Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 04.djvu/376

 GRAHAM

GRAHAM

Fillmore in establishing commercial relations with Japan and proposed and fitted out Commo- dore Perry's expedition of 1853-54, which carried the President's letter to the Emperor of Japan, and another expedition in 185], to explore the valley of the Amazon in the interests of com- merce. He resigned from the cabinet in 1852, on receiving from the Whig national convention the nomination for Vice-President of the United States on the ticket with Gen. Winfield Scott for President, and on the defeat of his party returned to the practice of law. He was a member of the North Carolina house of commons, 1854^55 ; can- vassed the state for Bell and Everett in 1860, and in 1861 when his state threatened to secede he opposed the measure. On the passage of the or- dinance he still opposed joining the Confederacy, being unwilling thus to surrender the sover- eignty of the state. He was a state senator, 1861- 64, and in December, 1863, he was elected to the Confederate States senate, taking his seat in May, 1864, and serving until that body was dis- solved. He advocated negotiating for peace with the Federal government, and the Hampton Roads conference was brought about largely through his influence : and after its failure he advocated the negotiations of peace between the Confeder- ate States and the United States. After the close of the war he was elected to the state legislature but could not take his seat on account of the re- construction act. He was also elected to the U.S. senate and personally presented his credentials to that body with a memorial but was refused a seat for the same reason. He was a member of the Union national convention of 1866, called at Philadelphia to support the policy of President Johnson and in 1875 he was appointed by Presi- dent Grant a member of the commission to settle the boundary dispute beween the states of Vir- ginia and Maryland. He was one of the trustees of the Peabody education fuml ; a trustee of the University of North Carolina, from which institution he received the degree of LL.D., and was noiuinated by acclamation as a delegate to the North Carolina state constitutional conven- tion of 1875, but did not serve on account of the condition of his health. He married in 1836 a daughter of John Washington of Newbern, N.C. He died at Saratoga Springs, N.Y., Aug. 11, 1875. GRAHAM, William Harrison, representative, was born in Allpi^heny, Pa., Aug. 3, 1844; son of Harrison and Elizabeth (Thornley) Graham, and grand.son of William and Margaret (Harrison) Graham, and of William and Mary (Hartley) Thornley. He acquired his education in tiie pub- lic schools and when a boy went to work in a brass foundry. He served in the 2d Virginia in- fantry and in the 5th West Virginia cavalry, 1861-65. He became president of the Mercantile

trust company in 1894, and of the Central acci- dent insurance company in 1895, both of Pitts- burg. He was recorder of deeds for Allegheny county for three terms, 1881-90, and a represent- ative in the Pennsylvania legislature, 1875-78. He was elected U.S. representative to. fill a vacancy in the 55th congress caused by the resig- nation of William A. Stone, and served from December, 1898, to March 3, 1899, and was re- elected by the Rejiublican party a representative from the 23d Penns3'lv,iiiia district in the 56th, and 57tli congresses. If^'.iO- IMC!.

QRAHAM, William Montrose, soldier, was boi'n in Prince William county, Va., Feb. 11, 1798; son of William and Mary (Campbell) Gra- ham ; grandson of John Graham, who came from Sterling, Scotland, to Virginia in 1736, and great^ grandson of Dr. William Cocke, who cailre from England as King's council to Williamsburg, Va., in 1681. His father, William Graham, served as surgeon's mate of the 2d Virginia regiment in the Revolutionary war, from March, 1777, to September, 1778. William Montrose saw his first active service in the battle of Tijjpecanoe in 1811, and for his gallant conduct in that battle was appointed a cadet in the U.S. military academy, June 11, 1813, whence he was graduated, July 17, 1817, as lieutenant of artillery. He was promoted 1st lieutenant, Aug. 11, 1819, served in gaiTison and on commissary duty in Louisiana and Florida, 1820-29, and was brevetted captain, Aug. 11, 1829, for faithful service. He was promoted cap- tain, April 4, 1832, and served in the war against the Seminole Indians, 183.5-38 and 1841^2, being twice severely wounded. He was brevetted major, Dec. 31, 1835, for gallantry and good con- duct at Withlacoochee, where he received the wounds above mentioned. He was on frontier duty at Fort Scott, Kan., 1842^5; in military occupation of Texas, 1845-46, and served in the war with Mexico, 1846-48, participating in the battles of Palo Alto, Resaca de la Palnia, Monte- rey, the siege of Vera Cruz, and the battles of Churubusco and Molino del Rey. He was jiro- moted major, 2d infantry, Feb. 16, 1847, and lieu- tenant colonel. 11th infantrj", in April, 1847. He was killed in an assault on the enemy's works at the battle of Jlolino del Rey. Sept. 8, 1847.

QRAHAM, William Montrose, soldier, was born in Washington, D.C., Sept. 28, 1834; son of James Duncan and Charlotte (Meade) Graham, and grandson of Dr. William Montrose and Mary (Campbell) Graham. He was appointed 2d lieu- tenant of the 1st artillery June 7, 1855 ; 1st lieu- tenant March 1, 1861; and captain Oct. 26. 1861. He served through the civil war as an officer in the regular army. He was brevetted major, July 1, 1862, for gallant and meritorious .services dur- ing the Peninsular campaign; lieutenant-colo-