James Graham

James Graham (c. 1650 – January 27, 1701) was a Scottish born colonial American politician who served as the Speaker of the New York General Assembly.

Early life Graham was born in Midlothian, Scotland in about 1650 and was the son of John Graham and Isabella (née Affick) Graham. and was executed in Scotland in May 1650 after which the Montrose estates were forfeited. His father's older brother, James Graham, 2nd Marquess of Montrose, succeeded to the title after his grandfather's death. In 1687, he was appointed to the Governor's Council under Governor Thomas Dongan, 2nd Earl of Limerick. representing New York County (the current New York County, Manhattan), from 1691 to 1693 and again from 1695 until his death in 1701. From 1691 to 1694 and again from 1695 to 1698, he served as the Speaker of the Assembly.

In April 1691, Thomas Newton, then the Attorney General of the Province, left New York and George Farewell was appointed to succeed him but the General Assembly considered Farewell incompetent and, in May 1691, Graham was again appointed Attorney General, which he held until January 1701.

Personal life Graham was first married to Mary Home. Together, they were the parents of:

Isabella Graham (1673–1752), who married Gov. Lewis Morris (1671–1746) on November 3, 1691. Together, they were the parents of:

Graham died at his daughters residence, Morrisania, on January 27, 1701. who married his cousin (and James's granddaughter) Arabella Morris in 1738. Through his daughter Isabella, he was the grandfather of twelve, including fellow Speaker Lewis Morris Jr. and New Jersey Chief Justice Robert Hunter Morris.