:B,RANCES GRiiVIES SITHERWOOD The Graham - Grimes Genealogy with Cognate Branches "Wouldst thou trust thy name to dum/J f orgetjulness or to the decaying grave­ yard stone 1 N aj, rather place it on the pages qf the printed.book:" 1756-1926 By Frances Grimes Sitherwood· TO THE LOVED ONES IN MY FAMILY CIRCLE AND THE DEAR KINSFOLK WHOSE AID AND ENCOURAGEMENT HAVE MADE IT POSSIBLE J'OB ME TO COMPILE THIS BOOK IT IS MOST AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED PREFACE This work has grown out of a desire to have a fuller and more accurate knowledge of my own branch of the Graham­ Grimes family and to place in permanent form the ge­ nealogical data, incidents, traditions and biography, of the descendants of George and Charity (Kimball) Graham. The search for material has been unavoidably prolonged for a quarter of a century. As is well known in early times there was no uniform­ ity in the spelling of many ordinary words, and it was to be expected that in the spelling of proper names great diversity would be found. The name of the family form­ ing the subject of this book has had only the ordinary ex­ perience of other cognomens. George Graham, though of Scotch or English descent, was reared from childhood in a German family and learned to speak that language. Pre­ sumably when he . came to Greene County, Pennsylvania, his surname, on his rough tongue, sounded to unfamiliar and careless ears like Grimes {Grahams, Graemes), and was so pronounced by his neighbors, and, in the course of time, following the laxity of spelling of those days, was so written by them and by many of his own descendants. However the surname Graham has been used interchange­ ably with Graemes ( or Grimes) in Scotland from time im­ memorial. They are but variant forms of the same old Norse Graem,-one of the oldest names in Scottish history. In this record· each person will be designated as he himself writes the name. As to the illustrations, in_ a few cases where good pho­ tographs unfortunately were not to be had, I have ventured to use old tintypes and kodaks, for these I crave a kind in­ dulgence. With few exceptions the cuts for illustrations have been furnished by individual branches of the family. Trusting that the result of my years of labor will be accepted in the spirit in which it was prepared, I place it in the hands of my kindred as the first '' Graham-Grimes Genealogy.'' . '' And here I make an end. And if I have done well, and as is fitting the story, it is that which I desired: but if slenderly and meanly, it is that which I could attain unto.'' 3J.3J :fllauaf:ltu, xb. 3S. Bloomington, m. F. G. s. 1926. EXPLANATION . Each Graham-Grimes descendant has his own genealogi­ cal number placed to the left of his name. The name oc­ curs again in capital letters as the head of the family in the succeeding generation with the same number. When the descendants die in youth or do not have issue, their full biographies, with a few exceptions, will be found with the name first mentioned. This genealogy follows only the line bearing the name of the male ancestor. The biographies of the female line of descent will be found under the mother's married name. The names printed in italics next after the heavy faced type, at the commencement of each family, show the line of ancestry back to George Graham, the progenitor, and the figures indicate where such ancestor's full record ap­ pears. All families are mentioned consecutively, any per­ son can be traced backward or forward as may be desired. The ABBREVIATIONS used are b. for born; d. died; dau. daughter; int. interred or interment; m. married; P. 0. post office; obt. obituary; res. residence or resides; twp. township ; unm. unmarried. · NA GRAMAICH-THE GR.A.EMES OR GR.A.Rill The '' gallant Graemes'' have acted so chivalrous and important a part in the annals of Scottish history as to have well merited that appellation. Their traditional origin is of the highest antiquity, the ducal family of Mont­ rose tracing its descent to the fifth century. The Emperor Antonius had raised a fortified wall of extraordinary strength, from sea to sea, in the vain hope that it would preserve the conquered provinces from the dread inva­ sions of the Scots, but Graeme, who commanded the con­ federated tribes, broke through. this mighty rampart (420 A. D.), which from him became afterwards known as ''Graeme's Dyke.'' The name is indicative of the fierce­ ness of the man, Gruamach or Gramach being applied to one of stern, forbidding look and manner, the term whence is derived the Gothie ''grim.''• Any satisfactory record of the several generations who succeeded this hero, filling up the interval between him and William de Graeme, who lived in the reign of David I., and is witness to the foundation of the abbey of Holy Rood, in 1128, cannot be expected, but from this ancestor they are regularly authenticated. ... Amongst so many personages of this clan who have dis­ tinguished themselves a few of the most renowned only can be here briefly noted. Sir John Graham of Dundaff, with the exception of the immortal Wallace, was the most valiant of the Scottish patriots. He was known as the Richt Hand of Wallace, in whose arms he died of his wounds after the disastrous battle of Falkirk, July 22, 1298, and was in­ terred in the churchyard there. His tombstone, which has been twice renewed, bears in the center his coat of arms; at the upper part, round an architectural device, is the *This is according to the Scottish genealogist who, as Camden tells us, thinks surnames as ancient as the moon. Collins, however, finds no record of the family earlier than the time of King David I., about 1123, when the name was spelled de Graeme, showing its local origin-that it was taken from the place called Graham or Graeme: "Dwellers at the Grey Land or Enclosure." The termination indicates that the word is of ancient English origin, and the family is traced to ,Villiam de Graham, who settled in Scotland in the twelfth century. The only place of this name, however, is Kastoven, in Lincolnshire. The name is found in the Hundred Rolls of England in the twelfth century; But the name became early one of the most distinguished and prolific in Scotland. 7 8 THE GRAHAM-GRIMES GENEALOGY motto, "Vivit post funere virtus," and at the lower part the following inscription:- '' Mente manuque potens, et V allae :fidus Aehates ; Conditus hie Gramus hello interfeetus ab Anglis. 22nd J nly, 1298. HER LYS Six John the Graeme, baith wight and wise, Ane of the chiefs reskewit Scotland thrise; Ane better knight not to the world was lent, Nor was gude Graeme, of truth and hardiment.'' Dunda:tf Castle, now in ruins, siands on high ground a· few miles from the battlefield, and commands four passes leading down in as many direetions to the low country. It belongs to the Duke of Montrose, the chief of the Grahams, in whose possession there is an antique sword, a short, broad weapon, on which the following lines are inscribed: '' Sir John ye Graeme verry wicht and wyse, Ane o' ye ehiefes relievet Scotland thryse, Fought with ys sword, and ner thout sehame Commandit na.ne to beir it bot his name.'' Sir Patrick, the elder brother of this celebrated patriot, fell at the mismanaged and disastrous battle of Dunbar, in 1296. He was ''a stout knight, wisest among the wise in council, and among the noblest the most noble.'' Sir William Graham, third Lord Graham, was created Earl of Montrose by James IV., 3rd March, 1504/5. His title, however, was not taken from the town of Montrose, but from his hereditary estate of "Auld Montrose," which was then erected into a free barony and earldom. He fell at the battle of Flodden, 9th Sept., 1513, where he com-· manded one of the divisions of the Scottish vanguard. His son William, second Earl of Montrose, held several offices of trust in connection with the person of the young king, James V., and was one of the most powerful noblemen in Scotland in his own day. :He twice held the office of High Treasurer of Scotland, and was appointed Lord Chancellor in 1599.. At his death in 1608, the king thought fit to order that the Earl in consequence of his high position, should be buried with peculiar pomp and splendour, and promised to give forty thousand marks to cover the expense. But · the promise was not performed. The money was never paid, and the costly funeral ceremonial imposed a heavy burden on the Earl's son. THE FAMILY IN SCOTLAND 9 The glory of the house of Graham is James, the fifth Earl and first Marquis of Montrose, b. 1612, the twentieth in descent from William first mentioned ( 1128) ; he gained imperishable fame from the wars which he carried on in behalf of the unfortunate King Charles I., and his un­ daunted deportment when he met his tragic fate. · When only fourteen years of age at the time of his father's death, he seems to have attracted public attention and expecta­ tion, for in a poem by William Lithgow, entitled '' Scot­ land's Welcome to her Native Son and Sovereign Lord, King Charles,'' the Genius of Scotland, addressing the King, thus refers to the youthful head of the Grahams:- '' As for that hopefull youth, the young Lord Grahame, James Earl of Montrose, whose warlike name Sprung from redoubted worth, made manhood try Their matchless deeds in unmatched chivalry- I do bequeath him to thy gracious love, Whose noble stoeke· did ever faithful prove To their aged ancestors; and my Bounds Were often freed from thraldome by their wounds; Leaving their roote, the stamp of :fidele truth, To be inherit in this noble youth: Whose Heam, whose Hands, whose Swords, whose Deeds, whose Fame, .