One of the oldest commercial vocations of Carlinville is the drug
business now being conducted by William R. Graham. He represents the
third generation of his family to have been identified with this
enterprise, which was originally established by his grandfather, Milo
Graham, sixty years ago.
William R. Graham was born in
Carlinville in October, 1877, and is a son of the late William D. and
Mary (Rice) Graham, also natives of Macoupin county, the father having
for many years been identified with the business now conducted by the
son. To Dr. and Mrs. William D. Graham were born three children, of whom
our subject is the youngest, the others being Florence, who became the
wife of Howard O. Tally, and Frank, who passed away on the 30th of
January, 1905. Dr. Graham is also deceased, his death occurring on the
16th of November, 1906, but his wife is still living and continues to
make her home in Carlinville.
Almost the entire period of the
life of William R. Graham has been spent amid the scenes made familiar
during the days of his boyhood and youth. He was reared in Carlinville
and pursued his education in the public schools of this city. After
completing his high-school course lie went to the State University at
Chicago and matriculated in the pharmacy department, being graduated
from this institution in the class of 1900, two years subsequent to his
entrance. Immediately thereafter he returned to Carlinville and engaged
in business with his father, who had purchased the interest of his
former partner, A. M. Boring, in order to create a place for his son.
They were associated together until the father’s death, since which time
Mr. Graham has been conducting the business alone. He has a most
attractive store, modern in all of its appointments and containing a
large and well assorted stock of drugs and sundries. The policy
inaugurated when the business was established and maintained throughout
the period of its existence, has resulted in the firm having acquired a
reputation for unqualified trustworthiness and reliability that has
enabled them to build up a large and permanent patronage among a most
desirable class of people.
Mr. Graham was married in February,
1895, to Miss Louise J. Graves, a daughter of Edmund Decalvis and Amanda
(Carrico) Graves. The parents were both natives of Kentucky, in which
state Mrs. Graham’s birth occurred in February, 1876. The father engaged
in farming in the Blue Grass state until his death in 1885. Soon
thereafter his widow and family came to Macoupin county, locating in
Girard, where they remained for four years, when they removed to
Springfield. I here, the mother, who is now sixty-six still makes her
home. Mr. and Mrs. Graham have two daughters: Irene, who is fifteen, and
Susan Louise, who is eleven years of age. The family, very happy in
their home life, live at 404 East Second South street, where Mr. Graham
owns his own residence.
They attend the Baptist church, of which
both Mr. and Mrs. Graham are members, and he fraternally is identified
with the Knights of Pythias. His political rights he exercises in
support of the men and measures of the republican party, and is now
serving as a member of the board of education of Carlinville. Mr. Graham
has established a record for business integrity and personal worth that
fully entitles him to the esteem he is accorded in the community, where
his family has been held in the highest respect for over sixty years.
Extracted 18 Nov 2018 by Norma Hass from History of Macoupin County, Illinois: Biographical and Pictorial, by Charles A. Walker, published in 1911, Volume 2, pages 622-623.
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