Robert Graham 1840 Census

After locating the Robert Graham family on the 1850 Census in Jackson Parish, Louisiana and learning that the oldest 2 children were born in Mississippi in about 1839 and 1842 the next logical step was to search for the family on the 1840 Mississippi census.  In 1840 the family would have consisted of:

• Robert Graham age 22
• Ruth Graham age 27 
• Sarah C. Graham age 1

A search of the Mississippi Census quickly turned up only 2 Robert Graham families.  One with 3 members and the other with 5 members, but both in Scott County.  After dismissing the Robert Graham family with 5 members a analysis of the ages of the other Robert Graham family appears to be a perfect match -- as perfect as the 1840 census can provide.  

Robert Graham is the very last entry on this page

The transcript of the census is:

• Robert Graham - male between 20 - 29 years old (Robert would have been about 22 in 1840)
• 1 Female age between 20 -2 9 years (Ruth would have been about 27 in 1840)
• 1 Female age under 5 years (Sarah C. would have been about 1 in 1840)

While this doesn't prove that this family is our Robert Graham family is it is a solid lead that requires some additional research for further evidence.  The next step would be to locate a marriage record for Robert Graham and Ruth Smith in Mississippi prior 1840.  

Other surnames of interest in Scott County, Mississippi in 1840

Other surnames on the 1840 census that could possibly have a connection to the Robert Graham family in Louisiana include the following surnames:

• SMITH (Ruth's maiden name) - there are several Smith families
• DUNN - Robert's grand-daughter Ella (daughter of Lorenzo Dow Graham) married James Dunn, who was born in Mississippi       
• BUCKALOO - the surname (Buckaliew) appears on a gravestone in the Graham Cemetery in Rapid Parish, Louisiana.  John Buckaloo is listed on the same census page as Robert Graham in 1840.

Some research on these surnames is required to determine a link to the Robert Graham family, if any exists.