JAMES C. GRAHAM, farmer and stock-dealer, P. O. Little Cooley, was born February 22, 1840, in Centreville, this county; son of Samuel Graham, born in Philadelphia, Penn., who came to Linesville, this county, in 1808 with his father, James Graham. They were of famous Scotch-Irish descent. Samuel Graham married Miss Hester Campbell April 15, 1820, at Warren, Penn. She was a descendant of an intelligent and influential family of Ithica, N. Y., who were noted for their valuable services in the cause of education. They settled in Centreville, this county, where Mr. Graham died October 18, 1841, leaving five children: Mrs. Mary Thomas, De Witt C., Mrs. Harriet A. Parker, John C. and James C. Mrs. Graham afterward married Samuel Symmonds, of Athens Township, this county, who died December 30, 1871. She now lives with her son, James C. Our subject attended the schools of Athens Township and a select school at Spartansburg till 1858. He then engaged in teaching, and obtained means to attend Waterford Academy two years. At the call of the Governor he enlisted with the emergency men for the defense of the state in 1863. Returning home he entered upon a classical course in Allegheny College, Meadville, teaching between terms, and graduated with the degree of A. B. June 23, 1870. The college conferred the degree A. M. upon him in 1873. After serving as Principal of the acadamies at Linesville and Townville one year each, he was elected Superintendent of Public Schools of Crawford County, Penn., for the regular term of three years, on the first ballot, May 7, 1872, and was re-elected in 1875. He advocated many useful measures, among which were a graded course for common schools, and a change of the annual term. He filled the position with distinguished ability and retired with a highly honorable record. He then served two years as Principal of the union schools of Mercer, Penn., after which he retired to the farm and is now chiefly engaged in the rearing of stock and in its traffic. At the session of the State Teachers’ Association held at Erie in 1877, he was elected a member of the Executive Committee, holding the position for that year. Mr. Graham has been engaged at intervals reading law under Hon. A. B. Richmond, of Meadville, and is now completing his studies with a view to practice.
History of Crawford County, Pennsylvania: containing a history of the county, its townships, towns, villages, schools, churches, industries, etc., portraits of early settlers and prominent men, biographies, history of Pennsylvania, statistical and miscellaneous matter, Chicago: Warner, Beers & Co., 1885, page 780-781