Mary Polly Graham

Along with Mary, wife of Eli, came her parent Peter Graham and Nancy and many of her brothers and sisters. They also settled in the West Fork and Springdale areas of Arkansas and were from Kentucky before they came to Arkansas in the early days, but the original immigrants were from Ireland.

Eli Bloyed lived to the ripe age of 91 years, 11 months and died April 22, 1878 and is buried at West Fork, Washington County, Arkansas.

Mary was born December 5, 1788 in South Carolina and died October 16, 1861 and is also buried at West

Fork, Arkansas.

Polly seemed to be the popular nickname for Mary and that was the way she was known.

There are letters to Eli from his brothers and sisters in the Museum in Kentucky.

His own brothers and sisters did not come to Washington County with him, but kept in touch through letters which he and Mary faithfully kept.

He had to be a hardy pioneer to have survived with his family off the land and building their first log cabins and the nearest settlement at that time was at Natural Dam, Arkansas. Evidently, he got along well with the Indians who at that time lived in Washington County as he is mentioned in the books about the Cherokees by James Manford Carselowey with respect.

By: Dorothy (Byrum) Keck