General Notes

REFN: 10444
[lillief.ged]
A family letter published in The History of the Graham Family for the Gr
ah am Family Reunion 1979 that was compiled by  James Morris Farmer, P.
O. B ox 33493, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27606
The following is a letter from Judge Owen D. Graham of Milam Co., T
ex as to a descendent of Reuben  Graham and Nancy Roberts, Virginia Ri
gb y. It was dated 4 May 1971.
"Dear Mrs. Rigby:
Thank you so much for your very  interesting letter. Had I realiz
ed th at the homecoming at Rogers was to be some of my interesting kin I w
ould h ave gone in person.
I miss Doctor Cora Wells so much. She was the granddaughter of my u
nc le Andreew. Uncle Andrew being older was like a father to my father, w
ho w as Archie Lafayette Graham.
My grandfather was Anthony Graham. He married Nancy (?) Barnes w
ho w as a doctor. The Grahams were piney woods poor folks. Intelligent a
nd hono rable but not very ambitious in acquiring proberty.
When the Civil War broke out Anthony Graham and his family lived a
bo ut on line betwee Polk and Tyler Counties. The sons wete called into se
rvi ce. Reuben went in early but not with the older brothers. My fath
er we nt in after the war had been in progress two years. My father w
as 16 wh en he enlisted. He enlisted with Uncle Reuben who had been his pl
aymate a nd companion. They stayed together and fought together until t
he war was e nded. They had many interesting experiences and stories. Enou
gh to ma ke a Book.
My grandmother, Nancy (?) Barnes Graham as a part of her inheritan
ce w as given a slave boy named Jeff who lived as a member of the family a
nd w as the playmate of my father and his brother, my uncle Reuben. The
re wee re interesting stories of their play an companionship.
My Uncle Reuben, as I remember the stories, married Sarah Pybur
n. Of t he union was born two children, a son and a daughter, Jim and Ad
a. Ada mar ried, name of husband not remembered and Jim married and I thi
nk liv ed in the big thicket in Liberty County. Had a big family. I nev
er saw J im after his marriage but my brother Horace visited them and g
ot acquaint ed with the family.
Our kinsmen first settled in the Carolianas and fought bravely in t
he Re volutionary War.  They made their own whiskey and drank it in modera
tio n. The family names then was Grimes. But when the revenuers got aft
er th em for making whiskey they moved west to the frontierrs. They settl
ed in M ississippi and changed their names from Grimes to Graham which th
ey sept s teadfastly when they moved later to Texas. They were hardy, brav
e, honorab le people. I kam proud of the name which we have kept so lon
g. There is al so a very interesting reason why our forefathers left Engla
nd and ca me to America. If you ever visit Rogers again stop by to visit u
s. Your co usin Owen D. Graham.