Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 5.djvu/498

 VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

Edward Thomas Parham was born at his father's farm, the old Parham homestead of Lewis E. Parham, in Brunswick county, Virginia, March 30, i860. Left motherless when an infant he was well cared for by others and remained at the home farm at- tending the local school and assisting in farm labors until eighteen years of age, his father dying when he was twelve. From eighteen until attaining legal age, he repre- sented the nursery business, later operating a nursery for himself. For the following five years he was a merchant and farmer in the same county. In 1S88 he began his long connection with the insurance business, starting in Norfolk, Virginia, as representa- tive of the Life Insurance Company of Vir- ginia. He continued in Norfolk until 1890, then located in Danville, where he estab- lished his present agency. The company he represents, The Life Insurance Company of Virginia, is the oldest and largest Southern life insurance company, its home office in Richmond, being officered by Southern men and receiving strong support from Southern insurers. As general agent and manager of the Danville district Mr. Parham has built up a large business for his company, its growth and expansion under his management having been remarkable. He is well known in the business world, is a director of the Virginia National Bank, director of the New Acme Company, director of the Union Building and Loan Association, and has other busi- ness interests. He is a member of the Ma- sonic order, belonging to Roman Eagle Lodge, Euclid Chapter and Commandery No. 7 ; is a Knight of Pythias, and a trustee, member of the Tuscarora Club, member of the Country Club, member of Alain street Methodist Episcopal Church, serving on the board of stewards, librarian of the Sunday school and a valued worker. In political faith he is a Democrat.

Mr. Parham married, in Dinwiddle coun- ty, Virginia, June 10, 1884, Martha Harriet Prince, born in Sussex county, Virginia, daughter of George William Prince, who at the time of his death, in 1865, was holding the office of clerk of court. Sussex county, an office he had held for several years. He married Flarriet S. Alfriend, who survives him, aged seventy-five, residing with her daughter. Martha H., in Danville. Children : Grace Alfriend, born June 4, 1886, married Richard J. Carter, of Danville, chief clerk of

the Southern railroad ; Edward Prince, born October 22, 1895, now a student at \\'ash- ington and Lee University, class of 1918.

Joseph Graham. The Grahams of Pu- laski cuunty, \'irginia, of whom Joseph Gra- ham, sherift' of the county, is representative in the present day. descends from Scotch- Irish ancestry. Graham being one of the old and honored Scotch clans.

Joseph Graham is a grandson of Joseph Graham, a farmer of Pulaski county, Vir- ginia, and son of Dr. Joseph D. Graham, a graduate Doctor of Medicine of the Univer- sity of Pennsylvania, born in 1834, died May I, 1898. Dr. Graham practiced his profes- sion in Pulaski county until the war broke out between the states, when he enlisted in the Fifty-fourth Regiment Virginia Infan- try, Confederate States army. At the first battle of Manassas he was wounded in the shoulder, but after his recovery returned to the army, serving until the surrender of General Lee. After the war he returned to the practice of his profession and also con- ducted farming operations. Dr. Graham married IMary Elizabeth Curin, born in 1844, who yet survives him, daughter of L. A. Curin. Her brother, James Curin, served in the Pulaski Guards and lost his life, while in the Confederate service. Two brothers of Dr. Graham, Robert and Calvin, both served in the Confederate army in Virginia regiments.

Joseph Graham, son of Dr. Joseph D. and Mary Elizabeth (Curin) Graham, was born in Pulaski county, Virginia, December 9, 1870. His father, an honored physician of Pulaski, gave him the advantage of the pri- vate and public schools of the city, but when his school years were ended, the young man chose agriculture as his business and has ever been a farmer, modern, progressive and prosperous. On March 5, 1906, a vacancy occurring in the sheriff's office, Mr. Graham was appointed to fill out the unex- pired term, which expired in 1907. His ad- ministration of the aft'airs of the sheriff's office was so satisfactory to all having deal- ings with that office, that he was elected by the people to serve a full term of four years. When that term expired in 191 1, he was again chosen to succeed himself and yet holds the office, his term expiring January I, 1916. Sheriff' Graham is a member of lodge and chapter of the Masonic order,