William P. Graham, one of the old and substantial citizens of Butler
county, is descended from Scotch-Irish ancestry, and traces the
history of his family to an early period of South Carolina, long
antedating the Revolutionary struggle.  His grandfather, John Graham,
was born in Ireland, but came to America in the time of the colonies,
settling in South Carolina, where, at the breaking out of the war of
independence, his mechanical skill was employed in the manufacture of
drums for the patriot army.

Samuel N. Graham, father of William P., was born in Orangeburg
District, S. C., in 1798.  In early life, he was a manufacturer of
guns, and is said to have made the first machine of the kind ever made
in Alabama.  Later, he became a minister of the Methodist Protestant
church and preached quite extensively for a number of years in
various parts of Alabama, to which state he removed when a young man.
He married, in the county of Lowndes, in the year 1824, Mary Browning,
a native of Georgia, and about 1840 moved to Montgomery County, thence
four years later to Butler County, where he lived until his removal to
Home Valley, West Florida, in 1850.  Subsequently he returned to
Alabama, locating in Henry County, and after a residence there of four
years moved back to Butler, where he departed this life on the 18th
day of February, 1880, sincerely mourned by his friends.

Mrs. Graham, who shared the joys and sorrows of her husband for over
half a century, followed him to the grave on the 6th day of February,
1882.  Eleven children constituted the family of Samuel N. Graham and 
Mary H. Graham, four of whom are living, namely: Elizabeth Graham, wife 
of James Mayward; Margaret S. Graham, wife of D.C. Pushton;
William P. Graham and Diademia Graham, widow of William McGlaun.

William P. Graham was born in Lowndes County, Ala., May 13, 1833, and,
with the exception of his period of service in the Confederate army,
has always been a farmer and mill man.  He has resided nearly all his
life in Butler County, where he owns a fine farm of 380 acres, and he
also operates a grist mill and cotton gin, both of which are extensively 
patronized by the people of his and neighboring communities.

His military experience embraced the period between March, 1862, and
the final surrender at Appomattox in 1865, during which time he
participated in some of the bloodiest battles of the war, including
Perryville, where he received a painful wound in the right shoulder,
Chickamauga, and all the engagements of the Atlanta campaign.  He was
wounded a second time on the 21st of July, 1863, being struck on the
jaw by a rifle ball, the effect of which was to take him from the
ranks for a considerable length of time.  His regiment, the
Thirty-third Alabama, formed a part of Hood's army in that general's
raid throughout Tennessee, and took part in the battles of Franklin
and Nashville, in both of which engagements Mr. Graham did valiant
service, and at Pulaski, while in retreat, he and many others of his
command were made prisoners, and sent to Camp Chase, Columbus, Ohio.
There he remained in confinement until the cessation of hostilities,
at which time he was released and sent home.

Mr. Graham was elected by his party, democratic, in 1844, commissioner
of Butler County, in which capacity he served one term of four years.
He is a member of the farmers' alliance, which he looks upon as the
best thing for the agricultural classes, and has great confidence in
the final outcome of that movement.  The marriage of Mr. Graham and
Louisa M. Thomas was solemnized in 1859, and has been blessed with the
birth of ten children, the following of whom are living at this time,
namely; Ida Graham, wife of F.M. Rhodes; Ella Graham, wife of A. H.
Fagin; Minnie L. Graham; John G. Graham; Raif Graham; Fletcher Graham;
and Clarence Graham.