Glenn County
Biographies
COLONEL F. A. GRAVES
The name of Graves is a notable one
in the history of Glenn County and the Sacramento Valley, for members of this
family have been men of achievement in the affairs of this section, have won
material rewards beyond the ordinary, and have been men of clean honorable
lives, public spirited and enthusiastic participants in the interests of the
community. A worthy representative of
the family is Colonel F. A. Graves, who is now residing at Orland, and is
operating an extensive farm of fifteen hundred acres on the Newville road seven
miles northwest of Orland, where he does general farm and stock raising, having
about eight hundred head of sheep.
Colonel Graves has faithfully moulded his life according to the
principles advocated by his worthy sire, and is one of the most respected and
influential men of Glenn County. He has
never aspired to the limelight personally, but has lent his support to
everything which he considers of merit in city and county.
Fremont
Ashurst Graves was born in Missouri, May 24, 1860, a
son of Fountain Columbus and Levina J. (Ashurst) Graves, both of whom were born
in Pulaski County, Kentucky, the father on July 6, 1828. They crossed the western plains to California
in the year 1861, Fountain C. Graves having been captain of a train of fourteen
wagons on the long trip. En route they
traded their ox teams for mules to facilitate their speed. They went direct to Colorado, then took the
northern route through Utah, and first settled at Red Bluff, California. After looking over the country Mr. Graves
located in Colusa County, in the portion that is now Glenn County, five miles
northwest of Orland, where he passed the remainder of his life. He was a stockman, raising sheep, cattle, and
hogs. He also did considerable dry
farming, and owned one thousand acres of land, on which tract his son, W. R.
Graves, now lives. He was known widely
as an honorable man, of kindly nature, and he reared his family according to
the highest Christian principles. He had
great ability as a mechanic, and was very dexterous in making things which he
needed. He was an active worker in the
interest of irrigation, which greatly enhanced the value of property in
general, the main irrigation ditch being known as the Stony Creek irrigation
ditch. Fountain C. Graves was likewise a
prime mover in the establishment of the Newville road to the Sacramento River,
and circulated the first petition which was completed for this road. He located the Chamberlain brothers on the
site of the present city of Orland, and predicted correctly that this location
would be a worth-while community in the future.
He was a Republican, and a member of the Masonic blue lodge at Orland,
and the chapter and commandery at Chico.
The father of Fountain C. Graves was Hiram T. Graves, who was a native
of Madison County, Kentucky, and his grandfather was Robert Graves, who came to
Kentucky from the Carolinas in a very early day. Both Fountain C. Graves and his wife passed
away in Glenn County, California. It was
Mrs. Graves who wanted to come to California, her people having previously
removed to this state, settling in Colusa County. Mrs. Graves took an active part in many interests of pioneer
times, was matron of the Eastern Star in Orland and was a most kindly woman,
guided by high principles in every relation of life, so that all who knew her
delighted in her friendship.
To
Fountain C. Graves and his wife there were eight children, as follows: Fernando Cortez, now deceased, who was a
farmer; F. A., of this review; Betty, who married W. H. Bates, and now living
in Woodland, California; W. R., who married Jessie Boyd, and lives on the old
Graves homestead; Amy H., who married W. P. Gay, a rancher residing at Orland;
Harry, a rancher and stockman living on the Newville road; Carrie, who married
Edward Nielson, a retired merchant now residing in Willows, California; and
Annie B., who married W. A. Glenn, a sheep and stockman, living fourteen miles
northwest of Orland on the Newville road. Colonel
F. A. Graves was married November 3, 1887, to Nellie Estee, a daughter of Frank
and Charlotte (Maloney) Estee, the mother a native of Belfast, Ireland. Mrs. Graves was born at Marysville,
California. Her parents, who were early
pioneers of California, both died while she was very young. Colonel and Mrs. Graves are the parents of
two children: Leslie B.,
is engaged in raising sheep and turkeys at Willows, and married Ethel Simpson;
and Lavene, who is now employed by the Bank of America at Oakland, California.
Colonel
Graves carries on general farming on his fifteen hundred acres of land, and is
now running about eight hundred head of sheep.
He lives in the city of Orland, where he moved in 1916. He is a Republican in politics and served as
under-sheriff for seven years and three months, but has never sought public
office. He belongs to the Masonic lodge
at Willows, also the Eastern Star, and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at
Orland. His wife is also a member of the
Eastern Star, and a prominent worker in the Orland Improvement Club.
Transcribed by
Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
Wooldridge, J. W. Major, History of
Sacramento Valley California, Vol. 2 Pages 346-348. Pioneer
Historical Publishing Co. Chicago 1931.
© 2010 Gerald Iaquinta.
Golden Nugget Library's Glenn County
Biographies