Memorial Record of Western Kentucky, Lewis Publishing Company, 1904,
pp 597-599 [McCracken]

     ZELOTES CLINTON GRAHAM, one of the best known citizens of
McCracken county, was born in Bloomington, Indiana, February 6,
1847, a son of William and Margaret (Purdy) Graham, the father a
native of Indiana and the mother of Virginia.  The paternal
grandfather, Robert Graham, was born in Louisville, Kentucky, a son
of John Graham, a native of Scotland.  To William and Margaret
Graham there were born the following children: Phoebe, widow,
resides at Grahamville; Zelotes C.; Robert, of Grahamville; William,
of Missouri; John, of Grahamville; Julia, of Illinois; Emily, of
Illinois; Ettie, deceased; and Minnie, of Grahamville.
     William Graham was a farmer, and from Indiana he moved to Iowa
when our subject was four years old.  When the child was twelve
years old he moved to Marshall county, Kentucky, and eight years
later to McCracken county, and here died more than thirty years ago,
aged forty-four years.  The mother died at Grahamville in 1903, aged
seventy-six years. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal
church as well as was her husband.
     Zelotes C. Graham received a common school education and began
the struggle of life for himself at the age of seventeen years, when
he was thrown upon his own resources.  He was employed in various
ways until he was thirty years old, when he opened a country store
where Grahamville now stands.  He was the founder of the town, which
was named in honor of him.  Here he resided carrying on his store
and conducting a tobacco warehouse for twenty years, and still
maintains business interests there, but in 1898 he changed his place
of residence to Paducah, while he also established a tobacco
warehouse in this city, and is now carrying on a large commission
business.  He began life a poor boy, but has met with great success. 
Fraternally he is Master Mason and a member of the Independent Order
of Odd Fellows.  In religious affiliations he is a Methodist, and in
politics he is a Democrat.
     In 1871 he married Rachel Ratcliff, a native of McCracken
county, and seven children have been born to them, namely: Charles
E., county clerk of McCracken county; Maud, who is married; Luther
A., a tobacconist; Maggie, who is married; Gertrude, who is married;
Lizzie, who was drowned in 1901, when the steamer Golconda sank in
the Ohio during a fierce storm; and Z. C., Jr.
     Mr. Graham is a man very widely known and highly respected by a
large circle of friends.  His business ability and integrity are
unquestioned, and he possesses the power to win men and retain their
friendship.  He has the borne an important part in the development
of the county, and will be long remembered as one of its most
representative men.

Graham Purdy Ratcliff
=
IN VA Scotland MO IL IA Marshall-KY

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/mccracken/graham.zc.txt