excerpted from
History of Butler County Pennsylvania, 1895
MATTHEW GRAHAM, SR., was born in Scotland, came to America when a young man and located in Philadelphia, where he
followed the shoemaker's trade. After coming to Philadelphia he married a native of London, England, and later located on a tract of
200 acres of land which he purchased, on the Monongahela river, where the city of McKeesport now stands. The family were the first
settlers at that point, and many times were driven into Pittsburg by hostile Indians. Matthew GRAHAM died in Northunberland
county, Pennsylvania, September 29, 1786, while returning home from Philadelphia. He was the father of two sons, both born in
Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, viz: Matthew, born March 22, 1780, and William, born January 27, 1783. After the death of the
father, the family continued to reside upon their land in Allegheny county until 1795, when they were dispossessed by reason of a
defective title, by a Mr. McKee, after whom the city was named. In 1796 the two sons, Matthew and William, came to Butler county,
and entered a tract of 400 acres of government land in what is now Cranberry township, and began clearing and improving the
[p. 1160] same. They erected a log cabin thereon, and in the spring of 1797 their mother joined them in their new home. She had
married John LONG, who accompanied her, and died soon after coming to Cranberry township. She resided here until her death, in
1817.
WILLIAM GRAHAM was born in Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, January 27, 1783, and was the youngest son of Matthew
GRAHAM, Sr. He came with his brother to what is now Cranberry township, Butler county, in 1796, and assisted in clearing up a
homestead in this township. He was a soldier in the War of 1812, and one of the well know pioneers of the county. He married
Susan McDONALD, who was born in Bedford county, but resided in Mercer county at the time of their marriage. She bore him a
family of eleven children, as follows: William; David, and John, all of whom are dead; Oliver H. P., of Cranberry township; Eliza,
deceased wife of Jacob HARTZELL; Susan, deceased wife of Dr. Thomas STEWART; Joseph, a resident of Iowa; Samuel,
deceased; Minerva, deceased wife of J. M. McKee; James H., of Penn township, and Harvey, who resides in Colorado. Mrs.
GRAHAM died in 1831. IN 1856 Mr. GRAHAM removed [p. 1162] to Bedford county, Pennsylvania, where his son, James H., was
then living, and died in that county in 1861. He was an elder in Plains Presbyterian church for many years, and in politics, was fist a
Whig and afterwards a Republican.
OLIVER H. P. GRAHAM is one of the oldest residents of Cranberry township, where he was born May 5, 1814, fourth son of William
and Susan (McDONALD) GRAHAM, and the oldest survivor of the family. He spent his boyhood days upon his father's farm, and his
educational advantages were limited to such as were afforded by the pioneer schools, with the additional instruction of his father,
who was one of the early teachers of Butler county. Mr. GRAHAM married Elizabeth MORGAN, a native of Beaver county,
Pennsylvania, to which union were born eight children; Ethalinda, who resides in Colorado; Orin Palmer, of Cranberry township;
Hermas, who died at the age of eighteen; Sabina, deceased; Angie, a resident of Colorado; Robert E., who lives in Beaver county;
Leander S., deceased, and O. H. P. Jr., who resides at Brownsville, Pennsylvania. Mrs. GRAHAM died in 1858, aged thirty-eight
years. Her husband is one of the oldest living residents of Cranberry township, where he has resided eighty-one years. He was
originally a Whig, but has been a Republican since the formation of that party. He makes his home with is son Orin P., and is widely
respected and esteemed.
ORIN PALMER GRAHAM, second child of Oliver H. P. and Elizabeth GRAHAM, was born July 8, 1842, in Cranberry township, and
grew to maturity beneath the parental roof. On January 28, 1869, he married Miss Mary Ann ALLAN, a native of Cranberry township,
and a daughter of Nicol ALLAN. To this union have been born seven children, as follows; Janet, who died at the age of nineteen;
Allan; Howard K., who died in childhood; Park F.; Franklin F.; Mary V., and Stanley P. Mr. and Mrs. GRAHAM are members of the
Plains Presbyterian church, in which he fills the office of elder. Politically, he is a Republican, has filled the various township offices,
and is one of the most useful and enterprising citizens of his native township.