Graham, Edwin S.

Land promoter and businessman, Edwin Smith Graham (1831-1899) was born to General Robert Graham and his wife Roxana, née Winchell, in Louisville, Kentucky. With his brother Gustavus Adolphus Graham, he joined their father’s cotton firm and speculated in the Glasco oilfield. After the Civil War, the brothers invested in the Texas Emigration and Land Company of Louisville and bought land from the Peters Colony in Young County, Texas.

After relocating to Texas, Edwin and Gustavus established the town of Graham in 1872, purchased a salt works on Salt Creek, and founded the Graham Land Office. When Young County reorganized in 1874, Graham became county seat. The brothers soon abandoned the salt works and focused more on real estate and community development.

In 1865, Edwin married Addie Mary Kintner (d. 1930), with whom he had five children, including economist Malcolm Kintner (1872-1941) and Edwin S. Graham, Jr. His family moved to Graham in 1879, but they left for Spokane, Washington, in 1891. After her husband’s death eight years later, Addie returned to Graham and with Malcolm established the philanthropic Graham Foundation. Additionally, Malcolm and Edwin, Jr., continued to run the Graham Land Office.

Source:

Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. Graham, Edwin Smith, http://www.tshaonline.org /handbook/online/articles/GG/fgr2.html (accessed July 14, 2010).

Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. Graham, Malcolm Kintner, http://www.tshaonline.org /handbook/online/articles/GG/fgr5.html (accessed July 14, 2010).

From the guide to the Graham (Edwin S. ) Papers 1941; 1942., 1823-1929, (Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin)