G. W. GRAVES.

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         Among the pioneer settlers of Louisa county must be numbered the Graves family, who first located here in 1836 and for four generations have been identified with the agricultural development of the county. The late G. W. Graves was born in Ashtabula county, Ohio, on the 13th of November, 1835, and was a son of John and Amelia Graves, natives of Connecticut. They removed to Ohio in an early day, continuing to make that their home until 1836, when the father came to Louisa county and entered some government land. The following year he removed his family to his homestead and in 1838 he passed away. He had five children, all but one of whom are now deceased.

         The education of G. W. Graves was limited because of the brief and irregular sessions of the district schools, which at that period were not very satisfactory owing to the poor and inadequate provisions made for educational facilities in the rural districts. He was only a child of three years when his father passed away and at a very early age began assisting the older members of the family and his mother in the cultivation of the homestead, continuing at home until he had attained his majority. He then worked at the carpenter’s trade for several years, after which he bought the farm where his widow is now residing. He engaged in general farming and stock-raising until his demise, which occurred on the 15th of February, 1879. Mr. Graves’ political principals coincided with those of the democratic party and he always took an active part in all township affairs of a governmental nature and at the time of his demise was secretary of the board of education.

         He was united in marriage in June, 1856, to Miss Sarah E. Fairbanks, a native of Ohio, migrating from that state to Iowa with her parents, who located in Johnson county, in 1842. There her mother passed away in 1846, but her father survived until after the Civil war, of which he was a veteran. There were three children born to Mr. and Mrs. Fairbanks, two of whom are living. Mr. and Mrs. Graves had eight children, in order of birth as follows: Charles H., who is now residing in Illinois; Cassie E., who is deceased; Sherman A., who is operating the old homestead; A. D., who is a farmer in Jefferson township; Cassie B., who has been teaching in the vicinity of Chicago for twenty years, now located at Lake Forest, Illinois; and Nellie D., Faith B. and Eddie, all of whom are deceased.

         Sherman A. Groves, who is managing the home farm for his mother, attended the common schools of Louisa county, during which time he also assisted in the cultivation of the home farm. Later he learned the carpenter’s . . .

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. . . trade but did not follow it very long, always having remained at home with the exception of two years he spent in California. In addition to the cultivation of his fields he is also engaged in the raising and feeding of stock, in which he is meeting with very favorable returns.

         A. D. Graves, who is the youngest surviving son of G. W. and Sarah E. (Fairbanks) Graves, was born on the 31st of December, 1866. He acquired his education in the district schools in the vicinity of his home and after laying aside his text-books devoted his entire time and attention to the work of the farm, remaining at home with his mother until he had attained his majority. For twelve years thereafter he rented the old homestead and after his marriage purchased the farm, which consists of eighty acres of land on section 16, Jefferson township, and to this he has added until he has three hundred and twenty-four acres. He has wrought many improvements in his property during the period of his occupancy and it is now regarded as one of the most valuable farms in the township.

         In 1892 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. A. D. Graves and Miss Carrie Spitsnogle, who was born in Louisa county on the 23d of February, 1870. Mrs. Graves, who was a teacher prior to her marriage, is a daughter of John and Sarah (Shaw) Spitsnogle, the father a native of Indiana and the mother of Iowa. Five children were born to them, two of who are now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Graves have the following children: Nellie M., who was born on the 27th of July, 1897, and is now attending school at Wapello; Merle Lea, who was born on the 11th of March, 1898; Gladys L., born on the 2d of November, 1900; and Carrie A., whose birth occurred on the 14th of April, 1909.

         The church affiliation of the family is with the Methodist Episcopal denomination, and Mr. A. D. Graves, who is a school director, casts his ballot for the candidates of the republican party, whose policy he deems best adapted to subserve the interests of the majority. The Graves family has been identified with the interests of Jefferson township for more than half a century, during which time they have always been recognized as capable business men, thoroughly reliable and trustworthy and most estimable citizens.