History
of Tama County, Iowa
Springfield, Ill., Union Publishing Company, 1883.
G
Unless otherwise noted, bios
were submitted by Dick Barton.
JAMES R GRAHAM
The first land actually entered in this township was by James R. and Thomas A. Graham, natives of New York, who came here from Illinois in 1853. The former selected the northeast quarter of section 25, which he improved and lived upon until the time of his death in August 1881. His widow now makes this her home.
James R. Graham was a native of New York, born May 31, 1812. When a young man he learned the blacksmith's trade, at which he worked in his native State until 1853, when he came to Iowa, and settled in town 83, range 13, in Tama county, purchasing land on section 25. Mr. Graham was married in 1838 to Miss Margaret Pound, a native of Orange county, New York. Seven children have been born to them, five of whom are now living: Margaret A., Charles H., James H., Jada E. and John W. Mr. Graham was one of the first township officers and was the first postmaster at Traer.
ROBERT
GRANGER
ROBERT
GRANGER, another settler of 1854, a native of England, came here from
Lake county, Illinois, and entered the west half of the southeast quarter
of section 36, and the southeast quarter of the northwest quarter of
the same section. He improved his land and lived there until 1874, when
he bought a residence in Traer, moved there and yet remains, having
rented his farm.
...
Robert Granger,
a retired farmer, settled in Buckingham township, on section 36. He
was one of the earliest settlers of this township; born in Cambridgeshire,
England, May 27, 1807, where he lived until twenty- six years of age.
He was married to Miss Elizabeth Newman, born February 22, 1809, in
the same shire. In 1833, they came to New York by the American packet
ship, Sampson. Mr. Granger has an excellent memory and despite his seventy-six
years, he has a clear recollection of events and dates from the time
he left his native land. They sailed from St. Catherine's dock, London,
on the 27th of May, 1833, and were fifty-six days in crossing the Atlantic
to New York. From the latter city they went to Albany, by tow-boat,
thence by the Erie Canal to Buffalo, where they took the steamer Uncle
Sam, for Cleveland, this being the first steamer that plied between
Buffalo and Cleveland. Mr. Granger learned the trade of a carpenter
and wagon maker in his native land and was engaged in mechanical work
for many years. He resided in Ohio till 1846, then in August removed
to Cook county, Illinois, and the following fall removed to what is
now known as Fremont township, Lake county. He attended the first township
election held in that county. Mr. Granger improved his farm of forty
acres and remained in Lake county, for seven and a half years, then
in May, 1854, came to Tama county, and settled in Buckingham township,
on 120 acres of land, which he still owns. He has also ten acres of
timbered land. He retired from the farm and settled in Traer in 1875.
Mr. and Mrs. Granger have had eight children, four of whom are living
- Elizabeth H., married George Kober, who died in April, 1873. She is
now the wife of John Kober, brother of the deceased; Eliza A., wife
of Eleazer Stoakes; Mary H., wife of Elias Whiteman; and Alice R., wife
of Albert Lee Ferguson. They have lost two sons and two daughters -
a son and two daughters died in Richfield, Ohio; and George E., the
youngest of the family, died in Buckingham township, in April, 1865.
Mr. and Mrs. G. are at present members of the Congregational Church,
but were for forty years members of the Methodist Church. They were
married July 29, 1832, and celebrated their golden wedding about one
year since.
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