Andrew F. Graham, numbered among the successful farmers of Rockton township, living on section 31, was born in that township December 19, 1858. He traces his ancestry back to his great-grandfather, who was a native of the north of Ireland, and came with his family to America in colonial days. When the colonists could no longer endure the oppressive measures of the mother county he joined the American Army and fought for independence, and the maternal great-grandfather of our subject was also one of the heroes of the Revolution. The grandfather, Mathew Graham, was born in Pennsylvania, and his business pursuit was that of farming, whereby he provided the necessities and some of the comforts of life for his family. He came with the father of our subject to Illinois, but shortly afterward returned to his native state. His wife bore the maiden name of Martha Shannon and was likewise a native of Pennsylvania.
Andrew F. Graham has spent his entire life in Rockton township, and was reared to the occupation of farming, which he has made his life work. He makes a specialty, however, of the dairy business and for this purpose keeps thirty Jersey cows, manufacturing from five to six thousand pounds of butter each year, which he readily disposes of to families in Rockford, because of the excellence of his product. He also owns a full-blooded bull by Brown Bessie Cadet, No. 57522, which is at the head of his herd. He has one hundred and forty acres of land which he purchased in 1881, ... In 1882 Mr. Graham was married to Miss Emma Donner, a native of Akron, Ohio, and they have three children: Frank H., Floyd N. and Gladys F. ...
