The Graham Families of Berrien County, Michigan

GEORGE GRAHAM is a retired old settler living at Berrien Springs with an income derived from five hundred acres of valuable farming property. He was born in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, January 31, 1826. His father, John Graham, a native of Pennsylvania, spent his entire life in that state. He was a merchant and also owned a stage line between Philadelphia and Pittsburg in early days before railroad travel. He died in his native state in his forty-fourth year. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Mary Kimmel, and was also a native of Pennsylvania, was accidentally killed in Berrien county, when she had reached the age of seventy-six years. There were seven children in the family, of whom Goerge Graham is the eldest. His residence in this county dates from 1843, arriving here when a young man of seventeen years. He remained for three years and being pleased with the county, its productiveness and its business opportunities he then returned to Pennsylvania and brought to his new home his mother, two brothers and two sisters, making the journey with teams across the country. They located on a farm in Oronoko township and a part of the land which they owned is now comprised within the corporation limits of Berrien Springs. Mr. Graham cleared and cultivated the fields and was engaged in general farming until 1879, when he erected his present residence in Berrien Springs, where he has since made his home. As the years passed by he carefully directed his farming operations and his business capacity and enterprise were indicated by the excellent success which attended his efforts. He owns now about five hundred acres of land, a large portion of which is in Berrien Springs and all adjoining the village. From this he derives an excellent income so that he is enabled to enjoy the comforts and many of the luxuries of life. He has been a resident of the same township for sixty-three years and was closely identified with the early history of the county, aiding in the advancement of those measures and movements which have for their object the welfare and upbuilding of this part of the state.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

> > curring May 3, 1902. The deepest regret was felt throughout the community at her loss, for she was a lady of many excellent traits of heart and mind. By this marriage seven children have been born: William H.; Harry K.; Julia, the deceased wife of Samuel H. Kelly, of Benton Harbor; Addie, the wife of T. L. Wilkinson of St. Joseph and Berrien Springs, being a member of the firm of Dix & Wilkinson; and three, who died in childhood.

Since his retirement from the farm Mr. Graham has engaged in loaning money and this also adds materially to his income. He started out in life a poor boy and began working by the month as a farm hand. The first year he received only his board in compensation for his services and the second year he was paid six dollars per month in addition to his board. He has accumulated all that he possesses through his own industry and thrift and is today a prosperous citizen. In early manhood he voted for General Zachary Taylor and for John C. Fremont. He was a Whig prior to the organization of the Republican party, since which time he has been one of its stalwart supporters. He cast two ballots for Abraham Lincoln, and voted for each presidential nominee of the party since that time, and in 1904 he met with the Fremont voters in Jackson at the semicentennial anniversary of the organization of the Republican party there. He has held local offices, including that of president of the village. He is well known in the county where he has lived so long and in public affairs he has taken an active and helpful part. He has now reached the age of four score years and is a venerable citizen, respected and honored by all who know him by reason of what he has accomplished and the honorable methods he has followed. His life record should serve as a source of inspiration and help to others, being a practical proof of what may be done in the business world through industry, guided by sound judgment and supplemented by integrity.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

WILLIAM H. GRAHAM, a prominent farmer of Berrien Springs, was born in the house which is still his home his natal day being June 26, 1853. He is the second son and eldest living child of George and Mary (Garrow) Graham, and was reared on the place where he now resides, the days of his boyhood and youth being unmarked by any event of special importance. Having mastered the branches taught in the common schools, he afterward attended Albion College and Notre Dame University, and was thus well equipped by liberal educational advantages for the important duties of an active business career. Returning to Berrien county he continued farming on the old homestead and has long been numbcTed among the representative and prominent agriculturists of this part of the state.

In 1 88 1, Mr. Graham was married to Miss Laura Piatt, a daughter of J. M. and Aurelia Piatt. She was born in Berrien Springs, her father having come to this county from Massachusetts at an early day. He was one of its pioneer residents and engaged in merchandising, conducting a large and important business at Berrien Springs, drawing his trade from many sections of the county. He was closely identified with the early development and progress of this portion of the state and was a leading and influential man, whose business activity and enterprise entitled him to rank with those citizens who were founders of the present prosperity and upbuilding of Berrien county. He died when about fifty years of age. Mrs.

Graham is the second in a family of four children, three daughters and one son, and after acquiring her preliminary education in the common schools here, continued her studies in Massachusetts. There is one son by this marriage, George, who is now engaged in the grocery business in Berrien Springs. Mr. Graham has been a life-long resident of Berrien county and has always followed agricultural pursuits, in which he has found ample opportunity to exercise his native talents and his energy and give scope to his laudable ambition, which is one of his salient characteristics. He is a Republican and takes an active interest in affairs relating to the public good.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

HARRY K. GRAHAM, who follows farming on section 24, Oronoko township, and is one of its native sons, was born February 22, 1860, his parents being George and Mary (Garrow) Graham, who are mentioned on another page of this work. The home farm in Oronoko township remained his playground in youth and his training school for life's practical duties. His mental discipline, however, was obtained in the district schools and at Urbana University, at Urbana, Ohio. Returning to his home on the completion of his education Harry K. Graham became a clerk in a general store in Berrien Springs and he afterward spent eight years in southeastern Kansas, clerking for two years in a store, while during the remainder of the period he was engaged in farming and stock-raising. Returning at the end of that time to Berrien Springs he once more became connected with agricultural interests in this county and located upon his present farm in Oronoko township. He has here one hundred and eighty-five acres of land well adapted to the raising of grain, fruit and stock, and his farm is well equipped for these different departments of agricultural life. He has a each orchard of fifteen acres and considerable other fruit, including ten acres of apples. His fields are carefully tilled and he has good stock upon his place. In fact the farm is equipped with all modern conveniences, including the latest improved machinery and everything about the place is indicative of the spirit of enterprise which characterizes the owner and has led him to accomplish desired results in a useful business career.

On the 31st of December, 1.89 1, Mr. Graham was married to Miss Mary E. Dunn, a daughter of Edward and Mary Dunn. She was born in Berrien county, Michigan, in April, 1862, and by her marriage has become the mother of one son and two daughters, Mary, James and Edith, all at home. Neglectful of none of the duties of citizenship, Mr. Graham has contributed to the advancement of various plans for the general good and he votes with the Republican party, believing its principles most conducive to good government. He has taken the Master Mason degree in Berrien Springs lodge and in all life's relations is recognized as a man whose good traits of character far outnumber those on the reverse side and he is therefore well worthy the esteem and trust of his fellow townsmen.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

EDMON ALFRED GRAHAM. The name of Graham figures prominently in connection with steamboat navigation on the Great Lakes, and with the development and successful conduct of this business the name of Edmon Alfred Graham was associated. A man of marked business enterprise and keen discernment he carefully directed his labors and won success and a position of prominence that made him one of the foremost representative citizens of Berrien county. A native of Laporte county, Indiana, he was born November 14, 1841. His parents, John and Lucinda (Nichols) Graham, were natives of the state of New York, and were of English descent. The father with his family crossed the country in a large covered wagon from New York to Indiana, and for the first time heard a car whistle in the Maumee valley. They met many Indians while making the long journey and they established their home in a pioneer district, aiding in reclaiming that region for the purposes of civilization. The death of the father occurred March 26, 1875.

Edmon A. Graham's boyhood days were passed without event of special importance to vary the routine of life for him. He attended school at Elkhart, Indiana, and pursued a general course at Benton City, Iowa. In 1864 he engaged in the lumber business, which he conducted along practical, enterprising lines. His father had owned and operated a sawmill, the first plant of its kind in possession of the family being in Lincoln township and known as Graham Mill. The father had also become owner of timber land, which was purchased by the son, who thus came into possession of five hundred acres, from which he cut the timber, sawing it in his mill and converting it into a marketable product for the lumberyards of the cities. Subsequently he sold a portion of his land to German emigrants who became residents of this part of the state. For a considerable period Mr. Graham continued the operation of his sawmill and the manu-

. facture of lumber. He was a over of good horses and he also kept good stock. In the meantime he became connected with the steamboat business, his first boat being the Union, of which he became owner in 1870. In 1879 he built the steamer May Graham,

which is still used on the St. Joseph river. In 1882 he removed to St. Joseph and purchased dock property of A. H. Morrison. His property holdings make him the heaviest taxpayer in Berrien county. In addition to his dock property, of which he is sole owner, he also had many residences and business blocks and other real-estate in St. Joseph and elsewhere. He owned the Postoffice Block, the Evening Press Block, called the Preston and Stock Block, an eighty-acre timber tract near Berrien and what is known as the Ox Bow Bend on the river. He was also a stockholder and director in the Union Bank. His business career was marked by consecutive advancement and steady progress. In early manhood, entering actively into connection with the lumber interests, a leading industry of Michigan, he was ever

4yy watchful of opportunities for enlarging the scope of his business and extended his efforts into various departments of industrial and commercial activity, wherein his sound judgment and keen business discrimination were continually demonstrated in the success which he has achieved. He was seldom if ever at error in matters of business judgment, readily solved complex problems and with determined purpose carried forward to successful completion whatever he undertook. He early displayed conspicuously the traits of character which made his life brilliantly successful, and. from the beginning of his business career until its close a splendid prosperity was steadily his.

Neglectful of none of the duties relative to good citizenship, Mr. Graham labored effectively and earnestly for the welfare and upbuilding of his adopted city, and in 1884 was elected to serve as alderman of St. Joseph. He was a devoted adherent of the Republican Club and a warm admirer of the party leaders. He presented to the Commercial Club a magnificent picture of President McKinley. He held membership in this club and with Burnett Lodge No. 19, I. O. O. F.

On the 20th of June, 1869, Mr. Graham was married to Edwina C. Bunker, of Hagar township, a daughter of Nathaniel and Mary Bunker. Her father was a soldier of the Civil war, and was supposed to have been taken to Libby prison, and perhaps died there, for he was never heard from again. Mrs. Graham was born September 17, 1848, in a house at Royalton Heights which has since fallen into the St. Joseph river. Her mother died when she was only seven years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Graham have but one child, May Belle, who was born August 5, 1873, and was married November 7, 1804 to William H. Hull.

Without extraordinary pecuniary or family advantages to aid him at the outset of his career E. A. Graham gained for himself a place among the prominent business men of Michigan. It is true, that like other business men, he may not have found all the days equally bright. Indeed in his commercial experience he saw the gathering clouds that threatened disastrous storms, but his rich inheritance of energy and pluck enabled him to turn defeat into victory and promised failures into brilliant successes. His strict integrity, business conservatism and judgment were always so universally recognized that he enjoyed public confidence to an enviable degree and naturally this brought to him a success that made a steady increase in his business. His investments were so judiciously placed that his property holdings easily placed him among the heaviest in Berrien county. While it is true that his chief life work was that of a remarkably successful business man, the range of his activities and the scope of his influence reached far beyond this special field. He belonged to that class who field a power which is all the more potent from the fact that it is moral rather than political and is exercised for the public weal rather than for personal ends. He passed away at his home in St. Joseph, June 2, 1904.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.