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| Robert Graham photo obtained by Elizabeth Mix from family member |
Robert Graham was my 3rd Great-grandfather on my mother's side. Robert's parents are this family line's brick wall. Much research has already been done with no concrete evidence of Robert's parents. An Internet search for Robert Graham in Rapides Parish, Louisiana and on Ancestry.con will provide information about previous researches done on this family, so I won't repeat that here.
Research Goal: Determine Robert Graham's parents.
Method: Conduct a community study of Robert Graham, his wife, children and neighbors beginning in Rapides Parish, Louisiana to acquire clues to Robert Graham's parentage.
What we already know for certain:
Robert Graham was born 20 Aug. 1818 in Mississippi and died 10 Feb 1890 in Forest Hill, Rapides Parish, Louisiana (U.S. Federal Census 1860, 1870, 1880 and tombstone)
Robert Graham's Tombstone
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| location: Graham Cemetery Forest Hill, Rapides Parish, Louisiana Photo by Elizabeth Mix |
In Memory of
Robt. Graham
Born
Aug. 20, 1818
Died
Feb 10, 1890
Robert Graham appears on the 1860, 1870, & 1880 US Census in Rapides Parish, Louisiana. On all 3 censuses his birthplace is listed as Mississippi. In 1880, it also lists both his parents as being born in Mississippi.
The tombstone and the census records are secondary sources as we do not know who provided the information for any of these records. But they are all consistent and that is a plus.
We also know that his wife's name was Ruth aka Lucy. The family oral history suggests her maiden name was Smith -- that has yet to be proved. (US Census 1860; 1870 Mortality schedule, & tombstone)
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| location: Graham Cemetery Forest Hill, Rapides Parish, Louisiana Photo by Elizabeth Mix |
In Memory of
RUTH SMITH
Beloved wife of
Robert Graham
Born
Dec. 5, 1813
Died
June 2, 1869
Ruth (as Lucy) appears as Robert's wife on the 1860 US Census for Rapides Parish, Louisiana. It is very nice that she is listed by her maiden name on her tombstone. And even better that the tombstone says she was the wife of Robert Graham. On the 1860 census, her birthplace is listed as Ky (Kentucky). However on the 1870 Mortality Schedule her birthplace is listed as Mississippi, and that she died in July (not June as her tombstone says) of Typhoid Fever. Since there is probably at least the month of death error on the Mortality schedule it isn't unreasonable to think that just maybe her birthplace is also wrong -- it will take a thorough search to sort out her birthplace. Again these are secondary sources and we cannot know who provided the information.
Although Robert and Ruth do not appear on the US Census in Louisiana prior to 1860, it is evident, from the dates of the children's births that they were in Louisiana as early as about 1842 when the eldest child Christina was born.
Their children, as listed on the 1860 census were:
- Christina b. abt 1842 - Louisiana
- William Jackson b. abt 1844 - Louisiana
- Julia Ann b. abt 1845
- Emily b. 10 Aug 1846 (date on headstone)
- Lorenzo Dow abt b 1848
- Demarius b. abt 1850
- Lucy M. b. abt 1851
- Mary Ann b. abt 1853
- Anna b. abt 1856
It is worth noting that there is a James Graham age 59 also from Mississippi on the 1850 and 1860 censuses for Rapides Parish, Louisiana. This James is worth taking a second look at as his about 18 years older than Robert and also was born in Mississippi. Perhaps he was a cousin, uncle or older brother. Another interesting link is that in 1850 James Graham was living with Edgarton Willis and his wife Sophia. A link between the Graham and Willis families will become more apparent in future blog posts. But for now it is worth noting that Sophia Willis was also born in Mississippi, and that some of Robert Graham's daughters married into another Willis family.
There was only 1 other Graham listed in Rapides Parish in 1860 - a George M. Graham age 53 from Virginia. I think it is unlikely that he would have been related to our Robert, primarily because of the economic difference between George and Robert. George M Graham, farmer's real estate was valued at 206,000 and personal estate at 14,970 while Robert's real estate value was 240 and personal estate was 690. These are vast differences in terms of personal wealth; it is obvious that George M Graham was a very wealthy person.
There were 2 other Grahams listed in the 1850 census but for now there doesn't seem to be any connection to our Robert Graham. They were Danl Graham from either Virginia or South Carolina and James Graham from England - there does appear to be a family connection between these 2 as they are living in at the same residence in 1850.
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