Casey County, Kentucky
Riley Graham, one of the leading farmers of Wedington Township, was
born in Casey County, Ky., September 23, 1827, and is the son of Littleton F.
and Catherine (Carson) Graham, both natives of Kentucky, the father born in
Casey County April 12, 1799, and is still living near Fayetteville. The mother
was born about 1800, and died near Fayetteville, Ark., in 1857. They were
married in Casey County, and there lived until 1836, when they moved to Lincoln
County, Tenn., and there lived until 1852. He is a member of the Cumberland
Presbyterian Church, as was also his wife, and has been a life-long Democrat.
He was a successful farmer, and since the death of his wife has lived with his
children, seven now living of a family of ten: Ewing, John C., Riley, Minerva,
Cyrena, Clarinda and Melvina Adaline. Those deceased were named Cyrus M.,
Catherine and America. Cyrus M. was in the Confederate service during the
late war, and was killed by the bursting of a shell at the battle of Prairie Grove.
Riley Graham remained at home until twenty years of age, and has always followed
the occupation of a farmer. In 1853 his father gave him a small tract of
land, and in 1857 he sold this and bought land near Fayetteville. He is now
the owner of a well-located and well-improved farm, the result of his own and
his wife's hard labor. October 13, 1853, he married Miss.Elizabeth Jane Wilson,
daughter of Hon. Thomas Wilson, who was born in Kentucky in 1812, and who
died at the age of seventy-three. He was one of the first settlers of Washington
County, and a prominent citizen, at different times county judge, and also represented
Washington County in the Arkansas Legislature several times; was
also a farmer. Mrs. Graham was born near Fayetteville, Ark., June 1, 1836,
and by her marriage became the mother of ten children, nine now living: James
C., died when an infant; Bell D., Thomas G., William R., Len F., Cora Alice,
Emma C., Virginia W., Cyrus E. and Kate May. July, 1862, Mr. Graham enlisteu
in Company A, of Bro0ks' infantry, Confederate army, and after serving
a short time was captured at Fayetteville, and paroled. He re-enlisted in the
fall of 1864, and served until the close of the war. Mr. Graham, his wife and
all the children but the youngest and fifth are members of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, South. He is a Democrat in politics, and a member of the 1. 0.
O.F.