George, who had a memorable life, was the son of:
James Wood W. Graham 1819–1865
Hannah Catherine Swindoll 1828–1907
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George Washington was born in Tishomingo Co, MS on April 5, 1848. His sister, Martha Ann (known as Mattie), was born in Neshoba Co, MS on Nov. 15, 1850. Their brother, Samuel Armstead, was born in Corinth, Adams Co, MS on Feb.19, 1859.

On August 17, 1860 (Federal Census)
Hannah and James Graham lived in Tishomingo Co, MS where they owned land valued at $400 and personal wealth of $200. James farmed to support them.
Household Members
James Graham 40 born in GA
Hannah C. Graham 32 NC
Geo W Graham 11 MS
Martha E Graham 9 MS
Samuel Graham 1 MS
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Things were going well until rumors of the Civil War spread throughout their community in 1860. The Civil War started on April 12, 1861. The Graham's sympathies were on the side of the Confederacy.

George, age 13, & his father, 42, enlisted in Company K in the 2nd Regiment, MS Infantry at Luka, Tishomingo Co, MS on Sept. 1, 1861. (Luka, built on the site of a Chickasaw Indian village, was founded in 1857. Woodall Mountain located 5 miles southwest of Luka is the only state high point that was subject to a battle during the Civil War. The Battle of Iuka was on September 19, 1862.)

George's mother, Hannah, was no doubt in great turmoil as she watched them leave home to go fight for what they believed was right for their country. She was left at home to care for George's 11 years old sister and 2 year old brother. His sister, Mattie, later married Micah Wilson, in Corinth, MS, whose five brothers had served on the side of the Confederacy. Only one survived the War.
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Places their unit fought until James & George were captured.
2nd Infantry Regiment Mississippi
Date of Organization: 10 May 1861
Muster Date: 9 Apr 1865
Regiment State: Mississippi
Regiment Type: Infantry
Regiment Number: 2nd
Battles: Fought on 21 Jul 1861 at Bull Run, VA.
Fought on 6 Apr 1862 at Shiloh, TN.
Fought on 27 Jun 1862 at Gaines' Mill, VA.
Fought on 30 Jun 1862 at Seven Days, VA.
Fought on 12 Jul 1862.
Fought on 17 Sep 1862 at Sharpsburg, MD.
Fought on 1 Jul 1863 at Gettysburg, PA.
Fought on 2 Jul 1863 at Gettysburg, PA.

George and his father survived the bloody battle at Gettysburg where more than 50,000 men fell as casualties during the 3-day battle. They were captured there on July 1, 1863, and taken to the notorious prison in Fort Delaware, NJ. His father developed pneumonia and died, April 16, 1865, and was buried nearby at Finn’s Point Cemetery.
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Top record on left indicates that George's records are filed with his father's record.
Some of George's Company Muster Roll records
Confederate Miss.
Company Muster Roll
May & June 1862
G.W.W. Graham
2 Sgt, Co. K, 2 Reg't Mississippi Infantry - Absent on furlough
July & Aug. 1862 - Absent - wounded
Sept & Oct. 1862 - Absent - wounded
Nov. & Dec. 1862 - Present
March & April 1863 - Present
May & June 1863 - Present
July & Aug. 1963 - absent without leave - Cap't by the enemy on July 1, 1863 at Gettysburg, PA.
Nov. & Dec. 1863 - Absent without leave - prisoner since last muster
March & April 1865 - prisoner
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The date George was released from prison isn't known, however it was most likely when the war had ended. After he was released he had to make his way back home to MS, which no doubt may have been a treacherous trip for a teenager. Later in life a news article mentioned that George only had one arm. Whether this happened when he was wounded in 1862 or later in life is unknown.
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George married Nancy Catherine Bowie in Jasper Co, MS on Sept. 25, 1866. Nancy grew up in Corinth. Her obituary indicates that she was a descendant of James Bowie, and at age nine, was present on the Shiloh battlefield during the Civil War. Her father, Charles Wesley Bowie, was a confederate officer.
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On June 31, 1880,
Geo. W. & Nancy C. lived in the 2nd District, Alcorn Co, MS where he farmed to support the family.
Household Members: all born in MS
Geo. W. Graham 32
Nancy C. Graham 27
Jas. R. Graham 6
Elisha Graham 4
Henry L. Graham 2
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The obituary of their son, Grover Cleveland Graham, born at Corinth, MS on March 8, 1885, indicates "Mr. Graham was the son of the late Dr. George Washington Graham and Nancy Bowie Graham. The family came to the Nevada community in Collin County while he was young and later moved to Durant in the Indian Territory."

Note: Name spelled Grayham
On June 25, 1900 (Federal Census),
George & Nancie Graham and their large family lived in Township 5, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory where they were renting a farm. They had been married 28 years. Nancy had given birth to 10 children - all still living. Children all boys except for one daughter, Willie.
Household Members
George W Grayham Age 52 - born April 1848 in MS
Nancie R Grayham 48 - Jan. 1852 - MS
Walter E Grayham 24 - March 1876 - MS
Osker O Grayham 17 - Dec. 1883 - MS
Grover C Grayham 15 - March 1885 - MS
George L Grayham 12 - Aug. 1898 - MS
Henry G Grayham 10 - Jan. 1890 - MS
Charles Grayham 6 - Oct. 1893 - MS
Willie O. Grayham 4 Nov. 1890 - TX (daughter)
Swanala Grayham 32 Daughter-in-law - TX
Lillie M Grayham 3 Granddaughter - TX
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News articles about George's death follows:

The Daily Ardmoreite
July 3, 1900
Bud Durant Shot
Deputy Sheriff Parre (Bud) Durant was shot and seriously wounded about 3 p.m. yesterday by W. G. Graham, seven miles in the country in the Cox Chapel neighborhood. Durant was looking after the rent on a farm, a portion of which Graham was cultivating, but they had not met prior to the shooting on that day. Graham was defendant in a suit for possession of the place and it is thought that malice engendered in the litigation was the motive in the shooting. Durant was in a field when Graham came up unnoticed and fired the contents of a shotgun in his back and arm and knocking him down. He jumped up but the wound disabled his arm so he got behind a stack of grain and escaped Graham’s second shot. Durant then walked to his buggy some distance away where his wife was waiting for him. Mrs. Durant hurriedly drove to town with her husband where his wounds were examined. Thirty or more no. 6 shots were taken from his body and several entered the cavity some of which pierced the right lung causing hemorrhage of that organ. He is reported resting comparatively easy this morning and it is thought he will recover. Graham is a one armed man and had not been apprehended at 10 a.m. Saturday.
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The Daily Ardmoreite (OK)
Monday, September 10, 1900
"At Durant last Saturday afternoon G.W. Graham, a prominent citizen, was shot and killed instantly by Pierrie Durant. The tragedy was the result of an old feud."
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Thursday, September 13, 1900
"THE KILLING AT DURANT
The killing of Old Man Graham, a one-armed ex-confederate soldier at Durant on the 8th, by Pier or Bud Durant, was a particularly atrocious affair, caused by too much whiskey. Graham was standing on the street talking to an acquaintance when Durant approached and shot him in the back and again in the abdomen and wheeled and fired two more shots at him after he had fallen. Then as Deputy Marshal H. K. Wall ran up to arrest him he snapped his pistol at him but it was empty. Wall made the arrest at once and as the citizens were in an ugly mood, he feared a lynching so he hurried him to the Atoka jail.

The two men were not on good terms, having quarreled over some rent and several months ago Durant went on the old man’s place and was shot with a load of bird shot. They have not spoken since then and the killing would probably not have occurred but Durant was drunk."
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The Caddo Herald
September 14, 1900
Killed: On last Saturday about 3 o’clock p.m. Pierre (Bud) Durant shot and instantly killed G. W. Graham in the town of Durant. Both men have families. Graham was an ex-Confederate soldier from the state of Mississippi and was 69 years of age. The two men had had trouble before and Graham shot and wounded Durant during an altercation at the former’s home. Durant was arrested immediately after the shooting Saturday and carried at once to Atoka. He had an examining trial before Judge Ralls. Bail was refused and he was remanded to jail.
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The Purcell Register (OK)
Friday, September 14, 1900
"G.W. Graham was shot and instantly killed at Durant last Saturday by Pierre Durant. The murder was arrested and held without bail. There has been trouble between the men for six weeks past, Graham being charged wit shooting a charge of bird shot into Durant."
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The Daily Ardmoreite (OK)
Monday, April 14, 1902
"PIER DURANT ACQUITTED
He was tried for Killing a Man at Durant in 1900
Pier Durant, a prominent Choctaw citizen, who has been on trial in the federal court at Paris, charged with the murder of G.W. Graham, a white man, at Durant, I.T., September 8, 1900, has been acquitted by a jury. Bad blood had existed between the defendant and the deceased for some time, and testimony was introduced to show that the prisoner had been shot and wounded by the deceased in a difficulty three or four months prior to the killing, and that the deceased had made serious threats against the prisoner's life. The jury was out less than an hour and rendered the verdict of acquittal on the ground of self defense. The case was taken to Paris on a change of venue from the Ardmore court."
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Muskogee Times-Democrat (OK)
Monday, March 1, 1909
"PIER DURANT DEAD
Durant, Ok., March 1. - (Special)
Pier (Bud) Durant, a prominent stock man and brother of Representative, W.A. Durant of Bryan county, received a sever shock of paralysis a few days ago from which he died Saturday night. The deceased was a pioneer citizen of this part of the country and was well known."
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The Oklahoma State Capital (Guthrie)
March 6, 1909
Pier Durant
Representative Receives Word of Brother’s Death
As he was leaving the Convention Hall yesterday at noon, Representative Bill Durant of Durant, received a telegram announcing the death of his brother, Pier Durant. The deceased suffered an attack of paralysis several weeks ago. He was a prominent Choctaw Indian, well known in his section of the country and like his brother had much to do with the Choctaw Indian government. Representative Durant left yesterday afternoon to attend the funeral service. He had returned only the first of the week from the bedside of his brother, thinking he was on the road to recovery.
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George's wife, Nancy, applied for a Confederate pension, which was denied because she owned too much property.
Name: George Washington Graham
Application Date: 3 Jun 1921
Application Place: Brazos
Spouse: Mrs G W Graham
Marriage Date: 25 Sep 1866
Marriage Place: Jasper, Mississippi
Death Date: 11 Feb 1911
Application Type: Widow

Researched and compiled by Virginia Brown
November 2019