My Genealogy Hound

JAMES H. GRAHAM. A pioneer of Mason Township and a gentleman who has had more to do with the public affairs of the same than any other man in the township, is James H. Graham, who was born in Wayne County, Ohio, November 18, 1832. He was sixth in order of birth of nine children born to J. R. and Mary A. (Kidd) Graham. J. R. Graham was born in Belfast, Ireland, January 28, 1796, and was of Scotch-Irish descent. He was a weaver by trade, as was his father before him, and the youngest of a large family of children. When a young man he crossed the ocean to America, landing in Canada, but went from there to Philadelphia, where he worked at his trade as a weaver for some time, and then went to Wilmington, Del. At the latter place he formed the acquaintance of Miss Mary A. Kidd, who was born in Philadelphia and who was of genuine Highland Scotch ancestry. Her father was a wealthy and prominent powder manufacturer.

Mr. and Mrs. Graham’s nuptials were celebrated March 9, 1822, and he continued to follow his trade in Wilmington and Philadelphia for many years, being a resident of the latter place when La Fayette made a visit there. Later he went to Wayne County, Ohio, and continued in the manufacture of linen and woolen goods until the winter of 1846, when he came to Michigan. He located in Mottville, and two years later came to Cass County, locating on land in Mason Township where our subject now lives. He came here with a moderate fortune made in his business as a weaver, and died here four years later, in January, 1852. He was a Whig in his political views and a strong Protectionist. He and his wife were members of the Baptist Church. Ten years after his death and on the same farm occurred the death of the wife and mother. This was on October 22, 1862, and she was sixty-two years of age, her birth having occurred in 1800.

The brothers and sisters of our subject were named as follows: John, born January 21, 1823, died in infancy; Mary Ann, born September 24, 1824, married Marshal Moon, who is farming in this State; Eleanor, born August 14, 1826, married George W. Sanford, a steamboat engineer of St. Louis, Mo., where she died May 15, 1854; Margaret, born September 13, 1828, married Jonas Miller, a farmer, and now resides at Hicksville, Ohio; Victorine, born November 13, 1830, died September 14, 1846; Eveline, born January 8, 1835, married Alonzo Fields, who is now deceased, and she is living in Porter Township, this county; Jane born April 7, 1837, died August 28, of the same year; and Isah, born July 19, 1838, died September 17, 1847.

A limited education was received by James H. Graham, for when but a small child he went into the woolen-mill with his father. Later, or when thirteen years of age, he took charge of a carding-machine, and when fourteen years of age came with his parents to Michigan. When twenty years old he was left fatherless and he continued on the home place, clearing it of the heavy timber with which it was covered. With his own hands he cleared one hundred acres and after the death of his mother the land came into his possession. Since 1843 it has been his home, Unlike his father, our subject became converted to the principles of the Democratic party long before he was old enough to vote, and his arguments with his father on this subject while he was yet a boy, especially on the subject of free trade and protection, showed him to be well posted for his years. When he would come out ahead in his arguments his father would say: “Well, you’re nothing but a boy and can do no harm; you will know more when you get to be a man.” This was probably true, but Mr. Graham is still the same free-trade Democrat, pure and simple, with no side issue. His motto has ever been, “Sink or swim, live or die, it shall be on the old ship Democracy.”

Mr. Graham has always been a prominent factor in the politics of his locality and the first office he ever held was that of Constable. This was the first election held after he became of age, and was in 1853. He held the position for four years, and in 1854 was elected one of the County Commissioners, serving in that capacity until the spring of 1857. At that date he was elected Justice of the Peace and has discharged the duties incumbent upon this position continuously ever since. In the spring of 1865 he became Township Supervisor and that office has been in his keeping altogether twenty-one years. He was Chairman of the Board of Supervisors for five years and retired from the office in the spring of 1893. In 1886 he represented his county before the State Board of Equalization and obtained concessions favorable to the county. Since 1855 he has been a prominent Mason and is now a member of a lodge at Constantine.

December 7, 1854, he wedded Miss Adelade Arnold, a native of Mason Township, Cass County, Mich., born August 20, 1837, and the daughter of George Arnold, who was born in the old Bay State December 2, 1812. Her grandfather, Elijah Arnold, was born either in Massachusets or Connecticut, and his father, an Englishman, served in the War for Independence and lived to be ninety-two years of age. George Arnold was a hatter early in life but later a carpenter and builder. When sixteen years of age he came West to the Buckeye State, and in 1835 made his way to Michigan, locating land on section 12, Mason Township, Cass County. He married Miss Harriet Barber, who was born at Batavia, N. Y., in 1814. Of her family but little can be learned. Mr. Arnold served as Township Supervisor of Mason Township at an early day and died on the land where he first settled and where Mrs. Graham was born, in 1867.

Mr. and Mrs. Graham are the parents of three children. The eldest, Hattie T., was educated at Hillsdale and at the State Normal School at Ypsilanti. For many years she was a teacher in the public schools but is now, and has been for years, one of the members of the school examining board of Cass County and is considered one of the most able members of the same. Rena G. was educated at Hillsdale and Ypsilanti and is now a stenographer and typewriter in Chicago. Their other child, and only son, Herbert A., married Miss Lucy Hitchcox, of Union, this county, and for years has been a salesman in Chicago. At present (1893), he is connected with the World’s Fair management. He is the father of three children: Donald H., Marguerite and Una Arline.