William Harrison Graham
Encyclopedia
William Harrison Graham (August 3, 1844 – March 2, 1923) was a U.S. Representative from the state
of Pennsylvania
.
(now part of Pittsburgh
, Pennsylvania
). During the American Civil War
, he enlisted on April 5, 1861, in the Second Regiment of the Virginia Infantry
of the Union Army
. After a service of two years, the unit was mounted and became the Fifth Regiment of West Virginia Cavalry
. He was mustered out June 14, 1864. He engaged in the leather business in Allegheny. He served as a member of the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives from 1875 to 1878, and as Recorder of deeds
of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
, from 1882 to 1891. He was also engaged in banking.
Graham was elected as a Republican to the Fifty-fifth
Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of William A. Stone
. He was reelected to the Fifty-sixth
and Fifty-seventh
Congresses. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1902
. He was again elected to the Fifty-ninth
, Sixtieth
, and Sixty-first
Congresses. He served as chairman of the United States House Committee on Ventilation and Acoustics
during the Sixtieth Congress, and of the United States House Committee on Expenditures in the Department of Agriculture during the Sixty-first Congress. He was an unsuccessful candidate in the Republican primaries for renomination. After his time in Congress, he served as a member of the Allegheny County Board of Viewers from 1911 to 1923. He died in Pittsburgh in 1923. Interment in Highwood Cemetery.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
Biography
William H. Graham was born in Allegheny, PennsylvaniaAllegheny, Pennsylvania
Allegheny City was a Pennsylvania municipality located on the north side of the junction of the Allegheny and Ohio rivers, across from downtown Pittsburgh. It was annexed by Pittsburgh in 1907...
(now part of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
). During the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, he enlisted on April 5, 1861, in the Second Regiment of the Virginia Infantry
2nd West Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment
The 2nd West Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Mustering:...
of the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
. After a service of two years, the unit was mounted and became the Fifth Regiment of West Virginia Cavalry
5th West Virginia Volunteer Cavalry Regiment
The 5th West Virginia Volunteer Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 5th West Virginia Cavalry was organized from the 2nd West Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment on January 26, 1864...
. He was mustered out June 14, 1864. He engaged in the leather business in Allegheny. He served as a member of the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives from 1875 to 1878, and as Recorder of deeds
Recorder of deeds
Recorder of deeds is a government office tasked with maintaining public records and documents, especially records relating to real estate ownership that provide persons other than the owner of a property with real rights over that property.-Background:...
of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Allegheny County is a county in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,223,348; making it the second most populous county in Pennsylvania, following Philadelphia County. The county seat is Pittsburgh...
, from 1882 to 1891. He was also engaged in banking.
Graham was elected as a Republican to the Fifty-fifth
55th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:* Republican: 206 * Democratic: 124* Populist: 22* Silver Republican: 3* Silver: 1* Independent Republican: 1TOTAL members: 357-Leadership:-Senate:* President: Garret Hobart * President pro tempore: William P...
Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of William A. Stone
William A. Stone
William Alexis Stone was the 22nd Governor of Pennsylvania from 1899 to 1903.-Early life:Stone was born in Wellsboro, Pennsylvania. In 1864, Stone enlisted in the Union Army as a private during the American Civil War, and became a second lieutenant in 1865. He continued his military service after...
. He was reelected to the Fifty-sixth
56th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:- Leadership :- Senate :* President: Garret Hobart , until November 21, 1899 , vacant thereafter.* President pro tempore: William P. Frye * Democratic Caucus Chairman: James K. Jones...
and Fifty-seventh
57th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:*Democratic: 151*Republican: 200 *Populist: 5*Silver : 1TOTAL members: 357-Leadership:-Senate:* President: Theodore Roosevelt , until September 14, 1901, vacant thereafter....
Congresses. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1902
United States House election, 1902
The 1902 elections for the United States House of Representatives occurred in the middle of President Theodore Roosevelt's first term, about a year after the assassination of President William McKinley in September 1901....
. He was again elected to the Fifty-ninth
59th United States Congress
The Fifty-ninth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from March 4, 1905 to March 4, 1907, during the fifth and sixth...
, Sixtieth
60th United States Congress
The Sixtieth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from March 4, 1907 to March 4, 1909, during the last two years of...
, and Sixty-first
61st United States Congress
The Sixty-first United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from March 4, 1909 to March 4, 1911, during the first two years of...
Congresses. He served as chairman of the United States House Committee on Ventilation and Acoustics
United States House Committee on Ventilation and Acoustics
The United States House Committee on Ventilation and Acoustics is a former standing committee of the United States House of Representatives.The committee was established to have jurisdiction over subjects related to the ventilation and acoustics of the Hall of the House of Representatives...
during the Sixtieth Congress, and of the United States House Committee on Expenditures in the Department of Agriculture during the Sixty-first Congress. He was an unsuccessful candidate in the Republican primaries for renomination. After his time in Congress, he served as a member of the Allegheny County Board of Viewers from 1911 to 1923. He died in Pittsburgh in 1923. Interment in Highwood Cemetery.