The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1894-04-06
HON. LUTHER R. GRAVES.

known citizens of Bennington. His de-
cease was not unexpected, but the vigor
of his constitution ''stood uD'' against
disease for long time and withstood
what would have carried off many a
younger man of less good habits. Mr..
Graves's life reads like fiction. Begin
ming with nothing but his two hands,
firm purpose to succeed, good health,
and the opportunity furnished all Amer
leans to rise in the world, he lived to a
good old age, amassed fine fortune and
passed away, respected by a very large
circle of business acquaintance.
The funeral was held from his resi-
dence, Washington avenue, Tuesday
morning, at 10 o'clock, the spacious
mansion being filled with relatives, bust
ness men. and people, generally. By his
request, the Rev. Edward E. Conover
First Baptist church, the Rev. A. Mac
george. The banks were closed during
the obseqmes and the directors and
trustees attended in body. The train
from Troy, N. Y, brought a number of
! business men and bankers, most of
whom had been Mr.. Graves's associates
in the latter calling, in that city. The
| floral offerings were of the finest we have
ever seen. The casket was appropriate
ly decorated with three palms, tied with
purple ribbon. The bearers we're the
| five sons of the deceased, and his grand
son, Jllins Graves. The remains we're
laid at rest in the old historic cemetery
at Bennington Centre.
Luther Russell Graves was born in
Shrewsbury, Rutland county, November
Goth. 1912. of poor but respected parents.
His father, Luther Graves, was farmer
who worked, with the assistance of mis-
children, ninety-six acres of poor land in
| that town. His mothers maiden name
was Roxianna Case. There were nine
children in the family, five boys and four
girls, and to each boy the father gave
one years time. The subject of this
sketch refused to take his time at the
age of 20, and continued on the farm I'M
til he attained his majority. The
piled to making the homestead comfort
able, new farm house being built.
Meantime, Mr.. Graves's education had
been only that afforded by scant attend
ance upon the district school of that
day. Mr.. Graves's first labor for him
self was in the employ of a neighbor,
one month for SO. From that period he
worked in an adjoining town while, at
an increase of pay, and for two years.
Il
thereafter in Thompson, Conn, bottom.
ing shoes in factory just then started.
| BY constant attention to business, he,
made 81 per day where 81 was cOnsid-.
cred fair days work. Speaking of this
Mr.. Graves once said: 81 worked sixteen
hours daily because 1 was determined to-
make money and save it, too"
The large fortune he has left to his.
surviving family shows the result of this
determination. His connection with the
tin business began in Templeton, Wor-
cester county, Mass. He entered the
employ of Boynton & Whitcomb as tin
pedlar at $l3 per month. For eight
months, the contract read, Mr.. Graves to
furnish his own horse. The next year
he received $40 per month. and the third
year commanded 1923 for the same time.
The fourth year he received 81 per day,
and at the end of that time had saved
81 1900, laying the foundation for his sub
quent wealth. In the shop of BOynton
& Whitcomb at this time was an indus
trious youth, Henry G. Root, an appren-
tice, whose time was out in 1889. In the
spring of that year, Mr. Graves entered
into co-partnership with Mr.. Root, as
the latter expressed it: with articles of
honor, without scrap of paper, and a.
co-partnership that continued practically
until the end of life." The Hon. Fl. G..
Root so we'll known in the political his
tory of Vermont, and also IN connection
with the building committee of the Ben
ningtOn Battle Monument Association
(of which Mr.. Graves was its first, and,
until the election of his son, George F.,
a few years ago, it's only treasurer), is
the gentleman referred to.
In October, 1889, Mr.. Graves was mar
ried to Miss Sarah Maria Russell of
Barre, Mass. His wife was born the
same year lie was, and materially as
sisted him in the accumulation of his
fortune. She died four years ago, as
our readers know, and this event proved
a very great blow to Mr.. Graves in his
last days.
In 1889, the new firm of Graves & Root
moved to Bennington. They purchased
a portion of their outfit of BoyntOn Il
Whitcomb, and as they came to historic
Bennington found themselves without
competitors in their new field. Mr..
Graves had nearly year longer to work
for the Templeton firm, and as he drove
back, after he and Mr. Root had started
their shop. he bought a wagon load of
shelled corn for seventy-fiYe cents
bushel, and sold it in Nasal husetts for
$1.25 per bushel, making by this charac-
teristic enterprise more than, enough to
pay the expenses of moving to Benning-
ton, his own outlay and loss of time.
From this time forth, prosperity at
tended the firm until they had branch
houses in Red Hook. DutchesS county,
in Troy, in WATERFOWL, N. Y. and in
Burlington. At the first, Mr.. Root made
the TIN ware and Mr. Graves ped6Ied It,
From this beginning the increase at one
time became so great in volume thAt for
many years Graves & Root sent out 100
pedlars from the Bennington shops
alone. Until 1874, the firm did business
in the present village of Bennington Cen-
tire (then called Bennington), but in that
year they removed to East BenninA-
ton and bought the site of the tin shop
and eleven acres of land. The business
site, shops, ETC., passed into the hands of
Henry W, Putnam, Esq, in the summer
of 1891, and the business of Graves,
Root G. Company, consisting of the for
mer firm with William R. Graves, son,
closed out, and the firm itself was to
have been dissolved April list, of this
year.
The Red Hook Branch was started
about 1S4S, with Orison Graves,
brother, and Elihu G. Aiken as partners.
Mr.. Aiken was native of Pittstown, N.
Y, and with David E. Wallace, also of
PittstOWn. had entered the employ of