Senator William Graham View All Years

WILLIAM GRAHAM.

Senator Proudfoot, from a special committee, submitted the following report and moved its adoption:

MR. PRESIDENT—Your committee appointed to draft resolutions commemorative of the life, character and services of the Honorable William Graham, beg leave to submit the following report:

Honorable William Graham, a former member of the Senate of the State of Iowa, was born in Washington County Pennsylvania, November 29, 1820, and died November 23, 1915; his remains being interred in the city of Indianola, Iowa.

Senator Graham was a member of the House of Representatives of the State of Pennsylvania just preceding the Civil War. He also served in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth General Assemblies of the State of Iowa as a Senator from Warren County. During his legislative career in this state he was chairman of the committee on Suppression of Intemperance and championed the prohibitory Constitutional amendment and was one of the staunch members of the Senate of his day.

He was thoroughly reliable in every walk of life and his integrity was unquestioned by all who knew him. He was a man of large parts, though modest and unassuming in his demeanor and had large experience in political affairs. He was a member from Washington County, Pennsylvania, of the state convention of that state and took part in sending an instructed delegation to the national convention which placed in nomination Abraham Lincoln for President of the United States, and he himself twice declined a nomination for Congress from his native state.

He was always found on the right side of all moral and economic questions and assisted in legislation that had for its object the betterment and uplift of humanity. He was a leading member of the United Presbyterian Church and was conscientious and steadfast in his dealings with men. No one was ever heard to say that he was deceived or misled by William Graham, and while his services to the State were during the period of its more formative existence yet it is a fact that the marks of his ability and high moral character as a citizen of the State have been left upon the legislation of Iowa.

It is therefore fitting and proper that this body shall make permanent record of the valuable services and eminent career of this faithful servant of the State.

It Is Therefore Resolved by the Senate of the Thirty-seventh General Assembly of the State of Iowa, that the foregoing memorial be and the same is·hereby unanimously adopted and ordered spread upon the records of this body.

A. V. PROUDFOOT,

O. A. BYINGTON,

T. E. TAYLOR,

Committee.

The resolutions were adopted unanimously by a rising vote.