Israel Graham

Israel J. Graham, son of William Graham (29 Feb 1787—23 Jun 1853) and Tamar McGavak (24 Jul 1798—8 Sep 1834), was born on 29 May 1833 in Jefferson, Loudoun County, Virginia.

On 1 Mar 1862, with the bells of succession and war ringing in young Israel’s ears, he headed to Winchester, Virginia and enlisted as a Private into Company G, 7th Virginia Calvary. He was transferred shortly after to Company A, 1st Maryland Calvary. Private Graham served the southland with honor. He reenlisted on 1 May 1864 for a period of three years or for the duration of the war and was given his oath by 1Lt. Thomas Griffith of Company A. Shortly after, Israel was captured by Union forces at the Polland’s Farm in Hanover on 18 May 1864. He was taken to Point Lookout Prison, Maryland, then transferred on 8 Jul 1864 to Elmira Prison, New York. There he remained until his release on 16 Jun 1865 after taking the Oath of Allegiance. Isreal was described on his service record as standing 5’ 10”, having blue eyes, black hair, and a florid complexion.

At wars end, Israel returned to Loudoun County, Virginia and settled down. Between 1872-1873, he married Maryland native Lucretia V. Waters and immediately began the business of starting a family. His son William C. was born in 1873. On 8 Aug 1877, Israel accepted a position as postmaster in Wheatland, Loudoun County, Virginia , taking the position over from Mr. William A. Stroud. Israel was compensated $45.01 for his new post.

Israel and his small family was lost in history until his arrival at the Maryland Line Confederate Soldiers Home in Pikesville, Maryland. By then, Lucretia had passed away, on 30 Dec 1883, and was buried back in Loudoun County, Virginia.

Israel remained at the Maryland Line Confederate Home until his death on 1 Dec 1908. He was buried on Confederate Hill, plot B-57, in Loudon Park Cemetery, Baltimore, Maryland.

His obituary in the Winchester Evening Star reads:

Man Who Went in Army Here Is Dead: Mr. Israel Graham, for a number of years an inmate of the Confederate Soldiers Home at Pikesville near Baltimore, died on Saturday. He was a native of Loudoun county, Va. and was 75 years old. Enlisting in Winchester in Company G, Seventh Virginia Calvary he was transferred to Company A, First Maryland Calvary. He was captured in Jun 1864 and imprisoned at Elmira, New York, until after the war. For years, he was a traveling salesperson for a Baltimore firm.

-- Angela Wadkins Blackham 48002315