Thaddeus S. Graves

GRAVES, BROWN, ALLEN

Posted By: Connie Swearingen- Volunteer (email)
Date: 4/30/2016 at 14:12:40

Northwestern Iowa
1804 – 1926

Thaddeus S. Graves

Among the prosperous and substantial business concerns of Sioux City, few have shown more phenomenal growth and development than the Viaduct Company, owned by Thaddeus S. Graves, who in his management of this enterprise has shown himself a man of more than ordinary foresight and judgment, and is now numbered among Sioux City’s progressive and enterprising merchants. Mr. Graves was born in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, on the 20th of January, 1876, and is a son of Hiram and Cora (Brown) Graves, both of whom were born and reared near Burlington, Des Moines County, Iowa, their respective families having been among the earliest to settle in that locality. Hiram Graves was reared to the life of a farmer and on attaining manhood he decided to follow that calling. Soon after his marriage he took his bride to Pottawattamie County, where he bought a tract of land, for which he paid two dollars and a half an acre, and thereon he made his home until 1895, when he moved to Monona County, this state, where he bought a farm about three and a half miles from Whiting. There he spent his remaining years, his death occurring about five years later. He took a deep interest in public affairs, especially educational matters, having served a number of years as a member of the school board. He was a democrat in his political views. His widow is still living and resides at 915 Fairmount Avenue, Sioux City.

Thaddeus S. Graves was educated in the district schools and remained on the home farm until twenty-four years of age, when, desiring a broader field for individual advancement, he came to Sioux City. His first employment here was the Cudahy Packing Company, with which he spent eight years and later, for several years, he was variously employed here. In February, 1915, he engaged in the furniture business, buying a store at 1226 Fourth Street, which he conducted successfully for nine years. On January 21, 1925, he bought the business of the Chicago Furniture Company, then one of the important furniture houses of the city. Since taking over the business Mr. Graves has achieved pronounced success, trebling the stock and increasing the volume of business several times, so that today the Viaduct Furniture Company has one of the largest and most substantial furniture houses in Sioux City.

In 1901 Mr. Graves was united in marriage to Miss Amy Allen, of Onawa, Iowa, and to them have been born seven children, namely: Mary, Thaddeus J., Mable, Elsie, George, Melvin and Lloyd, all of whom are not at home except Elsie, who if the wife of Arthur Von Drake, a farmer in Woodbury County. Politically Mr. Graves is a democrat and takes a deep interest in public affairs affecting the prosperity and up-building of his city. Courtesy, fair dealing and prompt service have been the foundation stones on which he has built his business and today he is regarded as one of the leading representatives of commercial activity in Sioux City.