James Richard Graham

James Richard Graham was born in North Carolina in 1804. Other researchers, different Census’, his children and even James himself, list eight other States as his place of birth, but I believe he was born in North Carolina. From my research, his Father was Richard Graham and his Mother may have been named Margaret, but this is speculation at this time. Richard Graham lived in only two States, North Carolina and Tennessee, but he didn’t move to Tennessee until around 1809-1810, therefore, James R. Graham could only have been born in North Carolina.

In the 7 Aug 1820 Census and in the 1830 Census, James is living in Bedford County, Tennessee with his parents and siblings.

On 8 Jan 1836, Coffee County, Tennessee was formed from parts of Bedford, Warren and Franklin Counties. That part of Bedford, where the Grahams were living, was now located in Coffee County. Tennessee.

James met Martha Ann “Patsy” Glass, after she moved to Tennessee from Virginia, sometime around 1834 and in 1836, they married in Coffee County, Tennessee.

According to William Robert Graham’s Cherokee Claim Application in 1908, his parents moved to Lookout Mountain, Marion County, Tennessee, after they married and lived among the Indians. I find this interesting because this area was well known as the home of Chickamauga Cherokee Indians in the late 1700’s and early 1800’s.

Also in his Application, he stated his parents were married about 1830, but I do not believe that to be true. One reason is because Mothers, more often than not, had their first child within eighteen months after marriage. James and Martha’s first child was born in April 1838, which would coincide with the Timeline of marriage in 1836. Second reason I believe they married in 1836 is because Martha herself, in the 1900 Census, said she had nine children and all were living in 1900, which means no children were born prior to their first recorded child in 1838.

As stated in the paragraph above, in April 1838, the Graham’s first child was born in Marion County, Tennessee. They named her Mary Elizabeth Graham. She married Thomas Hart Benton Coulston in Coffee County in 1858. They had 7 children. Mary died in 1910 in Collinsville, Grayson County, Texas and is buried in the Patton-Graham Cemetery on Patton Road. This cemetery is now on private property. It is located about 50-75 yards off the road and can’t be seen from the road because of all the trees.

In the 1840 Marion County Census, James Graham is head of household, age 30-39, wife’s age listed as 20-29 and daughter under 5. All Census before 1850, only listed the head of household by name. All other household members were just listed as male or female, with an age range.

About 1841, James moved his family back to Coffee County, close to the town of Hillsboro.

On 1 Jan 1844 in Coffee County, Tennessee, a son, William Robert Graham was born. He married Sarah Jane Faulkner in Grayson County, Texas in 1872. They had 9 children. William died in 1913 in Collinsville, Grayson County, Texas and is buried in the Patton-Graham Cemetery.

On 17 April 1845, daughter, Amanda Melvina Graham is born. She married David Oliver Brown in Manchester, Coffee County, Tennessee in 1863. They had 5 children. Amanda died in 1922 in Collinsville, Grayson County Texas and is buried in the Collinsville Cemetery.

On 27 Aug 1848, son James Calhoun “J.C.” Graham is born. He married first, Martha L. McBride in Grayson County, Texas in 1882. After her death, he married Amanda M. Pope in Grayson County Texas. He had a total of 13 children with both wives. James died in 1925 in Collinsville, Grayson County, Texas and is buried in the Collinsville Cemetery.

In 1849, daughter, Lucinda Jane Graham is born. She married James Charles Crosslin in Manchester, Coffee County, Tennessee in 1870. They had 10 children. Lucinda died in 1933 in Atlus, Jackson County, Oklahoma. She is buried in the Hillside Cemetery in Purcell, McClain County, Oklahoma.

The 2 Nov 1850 Coffee County Census, finds James and his family living in Hillsboro. He and Patsy have five children and Patsy’s brother Jackson Glass is also living with them. James’ occupation is listed as a hatter.

United States Census, 1850 household of James Graham, Coffee county, Coffee, Tennessee, United States; citing family 934, Line Number: 13, NARA microfilm publication M432.

• Household Role Sex Age Birthplace
• James Graham M 46 South Carolina
• Martha Graham F 33 Virginia
• Mary Graham F 12 Tennessee
• William Graham M 9 Tennessee
• Amanda Graham F 6 Tennessee
• James Graham M 4 Tennessee
• Lucinda Graham F 1 Tennessee
• Jackson Glass M 23 Virginia

According to the Cherokee Application for Indian Rolls, William R. Graham said his parents lived near Hillsboro, Tennessee in 1851.

On 29 June 1853, son Charles Dudley Graham is born. Charles married Mary Francis Adkinson in Giles County, Tennessee in 1880. They had 5 children. Charles died in 1928 in Wichita Falls, Wichita County, Texas and is buried there in Rosemont Cemetery.

On 8 March 1856, son Richard Baxter Graham is born. Richard married Armittie Sisk in Giles County, Tennessee in 1880. They had 8 children. Richard died in 1944 in Dallas County, Texas and is buried in the Waxahachie Cemetery, per his Death Certificate.

About 1857, the Grahams moved to the area around Manchester, Coffee County, Tennessee, where in Jan 1858, son John Holland Graham is born. John married Aleanor Rose Copeland in Erath County, Texas in 1885. They had 9 children. John died in 1925 in Wichita Falls, Wichita County, Texas and is buried in Rosemont Cemetery, beside his daughter Mattie Graham and his brother Charles Dudley Graham.

In 1859, the Grahams make another move and this time it’s to the East of Manchester to a small community known as Hickory Creek. Hickory Creek no longer exist today. The Post Office there, which opened in 1846, was closed in 1866, according to records at the Tennessee State Library Archives.

The 31 July 1860 Coffee County Census, finds the Grahams living in Hickory Creek. The family consists of James and Martha and eight children. His occupation is listed as a hatter.

• Name Age Birth
• J Graham 56, Georgia
• Martha Graham 46, Iowa
• Mary Graham 19, Tennessee
• William Graham 16, Tennessee
• Amanda Graham 15, Tennessee
• James Graham 12, Tennessee
• Lucinda Graham 10, Tennessee
• Charles Graham 7, Tennessee
• Richard Graham 4, Tennessee
• John Graham 2, Tennessee

On 20 June 1861, daughter Josephine T. Graham is born. Josephine married Jefferson Davis Walker in Giles County, Tennessee in 1883. They had 10 children. Josephine died in 1907 in Collinsville, Grayson County, Texas and is buried in the Patton-Graham Cemetery.

In about 1866, James again moved his family and this time to Beech Grove, Coffee County, Tennessee. If you look at a map, which shows the communities of Hillsboro, Manchester, Hickory Creek and Beech Grove, you will notice that once he moved backed to Coffee County in 1841 from Lookout Mountain, he moved in kind of a triangle. Each time he moved was probably no farther than 15 miles, because these little towns were very close together.

The 25 June 1870 Coffee County Census, shows James and Martha and their six children living in Beech Grove. James was a farmer and owned real property valued at $500 and personal property valued at $180.

• Name Age
• James Graham 67, Tennessee
• Martha Graham 55, Vatia?
• James Graham 23, Tennessee
• Lucinda Graham 19, Tennessee
• Dudley Graham 17, Tennessee
• Richard Graham 14, Tennessee
• John Graham 12, Tennessee
• Josephin Graham 9, Tennessee

According to Lucinda Graham Crosslin’s Indian Claim Application, her Father James Richard Graham, died in 1872. Family stories that have been told over the years, say that James was killed by someone, while he was working in his barn. No other details are known about his death or where he is buried. My guess is, since he died in or near Beech Grove, Coffee County, Tennessee, he is buried in that area, maybe even on his farm. In that day and time, people were not always buried in a cemetery. Many were buried near a tree on their land, an open field or a small hilltop, a short distance from their home.

As a side note to my Bio for James Richard Graham, please read the attached article I’ve written about the person I believe to be his Father and that person is Richard Graham. In the article, I have listed several pieces that seem to fit together and I have concluded that Richard is James’ Father. There is no hard proof to prove or disprove my conclusion. If anyone has any information to prove one way or the other, I would be happy to see what you have.

This Bio was written by Barbara Bradley Triggs and is dedicated to James Richard Graham, my GG-Grandfather.

• Updated from Find A Grave Memorial via daughter Amanda Melvina Brown (born Graham) by SmartCopy: Oct 6 2015, 13:20:22 UTC

Year: 1850; Census Place: District 7, Coffee, Tennessee; Roll: M432_875; Page: 66B

• Name Age
• James Graham 46
• Martha Graham 33
• Mary Graham 12
• William Graham 9
• Amanda Graham 6
• James Graham 4
• Lucinda Graham 1
• Jackson Glass 23