Dr. Thomas Graeme / Graeme Park

Dr. Thomas Graeme (October 20, 1688-September 4, 1772) was the prominent Port Physician of Philadelphia and purchased the remainder of what had been Sir William Keith's Fountain Low Estate from Lady Ann Keith

Dr. Graeme traveled to Philadelphia with the Keiths in 1717 as their family physician upon Sir William's appointment as Governor, and in 1919 married Keith's step-daughter Ann Diggs. Graeme gained prominence as Port Physician from 1728 to 1740 during the vast migration of Germans to Pennsylvania. Disease was rampant in the overcrowded vessels, and it is to his credit that during his administration there were no major epidemics in Philadelphia. He held a number of other positions including Provincial Counsellor, and Justice of the Superior Court. He was co-founder of the Pennsylvania Hospital.

In 1737 Dr. Thomas Graeme purchased the remaining portion of his mother-in-law’s (Lady Anne Keith) estate, probably to become his family’s summer home and renamed it "Graeme Park". Dr. Graeme probably maintained his main residence in Philadelphia until at least 1747 when his health began to deteriorate. He then began to transform - reportedly with much assistance from his daughter Elizabeth - the one time malt house into a splendid colonial estate.

As part of his improvements, Graeme installed Georgian panelling in the Parlor, the Master Bedchamber, and several other rooms, built an outdoor kitchen, and "grained" several of the chamber doors for effect. He also laid out a formal garden to the front of the mansion and established a 300 acre Deer Park to make it "a piece of Beauty and Ornament to a dwelling (that any English noble) would be proud to have...by his house." (Letter to Thomas Penn, 1755)

Dr. Graeme died in 1772 at the age of eighty-four while walkin at Graeme Park, and left the estate to his youngest daughter, Elizabeth. It is not known exactly how many children Dr and Mrs Greame had, but it is at least 9 per baptismal records and could be as high as 12, including a twin of Elizabeth name Sarah who died in infancy.

For a more detailed biography of Dr. Graeme, please visit the Dr Thomas Graeme page on the Friends of Graeme Park website

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Dr Thomas Graeme

Dr Thomas Graeme (168-1772) was the son-in-law of Governor Keith and the 2nd owner of the Keith Estate which he rename Graeme Park when he purchased it from Lady Anne Keith in 1738

Photograph by: Graeme Park Website