Private ABRAHAM S. "ABRAM" GRAHAM, Co. D, 86th Illinois

Abraham S. "Abram" Graham was born on __________ __, 1842 near Hillsboro, Ohio in Liberty Township in Highland County, Ohio, the son of John Graham and Sarah Ann (Fenner) Graham. John was born on May 6, 1813 in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, while Sarah was born on __________ __, 1817 at __________, Ohio. John and Sarah were married most likely in the early 1830's in Highland County, Ohio and are believed to have had at least eight children. They include;
1. Rachel A Graham, born on November 29, 1835 in Highland, Highland County, Ohio; married on March 27, 1856 to Thomas Alliver Lapsley in Peoria County, Illinois; seven children were born to Rachel and Thomas before they divorced; Rachel died on March 6, 1917 in Brimfield, Peoria County, Illinois; buried in the Brimfield Cemetery in Brimfield, Illinois.

2. Elizabeth Victoria Graham, born c. 1837/38 at __________, Ohio; married to William Treeby on __________ __, 18__ at ___________, __________; William also served in Co. D of the 86th Illinois with Abram Graham; Elizabeth died on June 20, 1905 in her home in Akron, Plymouth County, Iowa; buried in the Pleasant Valley Cemetery in Adaville, Plymouth County, Iowa.

3. Abraham S. "Abram" Graham, born on __________ __, 1842 in Highland County, Ohio.

4. Jane Graham, born c. 1843/44 in Highland County, Ohio.

5. Z_________ Graham, born c. 1845/46 in Highland County, Ohio.

6. Cinthy Ellen Graham, born December 29, 1848 in Highland County, Ohio; married to William Isaac Selser on __________ __, 18__; Cinthy died on August 15, 1888 at __________, ___________; buried in the Winfield Scott Township Cemetery in Winfield, Henry County, Iowa.

7. Stephen Graham (possibly a twin), born January 11, 1853 in Highland County, Ohio; died on July 21, 1853 in Highland County, Ohio; buried in the Dunns Chapel Cemetery in Willettsville, Highland County, Ohio.

8. Dorotha Graham (possibly a twin), born c. 1853 in Ohio

At the time of the 1840 census, a John Graham and his family are found in Highland County, Ohio. This is most likely our John Graham. At the time of the 1850 census, the Graham family is found in Liberty Township in Highland County, Ohio;
Household Gender Age Birthplace
John Graham M 37 Pennsylvania
Sarah A Graham F 33 Ohio
R A Graham F 14 Ohio
Elizabeth Graham F 9 Ohio
Abraham Graham M 8 Ohio
Jane Graham F 6 Ohio
Z Graham M 4 Ohio
C Graham F 1 Ohio

Sarah Ann (Fenner) Graham died on January 18, 1853 in Highland County, Ohio. Her earthly remains were laid to rest in the Dunns Chapel Cemetery in Willettsville, Highland County, Ohio.
Sometime between the time of Sarah's death in January of 1853 and the summer of 1855, the Grahams moved west to Illinois, where they settled in Rosefield Township in Peoria County. John Graham was married 2nd to Mary Ann Wickoff (Wykoff) on October 18, 1855 in Peoria, Peoria County, Illinois. Mary Ann Wykoff was born on __________ __, 1838 at __________, Ohio, the daughter of Peter W. Wykoff and Eliza (__________) Wykoff. Peter, Eliza and their family are believed to be the family found in Peoria County at the time of the 1850 census;
Peter Wycoff M 51 New Jersey
Eliza Wycoff F 41 Ohio
Mary A Wycoff F 18 Ohio
Sarah Wycoff F 16 Ohio
Williamson Wycoff M 12 Ohio
James Wycoff M 9 Ohio
Rebecca Wycoff F 6 Ohio
Jacob Wycoff M 3 Illinois
Hellen Wycoff F 2 Illinois
David Still M 32 Ohio

John Graham and Mary Ann (Wykoff) Graham had the following children;
9. Violetta Graham, born c. 1856/57 in Illinois

10. Robert Franklin Graham, born July 15, 1861 in Trivoli, Peoria County, Illinois; Robert was married to Nettie Wrigley on December 29, 1887 in Peoria County; Robert died on March 28, 1929 in Peoria, Peoria County, Illinois; buried in the Trivoli Cemetery, Trivoli, Peoria County,
Illinois.

At the time of the 1860 census of Peoria, the Graham family is found in Rosefield Township;
1085 Graham John 45 M Farmer 5,000 1,525 PA
1085 Graham Mary 25 F OH
1085 Graham Abram 16 M OH
1085 Graham Dorotha 6 F OH
1085 Graham Violetta 3 F IL
1085 Wikoff William 20 M Farm Hand OH

John Graham died on December 23, 1877 in Peoria County, Illinois and his earthly remains were laid to rest in the Pleasant Grove Cemetery in Eden, Peoria County, Illinois. Mary Ann (Wycoff) Graham died on May 3, 1891 at Trivoli, Peoria County, Illinois. Her earthly remains were laid in the Trivoli Cemetery in Trivoli, Illinois.

Now to continue with Abram S. Graham.
On August 11, 1862, Abram S. Graham went into Trivoli, Illinois where he volunteered to serve in a company which was being raised in Trivoli, Illinois by James S. Bean for service in the Union Army. Abram listed Trivoli as his place of residence at the time he volunteered.

ILLINOIS CIVIL WAR DETAIL REPORT
Name GRAHAM, ABRAM S
Rank PVT Company D Unit 86 IL US INF

Personal Characteristics
Residence TRIVOLI, PEORIA CO, IL Age 20 Height 5' 9 Hair DARK
Eyes BLUE Complexion LIGHT Marital Status SINGLE Occupation FARMER
Nativity HIGHLAND, OH

Service Record
Joined When AUG 11, 1862 Joined Where TRIVOLI, IL
Joined By Whom J S BEAN Period 3 YRS
Muster In AUG 27, 1862 Muster In Where PEORIA, IL
Muster In By Whom N/A Muster Out N/A
Muster Out Where N/A Muster Out By Whom N/A
Remarks DIED FEB 24, 1863 AT NASHVILLE TENN

On the afternoon of August 15th, Bean led about 90 Trivoli volunteers into Peoria, where they went into camp at Camp Lyon, near present day Glen Oak Park. On August 27, 1862, 83 of those Trivoli volunteers, including now Private Abram Graham, were mustered in as Company D of the 86th Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry. James S. Bean, who was elected by the men of Co. D to be their Captain, was elected and promoted to Major of the entire regiment, so the men of Co. D then elected Frank Hitchcock to be their Captain.
On September 7, 1862, the men of the 85th & 86th Illinois marched out the gates of Camp Lyon, through the streets of Peoria, with much fanfare, and boarded trains bound for Camp Joe Holt, Jeffersonville, Indiana, located actoss the Ohio River from Louisville, Kentucky. Four weeks later, the men of the 86th were in the field in Kentucky as part of Col. Daniel McCook's Brigade in Union General Buell's army, chasing Confederate troops in Kentucky who were under the command of General Braxton Bragg. On Oct. 8, 1862, the men of McCook's Brigade were engaged with those troops in the Battle of Perryville, Kentucky, the 86th Illinois suffering their first casualties. There would be many more in the years to come.
During the winter and spring of 1862/63, approximately 300 men of the 86th Illinois got so sick that they either died or were discharged from the service in the hopes that they could return to their homes and regain their health. In February of 1863, one of the troops known to have been having difficulty with his health was Private Abram Graham. Whatever his ailment, nothing the doctors did seemed to help his condition and finally, on February 24, 1863, Private Abram Graham succumbed to his ailment in an army hospital. Private Abram Graham's mortal remains were laid to rest in an Union burying ground in Nashville. Shortly after the Civil War, his earthly remains were transferred to the Nashville National Cemetery where today they lie in Grave #707 in Section E. Join us today as we remember Private Abraham S. "Abram" Graham and the Graham family.

by Baxter B. Fite III and Jean Foster, Find A Grave Contributor #46862054, whose email address is [email protected]