More about Tennessee Texas Graham Bowman

by Teresa (Graham) Coffie on Monday, May 5, 1997
GRAHAM: Researching my GRAHAM family lines. Would like to talk to anyone interested in the Graham surname.The fartherest back I have gotten is William Graham in Camden Dist., Claremont County SC and he and some brothers were supposed to have dome there from England but I have gotten no further back will keep working on that. Apparently we had several Grahams that blazed trails out west, we had one woman that made the Dallas paper a Tennessee Texas Graham Bowman! She was said to be a character and her daughter married a Perot. Tennessee Texas (Mary) Graham was born March 31,1831 in Perryville,TN. The daughter of Robert Crawford Graham and his first wife, Mahaly Cauthron Graham, Maternal Grandparents were Samuel CAUTHRON(died April 1,1831) and Susannah Cauthron (died April 8,1830). Her paternal grandmother was Sarah Bruton/Bunton/Newton? born 1768, Scotland died Dec. 15,1827 in Davidson County, TN. And grandfather was John Graham Sr., born 1760 Scotland died Oct 6, 1827 in Davidson County, TN. Robert Crawford Graham born June 15,1809 in Randolf County, NC died Feb. 4,1873 Camp County, TX. When Tennessee Texas was 10 years old her family moved to Jefferson\Linden TX.The story of her journey was featured in the Dallas morning newspaper in April 1927. Her mother and father taught her sound Christian principles to live by and she was highly regarded by all. Her father married second to Nancy Hill STORY born 1821 in Tennessee, she was beloved step-mother to Mahaly's children. Probably it was Nancy H. Story Graham's brother who married James Newton BOWMAN to T.T. Graham (first cousins). Tennessee Texas Graham Bowman died Feb. 3 1928 at Bowmans Hill, Pinebluff, Red River County, Texas. She was also know as 'Aunt Tennessee' to everyone and stood over 6 feet tall. James Newton BOWMAN, born Jan. 7,1826 in Tennessee and T.T. Graham had a daughter Sarah Mahaly Hill Bowman, who married John Cassimer PEROT. They had several children.

The above note was written by a Teresa Graham Coffie in 1997. I have tried unsucessfully to locate her. When I first read the note a couple of years ago, I realized, clearly, it was about my great great grandmother Tennessee Texas Bowman. And, I held onto it because of the mention of her being over 6 ft tall..as you recall, my Granddaddy Perot used to always end his stories of her with that fact. If anyone has information @the author of the note, please share with me, if you can.

Marie Hill Perot-Miller's Memoirs of Maple Hill Perot Miller. Part of this 200-page book appeared in the feature section of the Dallas Morning News as "On Horseback from Tenn. to Texas" on April 17, 1927.

If anyone has information about my grand aunt Marie Perot-Miller/the book that is mentioned above, please contact me asap. I located one person in Oklahoma who had a copy but, for whatever reason, would not share it with me nor allow me to copy it, even for a fee. If you have information, please post on this blog or email me: jkws@ecewb.com

Dallas Morning news 5 Feb 1928 TENNESSEE T. BOWMAN DIES Woman, 96, Passes; Had Lived in State for Last 86 YearsOne of the early residents of Red River County, who rode horseback fromTennessee to Texas when a girl 10 years old, Mrs. Tennessee Texas Bowman, 96,died Saturday afternoon at her home on her farm near Kanawha.Named for the State of her birth and the land of her parents' dreams, Mrs.Bowman died in the house that she and husband, James Newton Bowman, built in1869. Logs brought from Indian Territory were used to build the Bowman's firsthouse at Kanawha when they moved to Red River County in 1866. Three yearslater the log house was moved away and used for a granary and the presenthouse of lumber erected. There have been a few repairs, but the house ischanged but little from its original condition.Mrs. Bowman in survived by a son, Robert Campbell Bowman, who lives nearKanawha; six grandchildren, thirteen great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. Funeral services will be held Monday afternoon at Paris.Mrs. Bowman, who before her marriage was Miss Tennessee Texas Graham, was bornMarch 31, 1831, near Perryville, Tenn. She came to Texas with her family in1841, a month being required to make the journey. They settled in Cass Countynear what is now the town of Linden.Mr. and Mrs. Bowman were married on Nov. 4, 1851, and their first place ofresidence was Sulphur Springs, where Mr. Bowman was engaged in the mercantilebusiness. The wedding presents from her father were listed in a document,which deeded the property to "Tennessee Texas Bowman and her heirs forever."Dated Jan. 26 1852, it was filed for record two years later at Linden.A part of the document read: "For parental love and affection and the sum of$50, to me in hand, I have this day sold and delivered to Tennessee TexasBowman one certain negro girl, named Manda, yellow in color, a slave for lifeto her and her heirs forever. Given under my hand and seal this 26th of Jan.,1852. R. C. Graham." A circle was used for a seal. The negro lived with Mrs.Bowman for a number of years after being freed. She died several years ago.During the war with Mexico Mr. Bowman was a private in Col. Young's regiment.Mr. Bowman also served with the Confederate Army. Mrs. Bowman visited Dallaswhen there were only two stores and a half of a dozen residences here. Agranddaughter of Mrs. Bowman, Mrs. H. Howard Miller, recently moved fromDallas to Detroit. A grandson, James Perot, lived in Dallas for a time andrecently moved to Oklahoma.

The above obit is that of my great great grandmother. My grandfather, James (Remy) Perot is listed as a grandson who'd recently moved to Oklahoma. I can remember my Granddaddy Perot telling me stories about his grandmother and the thing I remember the most about all of his stories was: "your great great grandmother was over 6 ft. tall." I dont know why that stuck with me as it did; maybe because he repeated so often.

Surnames: Perot, Bowman, Graham, Newton

There are so many wonderful surprises hidden in the past. My journey through my heritage leads away from my home on Rattlesnake Mt. in Oklahoma in many different directions. One of my favorite directions, is the one which leads to Kanawha, Tex. This is the location where my ancestors, having migrated from Tennessee and Louisiana, settled in the mid 1800's, married, farmed, were buried, or left for the WW I, and eventually just LEFT. I hope other people searching for their histories which include the surnames above will leave information on this blog and ask questions; in doing so, we can all increase our knowledge & our delight in what lies in the past.