for the ship they may have traveled on but there must be 10,000 Hugh Grahams. It is overwhelming! And, I had no luck finding a Hugh and Martha traveling together. They came to America with a daughter Agnes (under 10 years of ages as far as we know). I believe they came to American 1858-1862.
Any information you can provide or guidance you can give me in finding this information will be truly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Jane Griffith (married name)
A Graham decendant in the United States
Susan Burton Info Please. Hi! My 2nd great grandfather William Graham was born about 1834 in Ireland, possibly Antrim or Tyrone, to John Graham a fruiterer, wife possibly Elizabeth. William married Ann Blades in Cumbernauld, Dunbarton, Scotland and died in New Kilpatrick, Dunbarton. Does anyone have any information about his parents or siblings in Ireland or children in Scotland? Thank you, Susan Burton