Representative Julius Kingman Graves View All Years

J. K. GRAVES was born in Keene, N. H., September 29, 1837; he died in Dubuque, Iowa, December 9, 1898. Mr. Graves received only the education afforded by the common schools of his native place and came west to seek his fortune at the early age of seventeen. He reached Dubuque in 1854 and the next year secured the position of cashier in the old banking house of which Major M. Mobley was the head. This firm was succeeded by that of J. K. Graves & Co. in 1858, when Mr. Graves had barely attained the age of twenty-one. But he had already taken rank as one of the foremost business men of that flourishing city. His banking house was afterwards merged into a branch of the old State Bank of Iowa, Mr. Graves becoming vice-president and general manager. He was connected with many leading business interests, as journalism, city gas works, mining and railroad building, aside from banking. Hon. W. W Hamilton (President of the Iowa Senate in 1856, before the new constitution provided for the election of a Lieutenant-Governor) in the year 1864 admiringly expressed to the writer of these lines his opinion of J. K. Graves as a successful business man: “Why,” said he, “that young man will yet own the whole city of Dubuque!” For a time everything with which he was connected seemed to prosper, but eventually he met with his full share of losses and disappointments. At the outbreak of the rebellion he telegraphed Governor Kirkwood to draw on him for $30,000, and this money was used to fit out our Iowa soldiers. When Dubuque entered upon the work of building a railroad to Sioux City, the most important factor in that great enterprise was J. K. Graves, who could raise money when others could not. He was a radical Republican, but was elected Mayor of Dubuque, and to a four years term in the State Senate, overcoming by his enthusiasm and hard work an adverse majority of 3,000. Aside from his high character as a business man he was not only always benevolent and charitable, but one of the staunchest and most steadfast and reliable friends. General George W. Jones in his old age had lost his home through the foreclosure of a mortgage, and time had slipped away until the equity of redemption would expire in a day or two. The aged statesman had quite abandoned hope, and in the deepest despair was expecting to be dispossessed of his home at once. Learning this state of things, Mr. Graves instantly set to work to raise money to redeem the property. He was successful, through his personal appeals, restoring to the veteran Senator the title to his home, and raising money sufficient to make him comfortable during his remaining days. That was but a characteristic incident in the life of J. K. Graves. Not only “a whole city full” mourned its irreparable loss in his death, but expressions of regret and sympathy appeared in the public press throughout the State.