Thomas Graham

Thomas Graham legend
Feb 1, 1756 - On that cold and drizzly day, Silver Heels and David, a Mohawk, chose Thomas "Graeme" and John Davies to lead them safely through hostile white territory following the Indian massacres of 1755. While we can't confirm that this was in fact our Thomas Graham, who lies on Tick Creek in Shelby County in 1810, it was through the same gap that our ancestoral land was on that the warring indians following the fall of Fort Durquesne in 1755 swept down on the settlers who fled in terror. The family of James Graham was in the group who left their land, and he never brought his family to reclaim their improvement.

Mary Graham, the widow of James Graham, bought 719 acres of land on Spring Creek in south western Prince Edward County, VA in Dec 1755. She was in the midst of a group of Scotch-Irish Prespyterians who had settled there from about 1738, and the original colonial home of this group was the old Hanover Presbyterian community of Lancaster (now Dauphon and Lebanon) County, PA.

Mary died in 1758, and in 1794 her sons, Thomas, Samuel, and James, began selling off the land preparing to move to Kentucky. This satisfies our tradition that "In the early days, three Graham brothers landed in Kentucky"

"Thomas Graham was born ca 1736 possibly in Pennsylvania, died 24 June 1810 in Shelby County, Kentucky. (Tombstone data) was married by 10 May 1760 in Prince Edward County, Virginia to Jane, whose maiden name is unknown. (Pr. Edw. Co., VA Deed Book 1, p. 150)... Had issue:

James Graham, born circa 1762 Pr Edw Co, VA; death date unknown; married 2 December 1783 by bond in Montgomery Co., VA Isabella Smith, daughter of Samuel Smith (Marriage bond) b. ca 1765; died 3 May 1813 or 1819 buried in Tick Creek Cemetery, Shelby Co., KY (Note: Cemetary survey says 1819.)

Jane Graham, born circa 1766; died between 1810 and 1820; married 8 March 1785 Pr Edw Co, VA George Shellidy (Shillideay) (Pr Edw Co, VA Marriage Register).

Mary Graham born circa 1766 Pr Edw Co, Va; death date unknown; married 11 July 1786 Pr Edw Co, VA George Smith of Montgomery Co, VA; (marriage bond and consent of her father Thomas Graham in Prince Edward County, VA)

Margaret Graham born circa 1767; death date unknown; married 10 October 1786 Pr Edw Co, VA. Edward Smith...

Catherine Graham born circa 1769; died before 8 September 1798; married James Morrison...

Thomas Graham born 7 November 1770; Pr Edw Co VA, died 15 February 1858 Johnson Co IN; buried Glade-Dobbins Cemetery; married Mercer Co KY 1 October 1793 Mary Rose, daughter of Capt. Lewis Rose (Marriage bond and consent in Mercer Co.)

William Graham...

Samuel Graham born 4 September 1774 Pr Edw Co, VA; died 17 January 1860 Mercer County, KY; married Jennings County, IN 13 October 18 Jane Watson...

Ann Graham born circa 1776 Pr Edw Co, VA; death date unknown; married 7 December 1796 Mercer County, Ky William Johnson. (Marriage bond and consent of father, Thomas Graham, in Mercer County.)

Elizabeth Graham born circa 1780 Pr Edw Co, VA; death date unknown; married 4 March 1800 Shelby County, KY Ebenezer Smith with the consent of her father, Thomas Graham." (1)

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Jun 19 2022, 5:05:44 UTC

Jane Graham was born to Thomas and Jane Graham abt 1766 in Prince Edward, Virginia. She married George Shillideay, son of George and Esther (Baker) Shillideay, on March 8, 1785 in Prince Edward, Virginia.

George and Jane came to Kentucky in 1793 with Esther Shillideay where George is in deed records with his bother at Harrodsburg, Kentucky. He purchased land in Shelby County, Kentucky on Brashear Creek, 200 acres. He is first on record in Jennings County, Indiana in 1817. Jane died prior to 1825 when a deed is signed by George alone.

Children:

1. Mary "Polly" Shillideay -- She married April 8, 1807 in Shelby County, Kentucky, Thomas Graham, son of James and Isabella (Smith) Graham. To Jennings County, Indiana then in 1828 to Johnson County, Indiana where they helped establish the First Presbyterian Church in Frankin. Polly died by 1830 when Thomas married her sister Malinda.
2. Elizabeth "Betsey" Shillideay
3. Ephraim Shillideay or Shelledy
4. Esther Shillideay
5. Sarah "Sally" Shillideay
6. Samuel Graham Shillideay or Shelledy
7. Malinda Shillideay
8. Margaret Shelledy
9. Jane Shelledy
10. Patsy Shillideay

Thank You Debra Carpenter for this Bio information

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Jun 19 2022, 5:07:34 UTC