Graham came to California from Virginia or Kentucky after marrying the daughter of the mayor and having two sons, Jesse and Isaac He left this family and settled in what is now San Juan Bautista and owned a distillery attracting a clientele of outlaws and ruffians. He was arrested for a time and was in jail in Mexico before being released and given $37,000 in restitution. His friend Majors married a member of the Castro family which allowed him to receive the Rancho Zayante land grant. He sold this to Isaac who bought the property with his restitution funds and proceeded to build a sawmill and set up shop on the Zayante Creek. He later moved operations to Fall Creek in Felton and married again to the daughter of the Bennet family. This marriage resulted in two daughters, Mathilda and Annie. The marriage to Catherine Bennet ended in divorce after the arrival of Isaac Graham’s son Jesse from his first marriage.