The daily morning journal and courier., 1900-03-20
FIX SENATOR GRAHAM DEAD
EXPIRED AT HIS HOME IN WEST
 HAVEN LAST NIGHT.
Had Been III but Few Days With PneumOnia-A eIf-Made Man-W on His Way to Positions of In fluence nmd
 Honor-Wns Much Esteenied-His

Former State Senator James Graham
 passed away last evening at about 7:2O
 o'clock after an illness of a few days
 with pneumonia. His death will be
 greatly mourned and Is loss to the
 state. He was self-made man, the ar
 ohitect of his own fortune and had
 steadily won his way to positions of
 influence and honor. He was a native
 of New York state, born, near Albany,
 but the greater part of hia life was
 spent in New Haven and vicinity. He
 first located in business In Branford,
 engaging in the brass foundry business
 there and the venture prospering he re-
 moved to New Haven and established 1 himself in the same line of business on | Wooster street. a few doors from Union | street. Here he continued in business
 until his death. For years our towns
 man, David Corey of this city, in recent
 years president of the former New Ha- ven Street Railway company was his partner. A number of years ago he
 purchased MT. Corey's interest and his
 son, c. E. Graham, has since then been
 associated with him in the brass foun-
 dry business on Wooster street.
 MT Graham possessed rare business | talent and unceasing energy and by his | geniality, tact and integrity made | friends and retained them both in busi-
 ness and social life. MT. Graham when l the Hotchkiss Key company of West Haven became embarrassed. bought out the business they had carried on and bought also their factory building. He conducted this business also for a time with partners and then sold out to his
 partners, who removed the business to Derby. His son, Charles F. Graham, has continued manufacturing business in the old key factory under the title the West Haven Manufacturing com- pany and Is treasurer of this company
 James Graham was one of the pio
 neers in the founding of the Bear Val ley Irrigation company in California, and was prominent in securing and pur- chasing various large tracts of land which were necessary to the promotion of this enterprise. He owned for years some fine orange groves at and in the vicinity of Redlands, Cal. After disas- ter overlook the Bear Valley company he sold out some of his California prop erty interests but still had considerable property holdings there. Mir. Graham bought, twenty or twenty-five years ago, the fine house on Elm street, West Haven, where he died.
 Identified with West Haven and it's interests, and being a citizen ready and willing to serve the public if needed he was put forward by the republicans of orange as a candidate for representative to the general assembly and was elected by fine vote. He served the town most efficiently as representative and afterward as senator from his senato- rial district--the Seventh. He did very efficient work In the legislature as member of the committee on railroads. At one time his name was prominently put forward as a candidate for the | nomination for lieutenant governor, 1 from which contest he, however, with drew. MT. Graham was a director in the Bingham and Eastern Mining com | pany and in the Idaho company. He | was one of the leading members of the | Congregational church in West Haven | and for years conducted a large Bible | claes at the church. He was public spirited, progressive and useful; also charitable and a liberal supporter of the church. He will be greatly missed. pr. Paul Skiff, speaking of him last night, said his death is sad loss and will be much lamented. Dr. Skiff and MT. Graham were warm friends and they made several trips to California togeth- CT years ago, and, said pr. Skiff, more genial travelling companion would be difficult to find than MT. Graham. The was twice married. His first wife died years ago, and about two years ago he married a New Haven lady, sister of Attorney s. Harrison Wagner of this city. who survives him. The funeral arrangements have not yet been made.