JACKSON ALPHEUS GRAVES

Los Angeles County

Biographies

JACKSON ALPHEUS GRAVES

GRAVES, JACKSON ALPHEUS, Banker and formerly Attorney-at-Law, Los Angeles, California, was born in Hauntown, Clinton County, Iowa, on December 5, 1852. His father was John Q. Graves, and his mother Katherine Jane (Haun) Graves. Mr. Graves was married October 23, 1879, in Los Angeles, to Alice H. Griffith, the issue being: Alice Graves Stewart, wife of H. F. Stewart; Selwyn E. Graves, deceased (March 1, 1908); Katherine Graves Armstrong, wife of E. S. Armstrong; Jackson A. Graves, deceased (March 23, 1910), and Francis Porter Graves.

The Graves family removed to California in October, 1857, locating first in Marysville, Yuba County, where Mr. Graves received his first education from the public schools of that town. He later attended the San Francisco High School, from which he graduated in 1869. His home in the meantime had been moved to San Mateo County, California (1867). After graduating from the San Francisco High School, Mr. Graves entered St. Mary’s College, San Francisco, graduating from that institution in May, 1872, with the degree of A. B., and in 1873 from the same college with the degree of A. M., after which he began the study of law in the offices of the firm of Eastman and Neumann in San Francisco.

On June 5, 1875, Mr. Graves moved to Los Angeles, where he continued his law studies with Mr. Eastman, who had gone to Los Angeles and formed a partnership with the late Judge Brunson. On January 13, 1876, Mr. Graves was admitted to practice by the Supreme Court of the State of California, and then was formed the law firm of Brunson, Eastman and Graves.

From that time on until he forsook the law for the intricacies of finance Mr. Graves had a continuous advancement in position in his profession.

The firm of Brunson, Eastman and Graves was dissolved in June, 1878, and the young attorney practiced alone with most satisfactory results until June 1, 1880, when he associated himself with the late John S. Chapman in the firm of Graves and Chapman; this connection endured until January 1, 1885, when this firm was dissolved and Mr. Graves united his ability with that of Henry W. O’Melveny, the designation being Graves and O’Melveny, the firm being formed on April 10, 1888; later Mr. J. H. Shankland was admitted to the firm and the title read Graves, O’Melveny and Shankland until January 1, 1904, when Mr. Graves withdrew from the practice in order to assume the position of Vice President of the Farmers and Merchants’ Bank of Los Angeles.

He had already, back in 1901, became Vice President, the President being I. W. Hellman, whose enlarged interests about this time called him to San Francisco, and in June, 1903, Mr. Graves entered actively into the management of the bank.

From this time the indication of his talent for business affairs which Mr. Graves had given by his wise investments and capacity for foresight were thoroughly justified; he organized the first title and abstract company in the city; then his activities took the direction of oil matters and he built, with Edward Strasburg, storage tanks near the Llewellyn Iron Works, having organized the Oil Storage and Transportation Company; this property is now owned by the Amalgamated Oil Company; since that period his interests in oil properties throughout the State have vastly increased.

Another industry in which Mr. Graves is largely interested is orange growing. He started in growing citrus fruit more than thirty years ago, and despite his increasing responsibility in connection with other interests, still is active in his groves.

Besides his active place as Vice President of the Farmers and Merchants’ Bank, Mr. Graves is Vice President of the Southern Trust Company, President of the Farmers and Merchants’ National Bank of Redondo, California; President of the United States National Bank of Azusa, California, and is a director in the following institutions: Security Savings Bank and the United States National Banks of Los Angeles; of the Whittier National Bank of Whittier, California; of the First National Bank of Monrovia, California; of the First National Bank of El Monte, California; of the National Bank of Long Beach, and of the Long Beach Savings Bank and Trust Company.

Transcribed 5-16-08 Marilyn R. Pankey.

Source: Press Reference Library, Western Edition Notables of the West, Vol. I, Page 19, International News Service, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, Atlanta. 1913.

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