The National tribune., 1910-07-07
A Good Woman Gone.

The Department of Maryland. Wo-
mans Relief Corps, has just lost one Of
it's most enthusiastic and efficient work.
ers in the death of Mrs. Ruth A.
Graham, Past Department President.
Mrs. Graham, who passed away about
a week ago. was woman of peculiar
and special talent for her work in the
Woman's Relief Corps and Grand Army
of the Republic. She was born under
adverse circumstances on July 4, 1912,
which she said was in itself enough to
make her patriotic. Mrs. Graham had
put little opportunity for education, but
under most unfortuitous circumstances
obtained a knowledge of the world of
books and of people that was really re-
markable. She was a great reader of
the Bible. and was well acquainted with
the works of the classic writer's, her
tenacious memory retaining a great deal
of what she acquired in her omnivorous
appetite for books. After having lived
half century she took up music and
painting, in which she became quite
proficient She married a Door man.
who was practically uneducated, and
Immediately bent all her energies to in
duce him to read and study along with
her, which he did, and finally became a
graduate physician, in which profession
he made splendid progress, and when
he passed away he had been Command
er OIL MS department ana a physician
of note for many years.
Mrs. Graham was one Of the early
Presidents of the Department of Mary
land, w. r. c. She was active in every
way to help increase the funds of the
Department and in the work of relief
for the poorer veterans and their femi-
lies. During her administration as
President of the Department hers was
the master mind in raising the fund to
aVf IN ha
dead in the cemetery in Baltimore.
Her body was followed to it's last rest
ing place in the National Cemetery by
a large cOrtege of friends and laid be-
side that of her departed husband. A
great reany very beautiful floral offer
ings were sent, among them one from
the Department and one from Veteran
Corps. her own Corps, and others from
the Department of the Grand Army and
many from individual friends. The Re-
lief Corps service was conducted by
Corps 6, her own Corps, and ex-Con-
gresham Chas. r. Schrim paid a splen-
did tribute to Mrs. Graham at the close.
He said in part that in doing this he
was keeping promise made several
years ago to Mrs. Graham that when
the end came he would make a few re-
marks over her mortal remains He
spoke of the beautiful monument, with
its recumbent figure. erected by the
Woman's Relief Corps to the unknown
dead, and said that to that stone is af-
fixed a small bronze tablet inscribed with
the names Of the committee, and the
first name thereon is that of Ruth A.
Graham, and he went on to say: How
hard and earnestly she labored that the
soldiers who died unknown might not
seem to be unappreciated, is too well
remembered by your organization and
the Grand Army men of Maryland to
require more than a mere reference
She loved the Union, she revered its
Flag. and she honored the men who
fought for them, and nobody in her pres
ence ever spoke slightingly of either of
them without receiving from her
kindly but not easily forgotten rebuke.
Her enthusiasm was of the kind which
communicates itself to other breasts; it
had life, reality and strength of pur-
pose, and even when physical infirmi-
ties checked her willing feet and ak
1ous hands the song Of her patriotic
heart still claim ed expression from her
lips. During the many years I have
known her / never knew her to speak
evil of anyone, nor have I ever heard
others say that she did. This in one Of
the noblest tributes that can be paid to
human being"
Certainly to have deservedIy earned
this generous tribue. and Mrs Graham
did. is to have lived a good life, fought
a good fight and to have kept the faith,