James Graham

1681-1747

 THE GRAHAMS  of Trory Parish and Kilmore
County Fermanagh, Ireland

There were many GRAHAM families sent to Ireland from the Lowlands of Scotland, from the early 1600s onwards. Many were forced to leave, labelled as trouble makers and brigands of the Borders. When King James I [formally King James IV of Scotland] planned his Plantation of Ulster, after the Flight of the Earls in 1607, there was only one Graham among the Undertakers [those granted from 1000 to 3000 acres who undertook to plant settlers] or the Servitors [officers of the army]: Lieutenant William Graham, who had  500 acres of Church Land and was in September 1629 “Muster-master of the Undertakers” (Morris: Patent Rolls, p.365) to carry out a census of the Undertakers, their men and what arms they held throughout the county. He seems to have executed his patent between September 1629 and early spring 1630. County Fermanagh had a total of 971 men, of whom 29 were Graham. These families were tenants of the Undertakers and Servitors.
 

Enniskillen Castle

Trory Parish near Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh appears to be the original Irish place of settlement of our Graham family. Trory was part of the larger Devenish Parish, being on the east side of Lough Erne while the rest of the parish was on the west side where the parish church was sited. Before 1608 the parish had its centre and church at the Abbey on Devenish island, in 1630 the Chapel of Ease at Monea was made the Parish Church, and in 1778 all the land on the other or eastern side of the Lough was detached and formed into the Perpetual Curacy of Trory. It was thus more convenient for the parishioners in Trory to use the church and graveyard in Enniskillen town rather than the graveyard on the island of Devenish where now stand the ruins of the medieval monastry and church as well as the famous round tower. (From Rev.D.L.G.)

Recorded Graham transactions

1629 Lieutenant William Graham 500 acres Church land "Muster-master of the Undertakers".
1630 Muster Roll of Co. Fermanagh [BM Ms 4770]: George Graham; James Graham.
1695 Trory: Rector's Tythe book: William Graham of Conrick paid Two pounds.
1744 John Graham of Enniskillen & Devenish paid tithe. [PRO] Brother of James d.1747?

James GRAHAM b.c.1681, died May 1747 aged 66. Sidesman at Devenish church 1707. Possibly descended from William (above), or James or George Graham (on 1630 Muster Roll as tenants of Sir John Hume).

James GRAHAM married Mary b.c.1691 who died 7 Dec.1777 aged 86. She is entered in the Devenish census of March 25 1766: "widow Graham" was among the 309 Protestant families (nine Graham households). Both James and Mary were buried on the south side of Enniskillen Cathedral between the path and the railing [Dundas Enniskillen p.107].

Also buried there:

Christopher GRAHAM who died 12 Jan. 1740 aged 21

Margaret NOBLE [nee GRAHAM] who died 21 Sept.1741 aged 29

John GRAHAM who died 11 Nov.1742 aged 27

James GRAHAM of Kilmore who died 4 August 1778 aged 28

James GRAHAM senior and his wife Catherine BALL: "both departed this life in the year 1780, he aged 73 years, and shee 68 years".

 In 1740 when the youngest son Christopher died, James, the eldest, was living at Cloghenagh: the second son, John, was still working in Trory.

Deed of 27 Nov.1740 ‘whereby James Graham of Cloghenagh and John Graham of Trory leased Kilmore’ (103 acres): James was aged 33 and John aged 25.

Apparently Trory on the east side was becoming crowded: both Cloghenagh and Kilmore are on the larger western side of the lake. (Rev. D.L.G.)

 James Graham was a Churchwarden in 1744; "of Kilmore, voter" 1751 [PRO]; Freeholder 1757; Director of Highways 1760-61.

 'Lease of 20 Oct.1774 ..to James Graham the elder, Christopher Graham and James Graham the younger, all of Kilmore Co. Fermanagh, farmers, the lands of Kilmore.. situated in the Manor of Moyglass, to hold for the lives of said Christopher and James Graham the younger.. and of James Graham now aged 6 years, only son of said Christopher and grandson of said James Graham the elder..' [PRO]