John Graham, born in 1810, was the eldest child of William Graham and Sarah Jacobs-Graham. He married Mary Jane Little, also born in 1810, and the couple established their home in the Carvers Creek community of Bladen County, North Carolina. Many of their descendants continue to reside in the surrounding communities, including Carvers Creek, East Arcadia, Buckhead, Garland, Phoenix, Seabreeze, Bolivia, and Council, North Carolina.
It is believed that both John and Mary Jane Graham are buried on or near John’s ancestral land. The Graham family’s early stronghold, including land purchased in the 1800s by John’s mother, Sarah Jacobs, is thought to be located in a wooded area north of the Buckhead community, south of Youngstown, and west of East Arcadia. Many of their descendants identify as either African American or Native American.
Notably, among their great-grandchildren was Chief Priscilla Freeman-Jacobs, who served as one of the seven chiefs of the Waccamaw Siouan Indian Tribe.
One of John and Mary Jane Graham’s sons, John N. Graham, was born around 1834. During the 1860s, he left his wife and three children in Bladen County and relocated to Robeson County, North Carolina. There, he married at least twice—first to Gainor Locklear-Graham (1839–1890) and later to Beadie Locklear-Graham, born around 1857. Many of his descendants are now members of the Lumbee Indian Tribe.
Between 1898 and 1915, Southern states implemented discriminatory policies in direct violation of the Fifteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution. One such policy was the Grandfather Clause, which was used in North Carolina following Reconstruction (1865–1877) to disenfranchise people of color while allowing white citizens to circumvent literacy tests, poll taxes, and other restrictive voting measures.
Despite these illegal obstacles, many of our ancestors remained steadfast in exercising their right to vote. Among them was John N. Graham of Bladen County, who later relocated to Robeson County, North Carolina. His 1902 voter registration record from Robeson County reflects this perseverance, as he was required to list his grandfather’s name and voting history—tracing his lineage to William Graham Sr. (born 1790).
James Graham (1814–1884) was married to Winniford “Winnie” Blanks (1824–1913), the daughter of Alfred Blanks Sr. (born 1774) and the granddaughter of John Blanks Sr. (born 1754). Historical records document John Blanks Sr. as a free person of color appearing in the Bladen County, North Carolina, tax lists of 1770, 1774, 1775, 1779, 1786, and 1789, as well as the 1790 United States Federal Census. In 1774, he was granted and purchased 100 acres of land in Bladen County from the King of England, later serving in the American Revolutionary War—his service recognized by the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR). It is believed that after selling his land, he relocated to Robeson County, North Carolina, where many of his descendants became part of the Lumbee Indian Tribe.
James and Winnie Graham established their home in East Arcadia, North Carolina. Many individuals bearing the Graham surname in East Arcadia, Bolton, Freeman, Leland, Navassa, Whiteville, Chadbourn, Clarkton, and Riegelwood, North Carolina, trace their lineage to this couple. By profession, James was a skilled cooper. His contributions to the community extended beyond his trade, as he played a significant role in the founding and construction of Graham Chapel AME Zion Church. He is recognized as one of the original trustees of the church, which is believed to have been named in his honor.
Elizabeth Graham-Bowen-Freeman (1819–1911) was a prominent matriarch with deep roots in Bladen County, North Carolina. She was married at least twice, first to Henry Bowen (born in 1812) and later to an individual with the surname Freeman. Following her second marriage, she settled her family on ancestral land near East Arcadia and San Domingo.
A devoted daughter, Elizabeth served as a primary caregiver to her elderly mother, Sarah Jacobs-Graham, who, at the age of 78, was recorded as living with Elizabeth in the 1860 United States Federal Census.
Elizabeth’s final resting place is marked at the family cemetery at Graham Chapel AME Zion Church. Her legacy endures through her many descendants, who continue to reside in the East Arcadia, Bolton, and Buckhead communities. Over generations, her family has interwoven with other prominent local families, including the Blanks, Jacobs, and others, further strengthening their historical and cultural ties to the region.
Joseph Graham (born 1827) and Margaret Young (born 1836) were prominent early settlers of Bladen County, North Carolina. Margaret was the daughter of Isaac Young (1797–1860) and Elizabeth Young (born 1793). It is believed that both Joseph and Margaret are interred either on Joseph’s homestead or in the historic Gum Swamp Graveyard in Bolton, North Carolina.
Their legacy is deeply intertwined with the history of the Waccamaw Siouan Indian Tribe. Their granddaughter, Rena Sophia Graham-Freeman, married William James Freeman, the first chief of the newly formed Waccamaw Siouan Indian Tribe. Another granddaughter, Lummie Graham (1885–1969), married David James Jacobs (1875–1962), and their descendants continue to reside in the Buckhead community, playing significant roles within both the Waccamaw Siouan Indian Tribe and the African American community. Many of their descendants intermarried with prominent local families, including the Jacobs, Freemans, and Patricks.
Notably, four of the five Waccamaw Siouan Indian Tribe Chiefs were great-grandchildren of Joseph and Margaret Young-Graham: Chiefs Clifton Freeman, Priscilla Freeman-Jacobs, and Lacy Freeman. Additionally, William James Freeman, the first chief of the tribe, was their second great-grandson-in-law. Their enduring contributions continue to shape the cultural and historical landscape of the Waccamaw Siouan people.
Margaret “Peggy” Graham-Baldwin (born 1827) and her husband, Mathew Baldwin (born 1825), established their home in the Carvers Creek area of North Carolina, Margaret’s ancestral homeland. By 1900, the couple was recorded together in the U.S. Federal Census as residents of Bladen County, North Carolina.
Their descendants remain an integral part of the Buckhead Community and are proud members of the Waccamaw Siouan Indian Tribe. Through marriage, their lineage became interwoven with prominent local families, including the Skippers, Jacobs, Locklears, and Patricks.
Notably, two of their great-grandchildren, Chiefs Priscilla Freeman-Jacobs and Lacy Freeman, ascended to leadership within the Waccamaw Siouan Indian Tribe, serving as two of the tribe’s five chiefs. Their legacy continues to shape the cultural and historical fabric of the Waccamaw Siouan people.
William “Jack” Graham Jr., born in 1836, was the youngest child of William and Sarah Jacobs-Graham. He married Ann Eliza Moore, born in 1834, and together they established their family in the Carvers Creek area of Bladen County, North Carolina. As North Carolina underwent changes to its county boundaries, their homestead eventually became part of present-day St. James in Columbus County.
The majority of Jack and Ann Eliza’s descendants continue to identify with their Native American heritage and are recognized as part of the Waccamaw Siouan Indian Tribe of Bladen and Columbus counties. Many members of their lineage migrated to New Jersey, where they played a pivotal role in the development of the Whitesboro community. Whitesboro, New Jersey, was named after their cousin, U.S. Congressman George Henry White (1852–1918), who was born in Bladen County, North Carolina.
It is believed that William “Jack” Graham Jr. and Ann Eliza Moore were laid to rest in one of the oldest graveyards in Bladen County designated for free persons of color—Blanks Graveyard, located in Council, North Carolina. This historic cemetery is thought to be an original Blanks-Mitchell burial ground, named after Alfred Blanks Sr.’s son, Elijah Blanks (born 1808), and his wife, Elenorah Mitchell-Blanks (born 1815). The cemetery serves as the final resting place for many early free families of color predating the Emancipation Proclamation, including the Spauldings, Freemans, Jacobs, Mitchells, Youngs, and others.
The children of Jack and Ann Eliza Graham intermarried with several prominent families from both Bladen and Columbus counties, including the Spauldings, Mitchells, Blanks, Meares, Burneys, and Thompsons, further solidifying the family’s deep-rooted connections to the region.
Their Children
Elizabeth Graham-Bowen-Freeman (1819-1911) Headstone
Courtesy of Kevin E. Graham all right reserved
Winnie Blanks-Graham (1824-1913) Headstone
Courtesy of Kevin E. Graham all right reserved
The Descendants of William Graham Sr. and Sarah Jacobs
Martha G. Graham was the seventh child born to William Graham, Sr. and Sarah Jacobs Graham. Martha was born in 1834 in Bladen County, North Carolina and had only one child. In the 1850 US Federal Census, Martha is listed in a household with Armstrong Webb, and his sister, Mary Webb, all classified as Mulatto.
After extensive research to locate Martha in additional records, like several of her other siblings, little was discovered.
In March 1868, Martha’s only known daughter, Joanna Josephine Graham, was born. Joanna appeared in each of the following US Federal Census Records: 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930.
Henry Graham Sr., born in 1830, was married to Lucy Blanks, born in 1831. Lucy was the daughter of Alfred Blanks Sr. (b. 1774), who is recognized as the patriarch of nearly all individuals bearing the Blanks surname in Bladen County and Columbus County, North Carolina. Henry and Lucy Graham resided in a community historically known as Zara, situated between the Cape Fear River and Buckhead, now recognized as Youngstown.
In the early 1900s, Henry’s son, Clifford Graham, along with his brother-in-law, Owen Young, acquired land in this area from the Sarah Jacobs estate. This estate originally comprised 100 acres of land owned by Henry’s parents, William Graham Sr. and Sarah Jacobs-Graham, before it was confiscated by the Bladen County Sheriff in 1911.
The property included a family cemetery, where, according to Clifford’s son, Ottis Edward Graham, both Henry and Lucy Graham were laid to rest. Clifford Graham maintained the cemetery for many years, as it was located near his home. Family members who worked in the fields surrounding the site recall that at least 15 graves were present, marked with glass or wooden markers, which were later displaced or buried over time. In 2020, some of Clifford Graham’s grandchildren took steps to preserve this historic burial ground by installing a permanent marker and officially registering it as a cemetery with the county.
Henry and Lucy Graham’s children formed strong ties within the local community, intermarrying with families such as the Freemans, Jacobs, Youngs, Blanks, Rhodes, and Lacewells. Their son, William Graham (1851–1924), married Isadora Jacobs (1888–1938), and together they raised their family in the Waccamaw Siouan Indian Community of Buckhead, North Carolina. Their descendants continue to identify with both their Native American and African American heritage.
Additionally, Henry’s brother, James Graham, married Winniford “Winnie” Blanks, who was also a daughter of Alfred Blanks Sr.
One of Henry and Lucy’s children, Henry Graham Jr., born in 1872, later relocated to Florida, where he married Victoria Porter (b. 1884). The couple established their family in the Flemington area of Marion County, Florida, where they raised their children: Cora Lee, Henry, Dessie, Robert, Clifford, John, Willie, and Walter.
The Graham family’s legacy remains deeply rooted in the history of Bladen and Columbus Counties, with their contributions and heritage enduring through successive generations.
