My Genealogy Hound

John Graham, a very successful farmer and a member of the firm of Smith, Graham & Jones, merchants at Wynne, owes his nativity to North Carolina, where his birth occurred in 1847, and is the eldest in a family of five children, born to C. C. and Mary E. (Mebane) Graham, both natives of North Carolina. The father conducted an iron furnace and owned iron mines in his native State, but sold his interest and moved to Arkansas in 1854. He bought a large tract of land, 1,100 acres in all, southeast of the present village of Wynne, which was a dense wilderness at the time, and immediately proceeded to clear the land, erect buildings and to make other improvements. The house now on the place was partially erected in 1854, and the modern two-story frame in 1860. As early as 1855 Mr. Graham erected a horse power cotton gin, the only one at that time within ten miles. During the war Mr. Graham remained at home, followed farming to some extent, but was often interrupted by raids from Federal soldiers. At the close of the war he engaged in merchandising at Wittsburg under the title of Knight, Graham & Co. Knight withdrew and the name was changed to Graham, Thomas & Co. This firm did an extensive business, and the partners made considerable money. In 1870 Mr. Graham withdrew from the business and soon went to Memphis, where he engaged in the commission business under the firm name of Rutland, Graham & Co. After two years Mr. Graham withdrew and was soon elected president of the Mechanic and Trader’s Bank in Memphis. He was in this office for about four years when he resigned and engaged in the brokerage business. During his residence in Memphis he erected a number of dwellings, also some business houses and was an active business man up to the time of his death, which occurred August 18,1886. In Mr. Graham’s life we can trace the active and successful business man. In fact, few men in the early history of our country have shown a greater knowledge of how to carve their fortune from the rough elements of the times. He was esteemed as one of the most progressive, intelligent and energetic business men of the community, and was in every way a worthy man and citizen.

“Tis ever wrong to say a good man dies”.

He always lived a correct life and was one of the leading members of the Second Presbyterian Church in Memphis. John Graham was reared to farm labor and attended the common schools at home until 1858, when he attended school at Greensboro, N. C. Subsequently he was under the instruction of a teacher at a private school and remained there until the breaking out of the late war. In 1863, when only sixteen years of age, he enlisted in Company A, McGee’s regiment cavalry, and for a year operated in Eastern Arkansas. In 1864 he joined Gen. Price in his Missouri raid, was in the battle of Pilot Knob and in all the battles until West Port, when, holding the field until Price could escape with the wagon train, our subject was captured, taken to Kansas City and later to Fort Leavenworth, where he was held in captivity, and after some time was removed to Camp Morton, Ind., and here retained until the close of the war, being released about June 1. He immediately started for home and made the journey from Memphis on foot. He at once took charge of his father’s farm. In 1866 he went to Mebaneville school, remained there one year and then came home, residing with his parents for one year. From there he removed to the bottoms, engaged in agricultural pursuits for himself and there remained three years. Following this he took charge of the old homestead, while his father went to Memphis, and tilled the soil for five years, after which his father gave him an interest in the place, on which he erected a dwelling and there resided. At the time of the father’s death he bought out the heirs and moved back to the old homestead. Since then he has cleared about sixty acres and now has 500 in a fine state of cultivation, and on another tract nearby he has sixty acres under cultivation. He moved his gin to the home place, has a good dwelling, orchard and is considered one of the best farmers in the county. He is quite extensively engaged in stock raising, principally mules, and has been very successful at this, raising some of the largest and finest mules ever seen in the State, and as good as any from Kentucky or in fact, any State. He seeds down a large part of his farm to improve and fertilize the soil. He raises large crops of cotton and corn and is a practical, as well as a scientific farmer. His farm embraces about 600 acres under cultivation, lying on the west slope of Crowley’s Ridge, and presents a magnificent view, for, from his residence, nearly every acre is spread out like a picture before the eye. He was married in December, 1870, to Miss Jennie Allen, a daughter of Abijah Allen, one of the early settlers and prominent farmers of St. Francis County. Eight children were the result of this union: Mary C, Charles C. (died at the age of three years), John M., Abijah Allen (died at the age of three weeks), Jennie Clay, Willie Vernon (died at the age of three years), Carey Osceola and James Franklin. Mrs. Graham is a member of the Presbyterian Church. In 1888 Mr. Graham joined with his partners in the large mercantile firm at Wynne. He is the leading spirit in all movements pertaining to the good of the country, and is not only a leading farmer, but is a member of the leading commercial firm in Cross County.