Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 04.djvu/375

 GRAHAM

GRAHAM

from his father, a graduate of Oxford university. In 1813 he began to teach and subsequently en- tered Amherst college with the intention of studying for the ministry. After a short time there he was invited by the faculty to leave, hav- ing exhibited ability for elocution and acting, which was considered unbecoming in one preijar- ing for the ministry. In 183G, however, he was ordained a Presbj'terian clergyman. Four years later while delivering a course of lectures before the Pennsylvania temperance society, he was im- pressed with the idea that a vegetable diet would alleviate an appetite for stimulants. The re- mainder of his life was given up to the study of this theory and to the demonstration of its value, until he finally advocated the vegetable diet as a cure for all diseases. At first lie met with great opposition, especially from butchers and bakers, but subsequently gained a considerable following. His name was given to unbolted wheat flour, which he introduced as a food. He is the author of an Essay on Cholera (1832) ; TTie ^sculapian Tablets of the XineteeiUh Century (1834) ; Science of Human Life (1836) ; A Lecture to Young Men on Chastity (1838); Bread and Bread-making; and one volume of The Philosophy of Sacred History. He died at Northampton, Mass., Sept. 11, 1851. GRAHAM, William, educator, was born in Paxton township. Pa., Dec. 19, 1746; son of Michael Graham, who emigrated from Ireland to America about 1723, and settled in Pennsylvania. William attended the common schools and was graduated from the College of New Jersey, A.B., 1773, A.M., 1776; studied theologj', and was assistant to the Rev. John Brown in a classical school established in a log school-house at Mount Pleasant, Va., which through its amalgamation with Augusta academy grew into Washington college and Washington and Lee university. On Oct. 26, 177.5, he was received as a minister by the Presbytery of Hanover at Timber Ridge, Va. In 1774 he became rector of the log school-house then known as .4ugusta academy, which became Liberty Hall, May 6, 1776; John Montgomery being his assistant. He also filled the chair of moral and intellectual philosophj' and he added to his duties as rector those of pastor of two churches and of manager of a farm on North river near Lexington. The academy was re- moved to Timber Ridge in 1777. and to near his fai-m at Lexington. Va., in 1783. when it was chartered by the Virginia assembly. The first class was graduated in 1783, the name having been changed in 1784 to Washington academy in recognition of a gift by General Washington, of 100 shares of stock of the James River canal com- pany valued at the time at 850.000. He resigned the presidency of Washington academy in 1 796 and went to the Ohio where he purchased land

with the design of settling there with his family and a few chosen friends. He was on a journey from the Ohio to Richmond, Va., when he died at the home of his friend. Colonel Gamble, and he was buried near the south door of the Episcopal church on Church hill, rendered historical bj- the oration of Patrick Henry. President Graham was a trustee of Liberty Hall academy 1776-83, and president of the board of trustees of Wash- ington academy, 1783-96. He was with John Sevier, David Campbell, Landon Carter, Samuel Houstoun and Samuel Doak, a member of the convention of 1784, to form a plan of government for the proposed state of Frank land, and drew up a plan of constitution which was not pre- served, the project falling through as it infringed on the rights of the state of Nortli Carolina. He died in Richmond, Va.. June 8. 1799.

QRAHAM, William Alexander, statesman, was born in Lincoln county, N.C., Sept. 5, 1804; son of Gen. Joseph and Isabella (Davidson) Gra- ham ; grandson of James Graham of Lancaster county, Pa., and of Maj. John Davidson, one of the signers of the Mecklenburg Declaration ; and a descendant of the Scotch-Irish Gra- hams, who went to Pennsylvania from the north of Ireland. His father vcas a Rev- olutionary soldier conspicuous for his bravery. The son was prepared for college by the Rev. Dr. Muchat at States- ville, N.C., and at the Hillsborough acad- emy, and was gradu- ated at the University "^^^ ^y^ "^ ^ of North Carolina in

1824. After a course in law at the office of Chief- Justice Ruffin he was admitted to the bar in 1826 and practised at Hillsborough, N.C. He was a state representative in 1833, 1835, 1838 and 1840, and was chairman of the committee on judiciary and speaker of the House of Commons during the sessions of 1838 and 1840. He was elected to the U.S. senate as successor to Judge Robert Strange, resigned, serving from Dec. 10, 1840, to March 4, 1843. He was elected governor of North Carolina in 1844, after an extended canvas with Jlichael Hoke, Democrat, a classmate and friend, and he served as governor for two terms, 1845^9. He was offered his choice of the mission to Russia or that to Spain by President Taylor in 1849, but declined either and in 1850 President Fillmore appointed him secretary of the navy in his cabi- net. Secretary Graham acted with President