Families of William Alexander Graham
WILLIAM ALEXANDER GRAHAM, son of MARTHA SMITH HAWKINS and WILLIAM ROBINSON GRAHAM, was born January 23, 1875 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois,250, 796, 1636 and died October 8, 1954 in Corona, Riverside, California.250, 1951 He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia.796, 456
He married (1) ADA JUNE HOUCK on June 25, 1902 in Oskaloosa, Mahaska, Iowa.1853 She was born November 7, 1872 in Harristown, Macon, Illinois,628 and died in April, 1935 in Walter Reed Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia. She is buried in Graceland Cemetery, Webster City, Hamilton, Iowa.456
He married (2) HELEN JEANETTE BURY on November 28, 1935 in Baltimore, Maryland.4208 She was born November 20, 1901 in Maryland,250 and died January 1, 1993 in Los Angeles County, California.250 She is buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia.456
Children of ADA JUNE HOUCK and WILLIAM ALEXANDER GRAHAM:
- ALEXANDER GRAHAM, b. January 11, 1909, Des Moines, Polk, Iowa;1950, 13 m. FRANCES LYON DEVERS on August 2, 1935 in Fort Myer, Virginia120; d. November 27, 1977, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Children of HELEN JEANETTE BURY and WILLIAM ALEXANDER GRAHAM:
- Son
Alexander
Marriage Announcements and News
Waterloo Daily Courier, August 11, 19021948
A LAWYER TO MARRY
W. A. Graham and Miss Ada Houck the Parties.
Bride Has Been High School Teacher at Cedar Falls.
Cedar Falls, Aug. 11.—(Special)—The announcement of the marriage of W. A. Graham of the law firm of McVey & Graham of Des Moines and Miss Ada Houck, was received here yesterday. The bride was formerly of Webster City and last year was the popular and successful principal of our Cedar Falls high school. Mr. Graham is well known in Waterloo, as he has always resided in Cedar Falls and practice law for two or three years in this city before going into partnership with McVey & McVey of Des Moines last June. Supt. Kelley yesterday received the resignation of Mrs. W. A. Graham and several applications have already come to the school board for the position of principal of the high school.
Semi-Weekly Cedar Falls Gazette, August 12, 19021947
Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Graham are now at home to their friends at 1806 Arlington Avenue, Des Moines. Mrs. Graham was formerly Miss Ada Houck, of Webster City, and was last year the successful and popluar principal of the Cedar Falls High School. The announcement of their marriage came as a surprise to Cedar falls frineds, but all join in extending greetings and trust that happiness may attend them through life.
Waterloo Courier, August 12, 19021949
A MARRIAGE SECRET OUT
Pair Wedded Last June Just Disclose the News.
W. A. Graham of Des Moines; Ada Houck of Webster City.
Another Evidence a Woman Can Keep a Secret.
Descended from a famous clan of Scotts, running down through a line of ancestors, remarkable for individuality, ways of their own and their strong features, W. A. Graham, "Sandy," inherited, among other of his ancestors' fine qualities, a large fund of dry humor. In small bits he was always in the habit of perpetrating it on Cedar Falls, but never gave the community a full exhibition of it until he got married. His marriage to Miss Ada Houck of Webster City was celebrated at Oskaloosa last June, but not a murmur was heard of it in Cedar Falls until yesterday, when the announcement was made. It came as a thunderclap from a clear sky. The bride had been the very successful principal of the high school and had signed the contract for another year. She is a beautiful woman and social favorite, people and pupils like her and int he regular order of events would have hailed her marriage to a promising and talented man like Mr. Graham, with joy. But to be cheated out of the pleasure of a month's choice gossip of the coming marriage is more than they can bear with equanimity. To be talking of a coming marriage, figuring on what the bride would wear and where the ceremony would take place, and under what kind of a bower the couple would stand, and who would play the march and names of the bride's maids and all of a thousand and one things connected with the interesting event, only to learn that the marriage was over two months ago, the first flush of the honeymoon was passed and that the couple had become plain man and wife, was a blow to the elite of Cedar Falls, such as they never vefore experienced.
It must be confessed that signing a contract for another year by Miss Houck was a very shrewd device to keep off suspicion, and done at a time when she must already have been thinking of what she would wear and the cut and material of her wedding gown. It is reported from our sister city that they kick on that savagely, but as we view it, it was perfectly legitimate. You must remember that "between the cup and the lip there is many a slip," and it is a wise head on a schoolmarm who prepares herself accordingly. A good general, even when sure of success, makes his plans in advance should defeat befall him. Miss Houck knew that her sudden resignation would inconvenience no one; any teacher's position vacated can be filled in a day. So we would advice our Cedar Falls friends to kepp their shirts on.
Of course it was a little mean of "Sandy" to go and cheat the boys out of the good time expected, but certainly no sensible man would blame him for closing his life among them with a first-class joke. But it is over now, that is, the marriage, the secret is out and W. A. Graham, of the law firm of McVey & Graham, Des Moines, Iowa, and Mrs. W. A. Graham, nee Miss Ada Houck, have settled down to enjoy the sweets of married life at No. 1806 Arlington avenue, Des Moines. Let us all congratulate them and be happy with them.
Newspaper Articles
Waterloo Daily Courier, July 29, 18981457
The Tennis clubs of New Hartford and Cedar Falls came together on the grounds here Tuesday afternoon and evening and the result was a victory for the visitors. The Cedar Falls players were W. A. Graham, Gus Graham, LeClaire Martin and Will Bartlett.
Cedar Falls Gazette, December 12, 19031942
W.A. Graham of Des Moines has sold his interest in the law firm of McVey, McVey & Graham and has turned his attention to journalistic work. He is now engaged as court reporter on the Register & Leader, a position he is well qualified to fill with his knowledge of law and is ability as a writer.
Waterloo Times-Tribune, July 3, 19061456
Cedar Falls, July 2.—(Special Correspondence.)—W. A. Graham of Des Moines is visiting his mother of this city. Mr. Graham has been to Ann Arbor, Mich., to attend the graduation of his brother, Gus Graham, from the law department.
Waterloo Evening Courier, August 7, 1929774
Cedar Falls Girl Quits Japan for U.S.
Cedar Falls, Aug. 7.—Miss Helen Martin, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. LeClair Martin, of this city, who spent the last several months in Japan, at the home of an uncle, Victor Martin, writes relatives here she has started upon her return trip to the United States.
En route she will stop in the Philippines to spend several weeks at the home of Major and Mrs. W. A. Graham, former residents of Cedar Falls, who have been stationed in the Phillippines the last few years.
The Grahams have been ordered to return to the United States and will accompany Miss Martin on the return trip. It is believed they will arrive some time in October.
Obituaries
Bridgeport Telegram, October 11, 19541951
CORONA, Calif. — Col. William Alexander Graham, 79, outstanding authority on the history of the Custer massacre, and for many years a lawyer in Chicago and Des Moines. Born in Chicago. Died Friday.
New York Times, October 11, 1954120
COL. W. A. GRAHAM, WAR HISTORIAN, 79
Expert on Custer Massacre and Indian Battles Dies—Served With MacArthur
Special to The New York Times.
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 10—Col. William Alexander Graham, an authority on the circumstances and events surrounding the Custer massacre, died at Corona Naval Hospital late Friday after a heart attach. He was 79 years old. His body will be sent to Arlington National Cemetery Tuesday for burial.
Born in Chicago, Colonel Graham was a graduate of Beloit College and Stanford. Admitted to the Iowa bar in 1897, he was for many years a practicing attorney in Chicago and Des Moines.
He began his military career with service during the 1916 Mexican border campaign and served with the A. E. F. in France for two years. Later, he was judge advocat on Gen. Douglas MacArthur's staff in the Philippines.
A student of the Indian wars of the latter phase of the frontier, Colonel Graham was widely known for his books on matters concerning the defeat of Gen. George A. Custer by the Sioux under Crazy Horse on June 15, 1876, on the Little Big Horn River of Montana.
He leaves his wife, Mrs. Helen B. Graham of Pacific Palisades, and two sons, Col. Alex Graham a West Point graduate now at the Pentagon, and William A. Graham, Jr., a midshipman in his first year at the United States Naval Academy.
Census Records
| Date | Location | Enumerated Names |
|---|---|---|
| June 8, 1880811 | Cedar Falls, Black Hawk, Iowa |
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| January 1, 188583 | Cedar Falls, Black Hawk, Iowa |
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| June 9, 1900810 | Cedar Falls, Black Hawk, Iowa |
|
| April 23, 1910809 | Des Moines, Polk, Iowa |
|
| January 9, 19201795 | Des Moines, Polk, Iowa |
|
| 1925328 | Des Moines, Polk, Iowa |
|
| April 15, 1930678 | Washington, District of Columbia |
|
| April 16, 19402537 | Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California |
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