For most of Graeme Park’s history, what happened to Henry Hugh Fergusson after he left America remained a mystery. We knew he petitioned the British government for restitution for “his” loss of Graeme Park when it was confiscated under the Confiscation Act of 1778. We knew he kept in touch with Elizabeth for a time, […]
On November 17 or 18, 1749 Sir William Keith, for whom the Keith House at Graeme Park was built, died in London. Death notices ran in the London Magazine (vol. 18, 1749, pg. 529) and the Gentleman’s Magazine (vol. 19, 1749, pg. 524). London Magazine reports his death as occurring on November 17, 1749 and […]
September 28 marks the anniversary of the death of the Graemes’ son-in-law, Charles Stedman, which occurred in 1784. Charles Stedman was born in Scotland in 1713, supported the Stuart cause and fought at Culloden. He escaped to Pennsylvania c. 1746 with his brother Alexander, with whom he ran a successful shipping business and engaged in […]
July 31 marks the anniversary of the 1740 death of Lady Ann Keith, wife of Sir William. After being removed from the governorship in 1726, Keith returned to England in 1728 to seek another appointment. Before leaving, he ensured that his wife would have access to all the rents and emoluments of Graeme Park for […]
Margaret Strawbridge was a member of the Countryside Gardeners for many years. When she attended our meetings she always wore a hat and gloves and would offer a prayer before our monthly meetings. One of her particular interests was the Willow Grove Air Station. Each year, under her watchful eye, the garden club members would […]
Perhaps you received a DNA kit for Christmas and are curious to learn more about your ancestors, but not yet ready to commit to an Ancestry.com membership. Did you know that the Pennsylvania Archives partnered with the popular genealogy research website to allow them to digitize records held by the Archives in exchange for Ancestry […]
Did your ancestors immigrate through the Port of Philadelphia in the 1700s? If so, they may have crossed paths with Dr. Graeme! As both a Justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court from 1731 through at least 1750, and the Port Physician for the Port of Philadelphia from 1727-1741, Dr. Graeme encountered thousands of immigrants. As […]