A map is a section of old Lancaster County, PA, with approximate locations of the
farms settled by Graham family’s (circa 1720-1730). (The formation of Dauphin and Lebanon Counties and the existing boundary shown on the map came later.)
• Farm #1: James Graham of Farm #2 or Farm #4 (Our Graham ancestor.)
• Farm #2: his brother James Graham Sr. (circa 1690-1745)
• Farm #3: John Graham, probably Elizabeth’s brother
• Farm #4: James Graham, probably the son of James Graham Sr.
• Farm #5: Sarah Graham, widow of John Graham, who died in 1737
• Farm #6: John Graham (circa 1710-1780) and his wife Elenor; likely related to the Grahams on Farm 1 and 2. Farm #7: Michael Graham (circa 1710-died after 1777 in North Carolina.)
According to existing land records (circa 1730) James Graham, called James (Sr.) here for clarity, and John Graham were living on separate farms in Hanover Township (then Lancaster County). James was both the uncle and father-in-law of John; indicating James Sr.’s brother’s son is John, and that James Sr.’s daughter married John. This is not unusual for 1st cousins to marry. James’s brother (John’s father) first name is unknown, but it was this Graham who first settled on both farms about 1720.
The Hanover Presbyterian Church was established in 1737 on land immediately north of John Graham’s farm. On August 30th 1739 the Donegal Presbyterian’s met for the first time at the Hanover Church, and Reverend Richard Sankey was ordained. Among the other ministers present: Rev. John Thomson, Rev Sankey’s father-in-law.
James Grahm (Sr.) died in 1745, leaving a will. In his will James Sr. named sons James and Samuel, and son-in-laws John McClure and Hugh Semple as neighbors. James left his farm, according to Anglican law, to his oldest living son, also named James, for clarity James Jr. At the time of James’s Sr.’s death, James Jr. was an adult, and took legal title to the farm. Rev. Richard Sankey and Patrick Watson (who may have been a Graham relative) were named as executors of James’s (Sr.) will. Rev Sankey and Mr. Watson renounced in favor of James Jr. and his mother Anne as executors.
On November 13th 1745 an inventory of James Sr.’s personal effects was signed by William Watson and James Dixon. (William Watson was a neighbor in Hanover Twp., and probably a Graham relative, and a relative of Patrick Watson.) James Dixon was born in Ireland, married Jane Graham, widow of John Graham who died circa 1743, and daughter of James Graham (Sr.). During the year James (Sr.) died, James Dixon was his son-in-law. This historical information helps demonstrate a close relationship between John and James Graham families.
William Semple, who dies in 1749, willed a brown coat to, “my brother-in-law, James Graham” , and a great coat “to my brother Samuel Graham.” This reestablishes the relationship in the will of James (Sr.) and explains that James (Jr.) was alive in 1749.
John Graham died in 1743, left his estate to his wife Jane, to two minor sons, William and John (for clarity John (Jr.)), and one child still in the mother’s womb. Reverend Richard Sankey and James Dixon witnessed John Graham’s will, and Sankey and Brice Inniss were named executors. John Graham (Jr.) was born about 1735, and was a minor child at the time of his father’s death in 1743. Existing legal records in Pennsylvania this John Graham (Jr.) and his wife Jane in Pennsylvania until 1765, at which time they appear to have moved away, probably North Carolina. (Herndon and Ray wrote in their historical essay that John Graham (Jr.) named in the will of John Graham who died in 1743 in Lancaster County PA, married a Thomson daughter, and this Graham family was living in Prince Edward County VA by circa 1755.)
Concentrating on the errors between the historical documents and Herndon, Ms. Bulls turned to prove that James Graham (Jr.) married Mary Graham (widow of James ??) who bought land in Prince Edward County Virginia in 1755, and that Mary Graham was the daughter of Reverend John Thomson.
There are many reasons to why James (Jr.) of Hanover Township would be the husband of Mary Graham: He was the right age bracket and he was a Presbyterian and not an Anglican or Covenanter. In 1733, the year that James (Jr.) is believed to have married Mary Thomson, her father was serving Middle Octoraro and Chestnut level Presbyterian congregations. Chestnut level was near Quarryville, about 50 miles south of the James Graham (Sr.) farm. Nonetheless, Rev. Thomson traveled frequently among the frontier churches for Presbyterian sessions. Before the Hanover Church was established in 1737, James Graham (Sr.) and family probably worshiped at the Derry Presbyterian Church. If this is true then James Graham (Jr.) and Mary Thomson would have the opportunity to meet many times. James Graham (Jr.) was the only young adult on record bearing his name in the Derry-Paxtang-Hanover communities in circa 1733, when it is projected that he married Mary Thomson. A cousin, James Graham born circa 1730, a brother of John Graham (Jr.), would move onto the records later. When James died in 1786, he left a will, which gives extensive information about the interrelationship of these two families.
Ms Bulls compiled all the Graham family records for Hanover, Paxtang, and Derry Townships, and her collection of data forms the basis for the Farm Location Map and Family Tree.S2
