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1864 TO 1923 ARCHIVE OF CIVIL WAR SOLDIER, CONGRESSMAN AND BUSINESS MAN “HON. WILLIAM H. GRAHAM” OF PITTSBURGH, PA.
WILLIAM GRAHAM WAS BORN ON AUG. 3, 1844 IN ALLEGHENY, PA (A TOWN LATER INCORPORATED INTO TODAY’S “NORTHSIDE” OF PITTSBURGH, PA). GRAHAM ENLISTED INTO THE UNION ARMY AT THE AGE OF 17 BY JOINING CO. A, SECOND WEST VIRGINIA INFANTRY (WHICH WAS LATER MERGED INTO THE 5TH WV CAVALRY) AND WAS SERIOUSLY WOUNDED AT THE BATTLE OF WHITE SULPHER SPRINGS, WV. OF NOTE, HE WAS LATER SELECTED TO DELIVER THE MESSAGE OF LEE’S SURREDER TO GRANT AT APPOMATTOX COURTHOUSE, VA. FROM THAT POINT ON, HE WAS VERY ACTIVE IN G.A.R. CIRCLES. AFTER THE WAR HE SERVED SEVERAL ELECTED TERMS AS COUNTY RECORDER AND AIDED IN THE ORGANIZATION OF THE FEDERAL STREET AND VALLEY STREET RAILWAY COMPANY. HE SERVED SEVERAL TERMS AS CONGRESSMAN REPRESENTING THE 29TH DISTRICT. HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH U.S. HOUSE SPEAKER JOSEPH GURNEY CANNON FROM ILLINOIS IS EVIDENCED BY TWO OF THE CANNON AUTOGRAPHED ITEMS NOTED BELOW. (CANNON IS CONSIDERED BY MANY TO BE THE MOST POWERFUL SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE IN HISTORY SERVING FROM 1903 TO 1911.) GRAHAM WAS ALSO A PRESIDENT OF BOTH THE MERCANTILE TRUST CO. AND THE MERCANTILE BANK OF PITTSBURGH. HE DIED AT THE AGE OF 79 IN 1923.
INCLUDED IN THIS ARCHIVE ARE:
1/30/1865 ARMY LINE PASS TO DEPART TO HARPERS FERRY WV AND RETURN,
5/21/1867 WV NOTE OF APPRECIATION AWARDING A MEDAL FOR WAR SERVICES,
9/30/1869 PHOTOGRAPH MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE (WIFE SADIE K. SHIELDS),
12/28/1887 CERTIFICATE FOR POSITION OF RECORDER OF DEEDS,
5/4/1888 U.S. SEC. OF STATE CERTIFICATE TO “FREELY PASS” (WITH LARGE EAGLE WATERMARK),
6/4/1898 CONGRESS CAMPAIGN ‘SKETCH OF HON. WILLIAM H. GRAHAM”,
2/2/1899 GRAHAM CONGRESSIONAL SPEECH TRACT RE: ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PA,
ADVERTISING CARD “HOW SHERIDAN CAME” BY BUTTS & PHILLIPS,
ADVERTISING CARD “AGE OF BOYS WHO FOUGHT THE UNION BATTLES…”,
HOUSE REP. NICHOLAS LONGWORTH LETTER ARRANGES BUSINESS CONTRACT MEETING,
PHOTOGRAPH OF GRAHAM (APPROXIMATELY 5-3/4” X 3-1/2”),
REAL PHOTO POSTCARD OF LARGE HOME (PRESUMED TO BE GRAHAM’S HOUSE),
5/7/1906 AUTOGRAPH 7-1/2” X 9-1/2” PHOTO OF HOUSE SPEAKER JOSEPH GURNEY GRAHAM,
11/16/1908 AUTOGRAPH LETTER OF HOUSE SPEAKER JOSEPH GURNEY CANNON,
6/4/1910 CAMPAIGN BUSINESS CARD DEPICTING 16 YEAR OLD SOLDIER GRAHAM
4/10/1922 APPOMATTOX DAY CELEBRATION PROGRAM (GRAHAM IS A SPEAKER),
MISCELLANEOUS EMPTY ENVELOPES,
NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS REGARDING GRAHAM’S LIFE AND CAREER.
CONDITION: TONING, EDGE WEAR, FOXING SPOTS. PHOTOGRAPH CERTIFICATE IS MISSING THE GRAHAM PHOTOS AND IS DETACHED AT CENTER. Please see photos for additional condition review. Questions welcome!
