Alan Graham
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Alan Graham |
Alan Graham, at this time, is our earliest known Graham ancestor.
Alan Graham was born in Scotland circa 1826/1827. George IV was king of England and Scotland. The Torys (conservatives) were in power. In 1828, Wellington became Prime Minister. In 1830, George IV died and was succeeded by his brother, William IV. After William died in 1837, he was succeeded by Victoria, his 18 year-old niece. she would reign for over 63 years. Her reign began an era of peace and unprecedented industrial, commercial, and colonial growth. working men, however, suffered hardship from low wages and high food prices, and had little voice in government.
It was during this Victorian era that Alan came to America. It is still unknown if he came with his parents as a boy or immigrated on his own in adulthood.
The earliest we know of his life was when he was living in Kentucky in the 1850's. He had married a woman named Eliza, who was born July 1828 in England, around 1853. Alan was a coal minor and worked the coal fields of Crittenden conuty in western Kentucky.
While living in Kentucky, Alan and Eliza produced four sons: George (circa 1855), Thomas (circa 1857), Walter (1861), and James (circa 1863).
Sometime during the Civil War, probably in 1863 or 1864, Alan moved his family to Indiana. They settled in Van Buren township in Clay county. Indiana was becoming an important coal producing state and Alan was following the coal fields.
Three daughters were born to Alan and Eliza in Indiana: Elizabeth (circa 1865), Eliza (circa 1868) and Jeanet (circa 1872).
Apparently, Alan became renowned as a gardener, and at some point left the coal mines and became a professional gardener. Unfortunately that's all we know about him. He died sometime around 1895 and was buried in Van Buren Township. Eliza died a few years later, after the turn of the century, and was laid to rest beside her husband.
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