Name Index    HOME  


George Graham               1894-1955
George was born 1 December 1894, at 11 Richard Street, South Elswick, Newcastle upon Tyne, of William Graham and Jane Harrison. At age 14 he got his work permit and got a job with a coal mine. On 16 September 1914, at age 19 he enlisted in the 5th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry at the Stockton on Tees station, as a Private, number 2629, Regimental serial 200282. On 2 August 1915, he was seriously wounded at Armentieres France. It was a bullet into his right forehead. On 25 August a Military Telegram was sent from " Kingsway" to "Terrecoff York" stating "Red Cross Hospital Etaples reports 2629 George Graham 5th Durham L I. Boy dangerously ill GSW Head inform relatives". He did survive, and returned to the front. On 28 March 1918, near Caix, France, as a Lance Sergeant, he earned the View the Medal , for bravery in the field, being wounded again. He was a Sergeant when he was released from active service on 14 March 1919, into the reserves. George returned to the coal mine job.   He was living at 33 Cotsford Lane, Horden when he married Sarah Jane Milburn in the Sunderland Register Office, on 23 July 1921. They then lived with Sarah's parents at 11 Hill Street, Tunstall. When he applied for a Marriage Allowance for periods of Reserve training, he listed his address as 24 Hardwick Street, Horden. George is pictured here in his Canadian Legion uniform, about 1940.



Sarah Jane Milburn               1895-1993
Sarah Jane Milburn was born 24 August 1895, at 39 Cornelia Street, Tunstall, of Robert Milburn and Elizabeth Davison. She completed school in 1909 at age 14, and moved to South Shields, and lived with her sister Margaret Ann, and had a job as a "day girl". Her employer was a Chief Engineer on a large ship, and they had a large house. She was called home to help care for her younger sister Elizabeth Eva, who had injured her knee, and was suffering complications. World War I was in progress, and her father, Robert was working with the Red Cross in the south of England. Eva passed away at age 15. Sarah Jane went to work in a munitions factory in the west of England, for a short time, as the war ended. She then got a job in the Mental Hospital in Ryhope. She could walk to work. Sarah  Jane  became  good  friends  with  a  girl  named  Ethel Graham. It was through Ethel, that she met Ethel's brother, George. She lived at 11 Hill Street, Tunstall, when she married George Graham on 23 July 1921. They had four children.   George's uncle Ned (Edward) Graham, had emigrated to America in 1902,  at  age  17,  to  the  coal  mines  of  Zeigler, Illinois. Ned visited England in the spring of 1920, and quite possibly discussed life in America with George, because he later sent George enough money to also emigrate, and in December 1922, with severe unemployment in England, George left for America. He was 28 years old when he took the RMS Metagama , of the Canadian Pacific Lines, third class, from Liverpool to St. John, New Brunswick, Canada, and arrived 8 January 1923 with $17 in his pocket. He took the train to Zeigler, Illinois and got a job with a coal mine. In a few months he had earned enough money to send for Sarah Jane, and their infant son William. Passage was booked, and train tickets to Zeigler Illinois were obtained. In June of 1923, son William passed away from Whooping Cough.  Sarah Jane then came alone to America,  taking the



liner SS Franconia, third class, from Liverpool on 23 June arriving New York City on 3 July 1923, with her train ticket, and $35 in her pocket. Their infant son William was also listed on the ships manifest, with the entry crossed out. This was the maiden voyage for this Franconia, An earlier Franconia was torpedoed by the German submarine UB47 in 1916. In 1925, they lived in Belleville, Illinois, where son Robert was born. They lived in Buckner, Illinois, when George obtained his U.S. citizenship on 1 June 1928. They then moved to 356 Hovey St. Gary Indiana, where George got a job in the Steel Mill. In March 1929 they were notified that Sarah's mother was critically ill. George sold their car, a Model T Ford, to get the money and Sarah and four year old son Robert went to England to be with her. They arrived on 2 April, she died on 4 April. Sarah and Robert returned to America arriving Montreal, Canada on the SS Doric , of the White Star Lines, Liverpool, on 31 August. Sarah became a U.S. Citizen in September 1929. George had a Stroke in June 1951, which left   Sarah about age 17 him bedridden. He passed away on 18 October 1955, at 610 Hanley Street, Gary, Indiana, and is buried in Ridgelawn Cemetery, in Griffith Indiana. Sarah returned to England in 1956 and 1973 for enjoyable visits with family. Sarah was 98 years old and resided in a nursing home in Hobart, Indiana, when she died on 9 September 1993. She is buried in Ridgelawn Cemetery, along side George.
They had four children:
William Born 21 Dec 1921   Tunstall, Silksworth, Sunderland Died 11 June 1923,   18 Mos.
Robert Milburn Born 2 Jul 1925   Belleville, Illinois Died 11 Nov 1999,   Age 74
Elizabeth Jean (Betty) Born 6 Oct 1930   Gary, Indiana Died 17 Sep 2002,   Age 72
George Harry   Gary, Indiana

Birth
George Graham b: 1 Dec 1894 11 Richard St. South Elswick, Newcastle upon Tyne
son of William Graham, Colliery Engineman, and Jane Graham, formerly Harrison
Newcastle upon Tyne District, Northumberland County     1894 4Q Newcastle T. 10b 82
Sarah Jane Milburn b: 24 Aug 1895 39 Cornelia Street, Tunstall, County Durham
daughter of Robert Milburn, Coalminer, and Elizabeth Milburn, formerly Davison
Sunderland District, South Bishopwearmouth, County Durham     1895 3Q Sunderland 10a 651

G. Forth, Billie Wynn, W. Cughton, George Jobson, Alf Cowley, Billy Taylor,Jim Williamson, W. Footh, Herbert Miller
Annie Cowley, Beattie, M. Jobson, Annie Thornton, Ethel Miller, Sarah Wright, Lottie Cotty, S. Milburn, A. Eastaugh

Marriage
23 Jul 1921
George Graham
(26)
 
Sarah Jane Milburn
(25)
The Register Office, Sunderland District, County Durham
Colliery Engineman, 33 Cotsford Lane. Horden
Father: William Graham (deceased), Winding Engineman at Colliery
11 Hill St. Tunstall, Father: Robert Milburn, Coal Miner (Deputy Overman)
Wit: R. Woergan and E. Pearson

Children
William Graham b: 21 Dec 1921     Silksworth, County Durham     1921 4Q Sunderland 10a 1663
son of George Graham, Colliery Engineman, and Sarah Jane Graham, formerly Milburn
11 Hill Street, Tunstall, Sunderland District, County Durham         Died 11 Jun 1923
    1923 2Q Sunderland 10a 730
Robert Milburn Graham b: 2 Jul 1925  Belleville, St. Clair County, Illinois
son of George Graham, Miner, and Sarah Jane Graham, formerly Milburn,
35a North 17th Street               Died 11 Nov 1999

1930 Census 1 Apr 1930
Brunswick, Gary, Calumet Township, Lake County, Indiana
524 Porter Street
District 54, Image 2 of 37
Birthplace
Person
Birthplace
Father
Birthplace
Mother
George Graham
Sarah J. (Wife)
Robert M.
Age 35
Age 34
Age 4 10/12
Constr. Mech. in Steel Mill England
England
Illinois
England
England
England
England
England
England
1 Dec 1894
24 Aug 1895
2 Jul 1925
Additional Information in Census:
Renting house for $30/Mo., Had a Radio, Came to US in 1923, Naturalized Citizens, Currently Unemployed.

Elizabeth Jean Graham b: 6 Oct 1930     Gary, Lake County, Indiana
daughter of George Graham, and Sarah Jane Graham, formerly Milburn,
Hanley Street               Died 17 Sep 2002

Bob, Betty, and George19551980

Death
George Graham Died 18 Oct 1955, Age 60,          Lake County, Gary Indiana
Buried at Ridgelawn Cemetery, Lot 80, Sect. D

Death
Sarah Jane (Milburn) Graham Died 9 Sep 1993, Age 98,           Lake County, Gary Indiana
Buried at Ridgelawn Cemetery, Lot 80, Sect. D

RIDGELAWN CEMETERY, Lake County, Gary Indiana