Robert Graham was born in Mississippi on August 20, 1818.  He moved to Texas in about 1836. He then moved to Natchitoches, La., about 1841.  Robert Graham married Ruth Smith  (b. Dec. 5, 1813; d. Jun. 2, 1869) about 1843.  Soon after marring Ruth Smith (a trapper's daughter) from Natchitoches,  they moved to Forest Hill, Rapides Parish, La.  

He was a successful farmer and cattleman there.  Ruth  told Robert that she wished to be buried at the top of a hill on their land, near Forest Hill.  She died of  Typhoid fever and  was buried atop that hill which is known today as the Graham Cemetery.  Robert is buried next to her.

Four of their daughters married four of Rev. Daniel H. Willis, Sr.'s sons:  Julia Ann Graham (1845-1936) married Daniel H. Willis, Jr. (1839-1900),  Demerius Graham (1849-1886) married Calvin Willis (1855-1911), Annie Graham (1855-1936) married Robert Willis (1858-1939) and Mary Ann "Maggie" Graham (1853-1940) married Dempsey Willis (1854-1919).

Additional daughters of Robert and Ruth Graham were: Elizabeth "Lizzie" Graham who married Joel Merchant,  Katherine Graham (b. circa 1842) who married D. Sermons, Emily Graham (1846-1933) who married William Butter (1850-1923), and  Lucy "Ruth" Graham (b. 1851) who married James Moore (1849-1913). Robert and Ruth also had two sons: William Graham (1843-1925) who married Laura Dyer (1849-1930) and Lorenzo Dow Graham (1848-1933) who married Victoria Pickren. They had a total of 10 children. Five of these marriages celebrated Golden wedding anniversaries.

Robert Graham had  two brothers:  William Graham (who moved to Bell County, Texas) and Samuel Graham (who moved to Wisconsin).    Robert Graham's  father was  another William Graham.  This William Graham's father was Samuel Graham and Samuel's father was supposedly,  yet another William Graham from Charlotte, North Carolina (circa 1765).