Biography of Colonel James Graham 1649-1730

Paternal Family Tree: Graham of Plump in Kirkandrews

In Mar 1649 Colonel James Graham was born to George Graham 2nd Baronet (age 25) in Norton Conyers, North Yorkshire.

Evelyn's Diary. 10 Jun 1673. Came to visit and dine with me my Lord Viscount Cornbury (age 11) and his Lady (age 10); Lady Frances Hyde, sister to the Duchess of York; and [his future wife] Mrs. Dorothy Howard (age 22), Maid of Honour [Note. Dorothy Howard and Colonel James Graham (age 24) were married in 1675 - may be an example of Evelyn writing his diary retrospectively she being referred to as 'Mrs' although possibly the term was used irrecspective of marriage - see John Evelyn's Diary 9th October 1671]. We went, after dinner, to see the formal and formidable camp on Blackheath, Greenwich [Map], raised to invade Holland; or, as others suspected for another design. Thence, to the Italian glass-house at Greenwich, Kent [Map], where glass was blown of finer metal than that of Murano [Map], at Venice.

Evelyn's Diary. 11 Jul 1675. In this journey, went part of the way Mr. James Graham (age 26) (since Privy Purse to the Duke (age 41)), a young gentleman exceedingly in love with Mrs. [his future wife] Dorothy Howard (age 24), one of the maids of honor in our company. I could not but pity them both, the mother not much favoring it. This lady was not only a great beauty, but a most virtuous and excellent creature, and worthy to have been wife to the best of men. My advice was required, and I spoke to the advantage of the young gentleman, more out of pity than that she deserved no better match; for, though he was a gentleman of good family, yet there was great inequality.

Evelyn's Diary. 15 Jul 1675. This was a journey of adventures and knight-errantry. One of the lady's servants being as desperately in love with Mrs. Howard's (age 49) woman, as Mr. Graham (age 26) was with her [his future wife] daughter (age 24), and she riding on horseback behind his rival, the amorous and jealous youth having a little drink in his pate, had here killed himself had he not been prevented; for, alighting from his horse, and drawing his sword, he endeavored twice or thrice to fall on it, but was interrupted by our coachman, and a stranger passing by. After this, running to his rival, and snatching his sword from his side (for we had beaten his own out of his hand), and on the sudden pulling down his mistress, would have run both of them through; we parted them, not without some blood. This miserable creature poisoned himself for her not many days after they came to London.

On 22 Nov 1675 Colonel James Graham (age 26) and Dorothy Howard Maid of Honour (age 24) were married the license being that date.

Evelyn's Diary. 11 Nov 1677. I was all this week composing matters between old Mrs. Howard (age 51) and Sir Gabriel Sylvius, upon his long and earnest addresses to [his sister-in-law] Mrs. Anne (age 24), her second daughter, maid of honor to the Queen (age 38). My friend, Mrs. Godolphin (age 25) (who exceedingly loved the young lady) was most industrious in it, out of pity to the languishing knight; so as though there were great differences in their years, it was at last effected, and they were married the 13th, in Henry VII.'s Chapel [Map], by the Bishop of Rochester (age 52), there being besides my wife (age 42) and [his wife] Mrs. Graham (age 26), her sister, Mrs. Godolphin, and very few more. We dined at the old lady's, and supped at Mr. Graham's (age 28) at St. James's.

Evelyn's Diary. 15 Sep 1685. I accompanied Mr. Pepys (age 52) to Portsmouth [Map], whither his Ma* (age 51) was going the first time since his coming to the Crowne, to see in what state the fortifications were. We tooke coach and six horses, late after dinner, yet got to Bagshot that night. Whilst supper was making ready I went and made a visit to [his wife] Mrs. Graham (age 34), some time maid of honour to ye Queene Dowager (age 46), now wife to James Graham, Esq (age 36) of the privy purse to the King; her house being a walke in the forest, within a little quarter of a mile from Bagshot towne. Very importunate she was that I would sup, and abide there that night, but being obliged by my companion, I return'd to our inn, after she had shew'd me her house, wch was very commodious and well furnish'd, as she was an excellent housewife, a prudent and virtuous lady. There is a parke full of red deere about it. Her eldest son was now sick there of the small-pox, but in a likely way of recovery, and other of her children run about, and among the infected, wnh she said she let them do on purpose that they might whilst young pass that fatal disease she fancied they were to undergo one time or other, and that this would be the best: the severity of this cruell disease so lately in my poore family confirming much of what she affirmed.

Evelyn's Diary. 22 Oct 1685. I accompanied my Lady Clarendon to her house at Swallowfield in Berks, dining by the way at Mr. Graham's (age 36) lodge at Bagshot; the house, new repair'd and capacious enough for a good family, stands in a Park [Map]. Hence we went to Swallowfield; this house is after the antient build ing of honourable gentlemen's houses, when they kept up antient hospitality, but the gardens and waters as elegant as 'tis possible to make a flat, by art and industrie, and no meane expence, my lady being so extraordinarily skill'd in ye flowery part, and my lord in diligence of planting; so that I have hardly seene a seate whrch shews more tokens of it than what is to be found here, not only in the delicious and rarest fruits of a garden, but in those innumerable timber trees in the ground about the seate, to the greatest ornament and benefit of the place. There is one orchard of 1000 golden, and other cider pippins; walks and groves of elms, limes, oaks, and other trees. The garden is so beset with all manner of sweete shrubbs, that it per fumes the aire. The distribution also of the quarters, walks, and parterres, is excellent. The nurseries, kitchin garden full of ye most desireable plants; two very noble Orangeries well furnished; but above all, the canall and fishponds, the one fed with a white, the other with a black running water, fed by a quick and swift river, so well and plen tifully stor'd with fish, that for pike, carp, breame and tench, I never saw any thing approching it. We had at every meale carp and pike of size fit for the table of a Prince, and what added to ye delight was to see the hundreds taken by the drag, out of which, the cooke standing by, we pointed out what we had most mind to, and had carp that would have ben worth at London twenty shillings a piece. The waters are flagg'd about with Calamus aromaticus, with wch my lady has hung a closet, that retains the smell very perfectly. There is also a certaine sweete willow and other exotics: also a very fine bowllng-greene, meadow, pasture, and wood; in a word, all that can render a country seate delightful. There is besides a well furnish'd library in ye house.

In 1701 [his wife] Dorothy Howard Maid of Honour (age 50) died.

In 1730 Colonel James Graham (age 80) died.

[his daughter] Catherine Graham Countess Berkshire and Suffolk was born to Colonel James Graham and Dorothy Howard Maid of Honour.

[his son] Henry Graham was born to Colonel James Graham and Dorothy Howard Maid of Honour.

[his son] Richard Graham was born to Colonel James Graham and Dorothy Howard Maid of Honour.

[his daughter] Mary Graham was born to Colonel James Graham and Dorothy Howard Maid of Honour.

[his son] William Graham was born to Colonel James Graham and Dorothy Howard Maid of Honour.

Ancestors of Colonel James Graham 1649-1730

GrandFather: Richard Graham 1st Baronet

Great x 2 Grandfather: William Bell of Scotsbrig in Middlebie

Great x 1 Grandmother: Sibill Bell

Father: George Graham 2nd Baronet

Great x 1 Grandfather: Thomas Musgrave of Cumcatch in Cumberland

GrandMother: Catherine Musgrave

Colonel James Graham