The Descendants of Bernard and Jane Graham

 

 

Generation No. 1

 

1.  BERNARD1 GRAHAM was born Abt. 1768 in Donegal, Ireland, and died Bet. September 13 - October 07, 1818 in Unity Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA.  He married JANE UNKNOWN Abt. 1789 in Donegal, Ireland.  She was born Abt. 1771 in Donegal, Ireland, and died Unknown.

 

Notes for BERNARD GRAHAM:

Fortunately, my fourth great-grandfather left a will which identifies his proper forename as well as that of his wife, two daughters and another son.  Previously, the only other record I could find about the progenitor of this branch of the Graham family in Westmoreland County, PA was in John W. Jordan, ed., History of Westmoreland County Pennsylvania: Genealogical Memoirs, Vol. II.  New York, Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1906.  Jordan states:  "The family of which Israel M. Graham, of Ligonier, is a representative, was founded in this country by Barney Graham, who came about 1804 from Donegal, Ireland, being of Scotch-Irish descent.  He was a farmer, a man of limited education and a member of the Presbyterian church.  Mr. Graham brought with him to the United States his wife and the following children: William, George, Richard, Robert, and two daughters.  The first home of the family was in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, where they remained about a year, and then settled in Unity township, Westmoreland county." (p. 312)

 

Bernard's will, filed on September 13, 1818, refers to his wife, Jane, daughters Mary Ann and Mary, and another son, James, who is not listed in the above account.  (A transcription of Bernard's will and a more comprehensive genealogy of this Graham family is available in the "Related Files" section of my web site at: http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/b/e/c/Barbara--BeckRamsay/index.html)

 

In addition to the omitted forenames, Jordan offers conflicting information as to when the family arrived in America.  The quoted passage states that the family came here in about 1804.  In the same book, in a separate sketch of Barney's son George, it is said that George was 16 years old when the family arrived, so that would make the date 1808.  A third account, detailed under the notes of Barney's son Richard, states the family came here in 1810.  We may never know in what year the Grahams arrived because there is a dearth of Irish passenger records for the period 1804-1810.  The most comprehensive record I have found--Irish Passenger Lists, 1803-1806, compiled by Brian Mitchell--does not include any Graham named Barney or Bernard.  Mitchell notes that even when Irish passenger lists are available, the stated place of residence of the passengers may or may not have been where they actually lived because sometimes people, prior to their immigration, were required to take up residence near the port from which they intended to sail.  Ultimately, there may be no way to determine if Barney actually lived in Donegal or in what year the Grahams left.  There is no listing of a Bernard or Barney Graham living in Westmoreland County in 1810, according to the US Census: hence, it is likely that the family arrived after the census was taken, or, they were lived with someone else who was listed as the head of the household.

 

In another matter, that of Barney being a Presbyterian, an article at Rootsweb explains: "The term Scotch-Irish is uniquely American. Some historian and genealogists prefer the term Ulster Scots, which more accurately reflect this group. The term Scotch-Irish is ambiguous because it does not mean people of mixed Scottish and Irish ancestry as the name seems to imply, but refers to the descendants of the Presbyterians from lowland Scotland who settled in Ulster--northernmost province of Ireland in the 17th century--and subsequently emigrated from there to America.  By the time of the first migration to America, many of these Ulster Scots had lived in Ireland for four generations or more, and had become quite a different people from their Scottish forebears." (www.rootsweb.com)  Of Barney's traceable descendants who attended church, those I found were either Lutherans or Methodists.

 

Finally, the dates of birth attributed to Barney, his wife and daughters are speculative, an unsatisfactory but unavoidable state of affairs given the absence of any other information.  The date of death of Jane Graham is unknown: however, the 1840 census indicates by age category that the mother of either Richard Graham or his wife was living with Richard that year.  Whether Barney's daughters eventually married is unknown.

 

More About BERNARD GRAHAM:

Misc: also known as "Barney"

       

Children of BERNARD GRAHAM and JANE UNKNOWN are:

2.                i.       WILLIAM2 GRAHAM, b. 1790, Donegal, Ireland; d. Aft. 1850, Unity Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA.

3.               ii.       GEORGE GRAHAM, b. 1792, Donegal, Ireland; d. Bet. 1860 - 1870, Ligonier Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA.

                 iii.       MARY ANN GRAHAM, b. Abt. 1794, Donegal, Ireland; d. Unknown.

4.              iv.       RICHARD GRAHAM, b. December 21, 1795, Donegal, Ireland; d. February 21, 1883, Ligonier Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA.

                  v.       JAMES GRAHAM, b. 1798, Donegal, Ireland; d. Unknown.

                 vi.       MARY GRAHAM, b. Abt. 1800, Donegal, Ireland; d. Unknown.

5.             vii.       ROBERT GRAHAM, b. 1804, Donegal, Ireland; d. Aft. 1850.

 

 

Generation No. 2

 

2.  WILLIAM2 GRAHAM (BERNARD1) was born 1790 in Donegal, Ireland, and died Aft. 1850 in Unity Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA.  He married NANCY Bef. 1816 in Unity Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA.  She was born 1796 in Ireland, and died Unknown.

       

Children of WILLIAM GRAHAM and NANCY are:

                   i.       ELIZABETH3 GRAHAM, b. 1816; d. Unknown.

                  ii.       JAMES GRAHAM, b. 1818; d. Unknown.

                 iii.       DANIEL GRAHAM, b. 1820; d. Unknown.

                 iv.       MARY GRAHAM, b. 1822; d. Unknown.

                  v.       HUGH GRAHAM, b. 1824; d. Unknown.

                 vi.       JANE GRAHAM, b. 1829; d. Unknown.

                vii.       NANCY GRAHAM, b. 1833; d. Unknown.

               viii.       ROBERT GRAHAM, b. 1835; d. Unknown.

                  ix.       WILLIAM GRAHAM, b. September 1836; d. Unknown.

                   x.       RICHARD GRAHAM, b. April 1839; d. Unknown.

 

 

3.  GEORGE2 GRAHAM (BERNARD1) was born 1792 in Donegal, Ireland, and died Bet. 1860 - 1870 in Ligonier Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA.  He married SARAH RALSTON 1819 in Unity Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA.  She was born 1803 in Mount Pleasant, Westmoreland Co, PA, and died Bet. 1860 - 1870 in Ligonier Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA.

 

Notes for GEORGE GRAHAM:

"George Graham, second son of Barney Graham, was sixteen years old when the family came to the United States, and remained on the homestead (now the "Jacob Shirey Farm") until the death of his father.  He married in 1819, Sarah Ralston, who was of English descent and was born in 1803, in Westmoreland county.  They lived on a farm in Unity township until 1832, when they moved to a farm in Ligonier township, two miles south of Ligonier."  (John W. Jordan, ed., History of Westmoreland County Pennsylvania: Genealogical Memoirs, Vol. II.  New York, Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1906, p. 312.)

 

Notes for SARAH RALSTON:

Sarah's mother, Miss O'Hara, whose first name is unknown, died before she was six years old.  Sarah and her younger sister Jane were raised by their father David and his second wife, Elizabeth Lewis.  David and Elizabeth had three more children, Robert, Samuel and Mary.  Sarah's grandfather, William Ralston, my fifth great-grandfather, was born Abt. 1748 in Chester, PA.

       

Children of GEORGE GRAHAM and SARAH RALSTON are:

6.                i.       JAMES3 GRAHAM, b. September 28, 1820, Unity Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA; d. July 06, 1908, Ligonier Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA.

                  ii.       RICHARD D. GRAHAM, b. 1822, Unity Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA; d. Aft. 1880, Ligonier Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA.

                 iii.       REBECCA GRAHAM, b. 1829, Unity Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA; d. Aft. 1850.

                 iv.       ROBERT GRAHAM, b. 1830, Unity Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA; d. Aft. 1880, Ligonier Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA.

                  v.       ELLEN GRAHAM, b. 1836, Ligonier Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA; d. Aft. 1860.

                 vi.       ELIZABETH GRAHAM, b. 1839, Ligonier Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA; d. Aft. 1850.

                vii.       WILLIAM G. GRAHAM, b. 1847, Ligonier Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA; d. Aft. 1860.

 

 

4.  RICHARD2 GRAHAM (BERNARD1) was born December 21, 1795 in Donegal, Ireland, and died February 21, 1883 in Ligonier Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA.  He married ANNIE NANCY MELLON 1821 in Westmoreland Co, PA.  She was born 1798 in Camphill Farm, Lower Castleton, Tyrone, Ireland, and died February 01, 1872 in Ligonier Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA.

       

Children of RICHARD GRAHAM and ANNIE MELLON are:

                   i.       JAMES3 GRAHAM, b. 1821; d. Unknown.

                  ii.       CHILD GRAHAM, b. Aft. 1821; d. Unknown.

                 iii.       CHILD GRAHAM, b. Aft. 1821; d. Unknown.

                 iv.       CHILD GRAHAM, b. Aft. 1821; d. Unknown.

                  v.       RICHARD GRAHAM, b. January 09, 1823; d. Unknown.

                 vi.       ROBERT M. GRAHAM, b. January 06, 1824; d. Unknown.

                vii.       ELIZA JANE GRAHAM, b. November 1827; d. Unknown.

               viii.       MARGARET GRAHAM, b. 1830; d. Unknown.

                  ix.       REBECCA GRAHAM, b. October 1835; d. Unknown.

                   x.       SARAH K. GRAHAM, b. 1838; d. Unknown.

                  xi.       WILLIAM M. GRAHAM, b. 1842; d. Unknown.

 

 

5.  ROBERT2 GRAHAM (BERNARD1) was born 1804 in Donegal, Ireland, and died Aft. 1850.  He married ELLEN Bef. 1831 in Westmoreland Co, PA.  She was born 1805 in OH, and died Aft. 1850.

       

Children of ROBERT GRAHAM and ELLEN are:

                   i.       ELIZABETH3 GRAHAM, b. 1831; d. Unknown.

                  ii.       JAMES M. GRAHAM, b. 1834; d. Unknown.

                 iii.       ROBERT ST. CLAIR GRAHAM, b. 1837; d. Unknown.

                 iv.       LOUISA GRAHAM, b. 1840; d. Unknown.

                  v.       FRANCES GRAHAM, b. 1843; d. Unknown.

 

 

Generation No. 3

 

6.  JAMES3 GRAHAM (GEORGE2, BERNARD1) was born September 28, 1820 in Unity Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA, and died July 06, 1908 in Ligonier Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA.  He married LOUISE BITNER 1847 in Unity Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA.  She was born January 29, 1821 in Ligonier Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA, and died September 17, 1901 in Ligonier Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA.

 

Notes for JAMES GRAHAM:

"James Graham, son of George and Sarah (Ralston) Graham, was born September 28, 1820, in Unity township, and received his education in the common schools.  His occupation was that of a farmer, and in the sphere of politics he adheres to the Republican party.  While faithful in the duties of citizenship he has neither sought nor desired office.  He is a member of the Lutheran church, in which he has held official positions.  Mr. Graham, now aged eighty-six, is in good health, with powers of mind and body unimpaired....Mr. Graham has now retired from active labor and is a resident of Ligonier." (John W. Jordan, ed., History of Westmoreland County Pennsylvania: Genealogical Memoirs, Vol. II.  New York, Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1906, pp. 312-313.)

 

Notes for LOUISE BITNER:

"Mr. Graham married Louise Bitner, whose ancestors came to eastern Pennsylvania about 1790 and later settled in Somerset county.  Her grandparents moved to Fairfield township, Westmoreland county, about 1800, and about 1803 her parents, Peter and Mary Bitner, took up their abode in Ligonier township.  Their daughter Louise, who became the wife of James Graham, as mentioned above, belonged to a family of four sons and ten daughters, and was born January 29, 1821, in Ligonier township.  Mr. Graham....and his wife have been the parents of six sons and one daughter, all of whom are living with the exception of one son who died in infancy in 1854.  Mrs. Graham died September 25, 1901, aged seventy-nine." (John W. Jordan, ed., History of Westmoreland County Pennsylvania: Genealogical Memoirs, Vol. II.  New York, Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1906, pp. 312-313.)

       

Children of JAMES GRAHAM and LOUISE BITNER are:

                   i.       ISRAEL M.4 GRAHAM, b. December 21, 1847, Ligonier Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA; d. October 28, 1921, Ligonier Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA.

 

More About ISRAEL M. GRAHAM:

Occupation: editor and owner of the Ligonier Echo

 

                  ii.       MARY ANNE GRAHAM, b. June 04, 1849, Ligonier Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA; d. January 11, 1935, Zelienople, PA.

                 iii.       JAMES FRANK GRAHAM, b. September 02, 1852, Ligonier Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA; d. May 02, 1930, Laughlinstown, Westmoreland Co, PA.

 

Notes for JAMES FRANK GRAHAM:

He also went by the name Frank J. Graham.

 

                 iv.       SON GRAHAM, b. 1854, Ligonier Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA; d. 1854, Ligonier Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA.

7.               v.       DAVID L. GRAHAM, b. July 24, 1858, Ligonier Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA; d. August 01, 1917, Wilkinsburg, Allegheny Co, PA.

                 vi.       ALBERT ALEXANDER GRAHAM, b. April 19, 1860, Ligonier Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA; d. Aft. 1880.

                vii.       EDWARD E. GRAHAM, b. May 1869, Ligonier Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA; d. Aft. 1930.

 

 

Generation No. 4

 

7.  DAVID L.4 GRAHAM (JAMES3, GEORGE2, BERNARD1) was born July 24, 1858 in Ligonier Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA, and died August 01, 1917 in Wilkinsburg, Allegheny Co, PA.  He married MELINDA E. BEST April 14, 1887 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny Co, PA, daughter of JAMES BEST and MARGARET WADSWORTH.  She was born May 03, 1850 in Bradenville, Westmoreland Co, PA, and died August 01, 1928 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny Co, PA.

 

More About DAVID L. GRAHAM:

Occupation: painter

 

Notes for MELINDA E. BEST:

She was also known as Linnie.

 

More About MELINDA E. BEST:

Occupation: teacher

       

Children of DAVID GRAHAM and MELINDA BEST are:

8.                i.       ARTHUR JAMES5 GRAHAM, b. May 31, 1888, Montesana, WA; d. April 14, 1959, Oakmont, Allegheny Co, PA.

                  ii.       NELLIE GERTRUDE GRAHAM, b. March 27, 1891, PA; d. Unknown.

 

 

Generation No. 5

 

8.  ARTHUR JAMES5 GRAHAM (DAVID L.4, JAMES3, GEORGE2, BERNARD1) was born May 31, 1888 in Montesana, WA, and died April 14, 1959 in Oakmont, Allegheny Co, PA.  He married GERTRUDE MALONEY WILKINS November 11, 1911 in PA, daughter of JACOB WILKINS and MALONEY SCHMIDTICA.  She was born November 13, 1889 in Millvale, PA, and died January 04, 1980 in Oakmont, Allegheny Co, PA.

 

More About ARTHUR JAMES GRAHAM:

Burial: Unknown, Oakmont Cemetery, Allegheny Co, PA

Occupation: book keeper

 

More About GERTRUDE MALONEY WILKINS:

Burial: Unknown, Verona Cemetery, Oakmont, Allegheny Co, PA

Occupation: homemaker

       

Children of ARTHUR GRAHAM and GERTRUDE WILKINS are:

                   i.       DOROTHY BELLE6 GRAHAM, b. September 15, 1912, Baton Rouge, LA; d. August 1979, Oakmont, Allegheny Co, PA.

9.               ii.       MARION JUNE GRAHAM, b. September 11, 1914, Wilkinsburg, Allegheny Co, PA; d. July 04, 1997, Jeannette, Westmoreland Co, PA.

                 iii.       ARTHUR JAMES GRAHAM, b. Private.

 

 

Generation No. 6

 

9.  MARION JUNE6 GRAHAM (ARTHUR JAMES5, DAVID L.4, JAMES3, GEORGE2, BERNARD1) was born September 11, 1914 in Wilkinsburg, Allegheny Co, PA, and died July 04, 1997 in Jeannette, Westmoreland Co, PA.  She married ROBERT ALEXANDER RAMSAY June 05, 1935 in Morgantown, WV, son of ROBERT RAMSAY and NINA ALLSHOUSE.  He was born January 01, 1912 in Byrnedale, Elk Co, PA, and died November 11, 1967 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny Co, PA.

 

More About MARION JUNE GRAHAM:

Burial: July 07, 1997, Brush Creek Cemetery, N. Huntingdon Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA

Occupation: homemaker

 

Notes for ROBERT ALEXANDER RAMSAY:

Robert served in the US Army from 1939 to 1950, attaining the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.  During World War II he served overseas for two years.  Among Robert's medals was the Special Breast Order of Yun-Hui with an accompanying citation signed by Chiang Kai-shek, then Chiang Chung-Cheng, President of the National Government of the Republic of China, on Dec. 23, 1946.  The medal was awarded for his outstanding achievement while serving in China.

 

More About ROBERT ALEXANDER RAMSAY:

Burial: November 15, 1967, St. Clair Cemetery, Hempfield Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA

Occupation: civil engineer

       

Children of MARION GRAHAM and ROBERT RAMSAY are:

                   i.       JUNE7 RAMSAY, b. Private.

                  ii.       GRETCHEN RAMSAY, b. November 15, 1938, Greensburg, Westmoreland Co, PA; d. December 22, 2000, Greensburg, Westmoreland Co, PA.

 

More About GRETCHEN RAMSAY:

Burial: December 24, 2000, Brush Creek Cemetery, N. Huntingdon Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA

Occupation: nurse

 

10.            iii.       BARBARA BECK-RAMSAY, b. Private.

                 iv.       DEBORAH DEANNE RAMSAY, b. Private.

 

 

Generation No. 7

 

10.  BARBARA7 BECK-RAMSAY (MARION JUNE6 GRAHAM, ARTHUR JAMES5, DAVID L.4, JAMES3, GEORGE2, BERNARD1) was born Private.  She married MARK JOSEPH SILVESTRI Private.  He was born Private.

       

Children of BARBARA BECK-RAMSAY and MARK SILVESTRI are:

11.              i.       CARRIE BETH8 SILVESTRI, b. Private.

                  ii.       MARK DAMIAN SILVESTRI, b. Private.

                 iii.       ERIK MICHAEL (TWIN) SILVESTRI, b. Private.

                 iv.       JASON PAUL (TWIN) SILVESTRI, b. Private.

                  v.       HEATHER MARIE SILVESTRI, b. Private.

                 vi.       ADAM CHRISTOPHER SILVESTRI, b. Private.

 

 

Generation No. 8

 

11.  CARRIE BETH8 SILVESTRI (BARBARA7 BECK-RAMSAY, MARION JUNE6 GRAHAM, ARTHUR JAMES5, DAVID L.4, JAMES3, GEORGE2, BERNARD1) was born Private.  She married GRAEME NOSEWORTHY Private.  He was born Private.

       

Child of CARRIE SILVESTRI and GRAEME NOSEWORTHY is:

                   i.       MATTHEW THOMAS9 PIERI, b. Private.