Neil Smith Graham was a native of North Carolina, born in 1818, son of John G. Graham. He came at two years of age to Alabama with his father, reaching his majority in Coosa. He was a Presbyterian, and educated at Princeton. He read law under S. P. Storrs, and opened a law office at Wetumpka in 1841. He soon took a good position at the bar. In 1851 he and Henry W. Cox were the candidates of the “Fire-eating” Democratic Party, as it was then locally called, and was elected.
He proved an able debater, an attractive stump-speaker. Again in 1855, in the days of Knownothingism, he and George Taylor were elected to the House. In 1856, he moved to Tuskegee to practice his profession. For a number of years he was Chancellor of the Middle Division of Alabama, and died in office a few years since. He was a man of fine personal appearance, dignified, but pleasant and approachable.
ADDITIONAL EXCERPTS
From (General Catalogue by Princeton University 1908)
Neil Smith Graham, LL.D. *1886
Member Alabama Assembly 1851, 1855; Captain 61st Alabama C. S. A., 1863; Lieutenant Colonel C. S. A. 1864; Chancellor Northeastern Division Alabama 1874, 1880-84; LL.D. Princeton 1881.
From (A Register of the Officers and Students of the University of Alabama 1831-1901)
Graham, Malcolm, A. B., merchant – Austin, Tex.
1882, Tuskegee; s. Chancellor Neil Smith Graham and Ellen Hutchinson; b. Feb. 25, 1865; Gen. Man. Austin-Beaumont Oil Co.; m. Carrie Simpson, Galveston, Tex., April 4, 1894.
