John GRAHAM
HISTORY: John Graham received baptism by Reverend Samuel Heaton in 1752. Thereby, John Graham was one of the first members of TonolowayChurch. His name was the third on the church's membership roll. By 1750, John Graham resided on the Tonoloway and was the only person with that name listed on an account of the heads of households for that community, Ref.#173: Bedford History p.595.
HISTORY: Lieutenant Colonel James Graham received baptism by Reverend Samuel Heaton in 1752. Thereby, Colonel Graham was one of the first members of TonolowayChurch. In the year 1750, there were some Graham's living along the Tonoloway with John Graham as the head of the household. It appears that John was very likely the father of James Graham. The family migrated from New Jersey and settled on what has become the old Charlton farm near Warfordsburg. Colonel Graham died of smallpox during the Revolutionary War. He had served as a volunteer in the 1st Battalion of the Bedford County Militia. The history states that he and the other officers of this unit received little more pay than that of a private, Ref.#169; James Graham married Elizabeth, daughter of Elias Stillwell of Bedford County, Ref.#170; She became a widow as early as 1779, at which time she was paying taxes on a 200 acre farm, valued at $2500.00, Ref.#171; The children of Colonel Graham were Moses Graham, Mrs. Joseph Pittman, John Graham, and James Graham Jr., Ref.#172.
Ref #169: Bedford History, pp.86, 595, 653; Ref.#170:Bedford County Will Book 21, p. 278; Ref.#171, Bethel Twp. Taxes 1779; Ref.#172 Bedford County Deed Book E, p. 246; Footnotes from p.72 of History of Tonoloway Baptist Church.
Conolloway Letter of Late 1749 or Early 1750 (Source: Minutes of the Provincial Council, pages 453 & 454) "Petition of the Settlers of the Little Cove on the Temporary Line, "To the Honourable Thomas Penn and Richard Penn, Esquires, true and absolute Proprietaries of the Province of Pennsylvania, & "The Petition of Subscribers, Inhabitants of small Tracts of Land situate Westward of the Kittochtinny or Blue Hills, at a place known by the Name of the Little Cove and Conolloway's Creek, humbly sheweth: "Whereas, sundry Inhabitants of the Province of Maryland (some of 'em vested with Authority) divers times within these three Years past have attempted to survey and take possession of the aforesaid Tracts, being at or near where the Temporary Line when extended will run, as we believe; We, therefore, willing to live under the Protection of the good Constitution and Government of the Province of Pennsylvania, have hitherto prevented the various Attempts of the People of Maryland, and have preseumed to seat ourselves and made small improvements on the said lands. "As we have done this purely to defend it from the People of Maryland, and not in contempt of the laws of the Province of Pennsylvania nor the Governor's Proclamation, we humbly pray that we may be permitted to live on our respective Improvements at least until the Temporary Line shall be extended. "And your Petitioners shall pray, & Joseph COOMBE, John J HERROD (his mark), William JAMES, Thomas T YATES (his mark), Lewis WILLIAMS, Elias STILWELL, John MESSER, Joan 2 NEWHOUSE (his mark), Rees SHELBY, William O. LOFTON, Thomas HUSTON, Charles O WOODS (his mark), Henry PEIRSON, George REES, William W M MORGAN (his mark), John 4 LLOYED (his mark), William LIN, Andrew COOMBS, John POOLK, Levi TM MOORE (his mark), John GRAHAM (Provided by Combs-Truax Researcher Combs Craig Truax, and transcribed by Combs Researcher Hannah Friedlander Combs. And as modified by Combs Researcher Thom Montgomery from Colonial Records of PA, Series Vol.5 )