William Graham (abt. 1440)

Born about 1440 in Netherby, Cumberland, England.

Descendants

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Biography

The First Graham of Netherby BY JIM NETHERY (Deceased) PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA

Lang Will's eldest son, Richard Graham, was the first Graham of Netherby. Who was this Lang Will (William Graham) and what was his title? ^[1]

"[In] 1552 the clan numbered 500 warriors, sturdy defenders of the Border, inhabiting thirteen strong towers, eight of which lay between Esk and Leven rivers. The leader to whom their ancient fame as a fighting clan was largely due, was William Graham of Stuble (Lang Will), a man of immense size and muscular strength, combined with a commanding personality. He seems to of (sic) had been one of those masterful spirits like Gilnockie (Johnnie Armstrong), thrown upon the surface in lawless times to control and direct the actions of the most untamable of men - an instrument capable of infinite mischief, but equally capable of great good if wisely enlisted on the side of law and order."

Lord Thomas Scrope of Bolton, the English Warden of the Western March, identified Lang Will as a Graham, laird of Mosskeswra. ^[2]

Some time prior to May 1463, the lands of Mosskeswra, Nether Dryfe and Medokholm (sic Bedokholm) were granted or confirmed to William the Graham/Lang Will, ^[3] The career of William the Graham can be fitfully traced through the records. Between the years of 1476 to 1492 he was in trouble for violently possessing parts of the lands of his superior, the Earl of Morton, in addition to this there was a dispute with Mr. Alexander Murray, minister of the Kirk of Hutton. Lang Will was ingathering and detaining the teinds (tithe) of the church for more than a year (on the theory: "His land-his money!") but the Lords of Council had no hesitation in ruling in favor of Mr. Murray.

Lang Will was banished, lost his lands. He had no goods to be escheated (forfeited), a fugitive at the horn, outlawed and banished from Scotland. Should he be assaulted, imprisoned or even slain there was no redress for him as he was outwith the law. He could not escape to foreign service as many did, without forsaking his young family of six sons, Richard being the oldest. There was one refuge for him close at hand: 20 miles from Hutton Parish, Dumfriesshire, Scotland was the Debateable Land fast filling up with broken men from both sides of the Border. There were already many Grahams on the Border stark moss-trooping Scots" (Border Raiders) living there. Banishment was complete: if the outlaw merely stepped over the frontier into England. ^[4]

Footnotes

Copied from The Clan Graham Website: "Reprinted with the permission of Clan Graham Society, Inc."

1. ↑ John Graham’s book "Conditions of the Border at the Union," printed in 1905, gives us this description of Long Will starting on page 159:
2. ↑ (D&G Trans., 1959-60, p. 105).
3. ↑ by Herbert of Johnston. (D&W Trans., 1959-60,p. 89).
4. ↑ (D&W Trans.., 1959-60, p.91, 104-105; C&W Trans., 1911, p.70).

Sources

• Burkes Landed Gentry of Great Britain, The Kingdom of Scotland 19th Edition Vol 1 issued 2001. Publisher Fitzroy Dearborn.

• Internet, Clan Graham Website.