Elliott R. Graves

GRAVES, CENTER, MCPHERRON, CROW, BYERS, ADAMS

Posted By: Dave Dunston (email)
Date: 6/28/2026 at 16:18:56

E. R. Graves—Obituary

E. R. Graves, the Mills County pioneer who died at his home in Malvern March 10, at the age of 92 years and 18 days, was born in Knox county, Tenn., Feb. 22, 1820.

He was married in 1845, to Alice Jackson Center. His wife died May 18, 1897.

During his life he was a school teacher, carpenter, mill-wright and soldier, fighting on the Union side. Because of his sympathies with the north, a prosperous foundry owned by him at Kingston, in Roan county, Tenn., was destroyed by confederate soldiers.

He came to Iowa, with his family in November, 1854, traveling with an ox team. The family stopped with his brother-in-law, William McPherron, who lived three miles northeast of Tabor. After two years in Iowa he returned with his family to Tenn.

In 1875 they returned to Mills County, where he made a success at farming near Tabor. For the last 23 years he had been a resident of Malvern.

At the time of his death Mr. Graves had 71 living descendants. He was the father of seven sons and four daughters. Two of the sons died in childhood and S. U. Graves, the oldest child, recently died in Omaha. The living children are W. T. Graves of Colorado, U. R. Graves of Malvern, E. C. Graves of Portland, Ore., Mrs. Joann M. Crow of Malvern, Laura B. Graves of Malvern, Mrs. Tennessee M. Byers of Portland, Ore., and Mrs. Adeline L. Adams of Council Bluffs.

Page 2 of Mills County Tribune, published in Glenwood, Iowa, on Monday, March 18th, 1912

http://millscounty.historyarchives.online/viewer?i=f&d=01011868-12311950&k="e%20r%20graves"&m=between&ord=k1&fn=mills_county_tribune_usa_iowa_glenwood_19120318_english_2&df=1&dt=10&cid=3121
 

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