Background
James Graham was the son of John and Isabella (Auchinlick) Graham and was probably born in Scotland. He arrived in New York August 8, 1678, in the same ship with Gov. Andros.
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EARLY LITERATURE. Imagine holding history in your hands. Now you can. Digitally preserved and previously accessible only through libraries as Early English Books Online, this rare material is now available in single print editions. Thousands of books written between 1475 and 1700 can be delivered to your doorstep in individual volumes of high quality historical reproductions. This comprehensive collection begins with the famous Elizabethan Era that saw such literary giants as Chaucer, Shakespeare and Marlowe, as well as the introduction of the sonnet. Traveling through Jacobean and Restoration literature, the highlight of this series is the Pollard and Redgrave 1475-1640 selection of the rarest works from the English Renaissance. ++++ The below data was compiled from various identification fields in the bibliographic record of this title. This data is provided as an additional tool in helping to insure edition identification: ++++ The declaration of His Excellencie James Marquis of Montrosse, Earle of Kilcairn, Lord Greme, Baron of Mont-Dieu, Lievtenant Governour of Scotland, and Captaine Generall of all His Majesties forces by sea or land, for that kingdome Declaration of the Committee of Estates of the Parliament of Scotland, in vindication of their proceedings from the aspersions of a scandalous pamphlet, published by that excommunicate traytor, James Grahame. Under the title of a Declaration of James Marques of Montrosse, &c. Printed in the year, 1649 Montrose, James Graham, Marquis of, 1612-1650. Includes a partial reprinting of and reply to: A declaration of the Committee of Estates of the Parliament of Scotland, in vindication of their proceedings from the aspersions of a scandalous pamphlet, published by that excommunicate traytor, James Grahame. Under the title of a Declaration of James Marques of Montrosse, &c. Printed in the year, 1649. "Extracts of a declaration of the Committee of Estates of the Parliament of Scotland" has title page on A4v, with imprint: Edinburgh, printed by Evan Tyler, printer to the Kings most Excellent Majestie. 24. January. 1650. 2, 22 p. London : printed for Matthew Simmons, next doore to the Golden Lyon in Aldersgate Streete, 1649 i.e. 1650 Wing (2nd ed.) / M2516A English Reproduction of the original in the Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery ++++ This book represents an authentic reproduction of the text as printed by the original publisher. While we have attempted to accurately maintain the integrity of the original work, there are sometimes problems with the original work or the micro-film from which the books were digitized. This can result in errors in reproduction. Possible imperfections include missing and blurred pages, poor pictures, markings and other reproduction issues beyond our control. Because this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving and promoting the world's literature.
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James Graham was the son of John and Isabella (Auchinlick) Graham and was probably born in Scotland. He arrived in New York August 8, 1678, in the same ship with Gov. Andros.
Graham had been trained in the law and there are indications that Andros advised his coming believing he might make very good use of him in his government.
Graham was commissioned by the governor as one of the six aldermen of the city of New York, October 30, 1680, and in 1683, William Penn sought his assistance on a commission deputed to buy the upper Susquehanna Valley from the Indians.
When Gov. Dongan granted to the city of New York a charter of greater privileges (1683), Graham was the first appointee to the newly created office of recorder, taking a place “on ye Bench on ye Right hand of ye Mayor”.
Later, as attorney general of the province, he was destined to subscribe to that same Dongan charter the attestation: “The Attorney General hath perused this Patent and finds Nothing Contained therein prejudicial to his Majesties Interest. ”
On February 8, 1684, the court of general sessions was established and Graham was one of the judges at the first session. The same year Gov. Dongan appointed him clerk of the first court of chancery to be established in New York.
In 1687, after grave malfeasance had been discovered in connection with the collection of customs, the governor appointed Graham one of two emergency men to farm the revenues. Recommendation for compensation was made later to the committee of trade and transportation because of the resulting improvement in the revenue.
In April 1691, Graham became by the unanimous choice speaker of the first General Assembly of the province of New York, and with only two interruptions he continued as a speaker for eight years. He had also been a member of the governor’s council on different occasions.
It was inevitable that he should be arrayed in 1689, against the usurpers, Leisler and Milborne, and so temporarily he shared with his friend Andros incarceration in Boston.
Later, on Gov. Slaughter's arrival, he was able to bring about the execution of the usurpers, but when the Leislerians got the ear of the new governor, Lord Bellomont, in 1700, he was again out of favor.
His capability in drafting state papers is evidenced in his appeal to the King to repeal the Bolting Act, and in his argument offered to Bellomont for New York as the chief port of entry.
His landed estate in Ulster County and elsewhere was considerable. On his Morrisania manor, where he later died, he had on September 5, 1698, “one overseer two white servants and 33 slaves.
Graham was a clerk of the first court of chancery to be established in New York. In April 1691, Graham became by unanimous choice speaker of the first General Assembly of the province of New York, and with only two interruptions he continued as speaker for eight years. He had also been a member of the governor’s council on different occasions.
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Graham was married in 1684, to Elizabeth Windebank and had two sons and four daughters.
