Joseph Graham, father of John Graham, the well-known citizen of South Buffalo Township, was born in Scotland in 1768, and reared in Ireland, where he married a Miss Mary Ralston. In 1803 he and his wife and three children came to America and located in Baltimore, and thence in 1808 they immigrated to Buffalo township, Armstrong county, and settled upon the farm where Phillip Kepple now lives. Both Mr. and Mrs. Graham were members of the Slate Lick Presbyterian church, and numbered among its founders. Joseph Graham died in 1847, and his widow in 1862. Their children were: Jane (Ralston), Ann (Moorehead), Robert Joseph, Rebecca (Keenear), Mary, John, Sarah (Mateer) and Elizabeth (Smith). Of these all are deceased except Joseph, who lives in West Virginia; Mary, a resident of Allegheny City; Mrs. Smith, who lives in North Buffalo, and John, the subject of our sketch.

 He was born October 18, 1814, and reared a farmer. June 20, 1844, he was married to Miss Margaret B. Smith, daughter of John B. and Mary (Bell) Smith, who was born January 8, 1825. Her parents were, like Mr. Graham's early settlers of the township. John B. Smith was born east of the mountains, November 13, 1790, and came to Westmoreland country with his parents when two years of age. The family was driven back by the Indians, but in 1800 came to Armstrong county and effected settlement. Prior to this time John B. Smith's grandfather, Joseph Brown, had been killed by the Indians east of the mountains. Mr. and Mrs. Smith reared a large family of children, their names being: John, George,H., Joseph B., James G., Margaret B., A. Wilson, S. H., R. M., and Richard N. Of these the two first named are deceased.

Jospeh B., who now lives in North Buffalo township, was a member of the 78th regt., Pa. Vols., as were also his brothers Richard N. and R. M., who are both now in the west. A Wilson Smith was in the 8th Pa. Reserves, and subsequently in the 78th regt., and died from disease contracted in the service. S. H. Smith died in the Sandwich Islands. James G. Smith is a well known farmer of West Franklin township.

 Returning to Mr. and Mrs. Graham, we will add that both are members of the Slate Lick Presbyterian church, and among the most respected residents of their township. They have no children of their own, but have adopted a son, John D. Graham, who lives upon a farm near them. They have reared several others, and particularly during the war period were friends of the little ones whose fathers were in the field, taking several of them into their home.

Mr. Graham, like his father, has been in politics a democrat.

Source: Page(s) 404, History of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania by Robert Walker Smith, Esq. Chicago: Waterman, Watkins & Co., 1883.
Transcribed June 2000 by James R. Hindman for the Armstrong County Smith Project.
Contributed by James R. Hindman for use by the Armstrong County Genealogy Project (http://www.pa-roots.com/armstrong/)

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