For
Muscatine County Iowa
1911
| Biographies For Muscatine County Iowa 1911 | |
Source: History of Muscatine County Iowa, Volume II, Biographical, 1911, page 10
ISRAEL LEWIS GRAHAM. Israel Lewis Graham, M.D., was born at Canton, Hartford county, Connecticut, February 11, 1823. After receiving his early education at Canton Academy and at the academy in Amherst, Massachusetts, he began the study of medicine with his uncle, Dr. F.B.Graham, at Hitchcocksville, Connecticut. He studied one year with Dr. Woodruff at New Britain, Connecticut, and one year at the Eye and Ear Infirmary in Hartford. He attended the course of lectures in 1845-6 at the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York city and the clinical course at the City Hospital, and graduated from the University of the City of New York in 1847.Dr. Graham then practiced five years at Bristol, Connecticut, where he also was surgeon for the Bristol Copper Mine, removing from there to Hudson, Ohio, where he remained for two years as physician and druggist. He then returned to Connecticut and engaged in the same business in New Haven, until he removed to Muscatine in August, 1855. His brother, James E. Graham, born at Canton, Connecticut, November 22, 1827, came here about the same time, and in the fall of 1855 they established themselves in the drug business in a two-story frame building which then stood on the north side of Second street between Cedar and Walnut, nearly opposite the old Masonic hall. At that time Dr. Grajam boarded at the Clover House and his brother James at the Irving House. They soon moved to the brick building at 224 Second street, now 305 East Second street, three doors east of Cedar street. For the first five years, the style of the firm was J.E.Graham, which was changed to Graham Brothers, and in 1868, they moved their stock of goods to the brick building which they had purchased three years previously, at the northeast corner of Second and Cedar streets. The father of Dr. I. L. and James E. Graham, Israel W. Graham, was for twenty years a resident of the county. He was born February 25, 1795, at Canton in Hartford county, Connecticut, where his ancestors had lived for several generations, and moved to Muscatine county in 1856, together with his wife, Permelia Ensign Graham, who was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, in 1799, and a daughter, Almira O. Graham, born at Canton, Connecticut, July 30, 1819. The family with the exception of Dr. I. L., and James E. Graham, who came to Muscatine the previous year, located on a farm three miles north of this city on the graded road, where I. W. Graham died December 10, 1876, his wife having preceded him in death August 11, 1870. Almira P. Graham married in 1859, Sylvester C. Hoyt, son of David Hoyt, one of Muscatine's early citizens, and moved to Griggsville, Pike county, Illinois, where she died January 4, 1874. James E. Graham, the younger brother, retired from the firm of Graham Brothers, April 24, 1872, moving to Kalamazoo, Michigan, and later to Woodstock, Illinois,where he died April 29, 1894, leaving a wife, formerly Alice M. Sherfey of this county, whom he married at Muscatine, November 20, 1867, now a resident of Chicago, Illinois, and two sons, Howard E., born in 1869, and Harold W., born in 1888. A daughter, Alice M., was born in 1874 and died in 1891. After James E. Graham withdrew, the business was carried on by Dr. I. L. Graham, and in this he was actively engaged to the time of his death, from apoplexy, December 3, 1886.
On the 11th of December, 1861, Dr. Graham was married in Cromwell, Connecticut, to Mrs. Agnes M. Bronson, the widow of Roswell Bronson, M.D. Her birth occurred in Cromwell, August 19, 1831. She was a daughter of Captain James Butler, Jr., and a granddaughter of Captain James Butler, Sr., both of whom were commanders of sailing vessels which sailed from the Connecticut river to West Indian and Mexico ports. After attending the public schools in Cromwell she entered Mount Holyoke Seminary at South Hadley, Massachusetts, in 1849, and continued her studies there until illness compelled her to desist. She was united in marriage in Oxford, Connecticut, November 3, 1852, to Roswell Bronson, M. D.., whose death occurred December 14, 1855. Of this union was born one son, John, September 19, 1855, who died at the age of eleven months. In 1858 Mrs. Bronson went to Griggsville, Pike county, Illinois, as an instructor in the public schools, which were then under the supervision of Professor William Chamberlain, a relative. She remained there until 1861 and there met Dr. I. L. Graham, who was visiting his sister, Almira P. Hoyt. Mrs. Bronson returned to her home in Cromwell, Connecticut, and after her marriage at that place to Dr. Graham she removed to Muscatine with her husband, who had been in business here during the previous six years. She continued to make this city her home until her death January 6, 1911, after a long illness, duting which she possessed a wonderful degree of patience. She was a woman of refined character, an extensive reader and was fond of her home. At the time of her death she had lived continuously in the residence on the northeast corner of Iowa avenue and Fifth street, which was built by Dr. Graham in 1868. During the greater part of her life here she was a member of the First Congregational church and was an earnest worker in the Woman's Mission Circle of that denomination.
Dr. Graham and his wife had four children, all of whom were born in Muscatine. The two eldest, James Butler, born August 25,1863, and Ida, born January 4, 1865, died in infancy. Mary M who was born August 5, 1866, was married September 18, 1894, to John A. Robbins and died December 20, 1897, being survived by her husband and two children, Agnes and Mary G. Dr. Graham's son Edward Louis, born December 11, 1897, has continued the drug business at the same location since his father's death, having taken a course at the Chicago College of Pharmacy, from which he was graduated with the class of 1889.
Dr. I. L. Graham, although a successful physician, was more closely identified with business interests. He was chosen a director of the Merchants Exchange National Bank, now the First National Bank, when it was organized in 1865, also a director of the Muscatine Savings Bank, now the First Trust and Savings Bank, when it was organized in 1880, and held those positions during his lifetime. He served in public office with faithfulness and ability as a member of the city council in 1872 and 1873, on the school board from 1875 to 1877, and on the board of supervisors from 1876 to 1878, being made chairman of the board in the latter year. He had a decided literary bent and during his early residence here delivered lectures before the Washington Lyceum, Oak Grove Lyceum and Literary Institute. When the Scientific Club was organized he joined that society, later known as the Muscatine Academy of Science, and prepared a number of manuscripts on various subjects. He was for many years a member of the First Congregational church, also of the Masonic order, and of the Old Settlers Society. Active and energetic, he was unassuming, kind-hearted, and of a social disposition, contributing his share toward charitable projects and such public enterprises as he thought were for the best interests of the city. He was considered a man of unusually clear and sound judgment, and upon business and public affairs his advice was valued by his associates.
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