"A Volume of Memoirs and Genealogy of Representative Citizens of the City of
Seattle and County of King, Washington." New York and Chicago: Lewis Publishing
Co., 1903.  p.
 
EDWARD O. GRAVES

     In all the northwestern sections of this great country there is no man more
familiar with the questions of finance as related to our country and our
government than Edward O. Graves, the president of the Washington National Bank.
His broad and comprehensive knowledge comes through a most earnest and thorough
study of the question in relation to the discharge of official duties in the
treasury department in our national capital. For years he was a prominent
representative of official life in Washington and his connection therewith was
only severed when he resolved to engage in a private banking business in the
northwest. He bears an unassailable reputation as ail official, and the same
unfaltering honesty and reliability has been manifest in the conduct of the
banking institution with which he is now associated. No resident of Seattle is
held in higher regard or more fully deserves the confidence of his fellow men.
     Mr. Graves is a native of Herkimer county, New York, born on the 3d of
August, 1843, and is of English descent, his ancestors, however, crossing the
Atlantic from the "merrie isle" at an early period in the development of New
England, where they located. They became residents of Massachusetts and took an
active part in public affairs that are now chronicled on the pages of history.
Russell Graves, the great-grandfather of Edward O., aided in throwing off the
yoke of British oppression, serving as a member of the colonial army in the war
of the Revolution. John Graves, the grandfather, became one of the pioneer
settlers of Herkimer county, New York, and was one of the early sheriffs there.
Later he represented his district in the state legislature. He was born in
Connecticut and married Esther Smith, whose father, Ozial Smith, was one of the
first men to establish a home in Erie county, New York. He was a resident of
Buffalo in 1812 when the city was burned by the English. Mr. and Mrs. Graves
owned a tract of land in that city where the Tiff House now stands. She was a
lady of remarkable energy and capability and attained to the very advanced age
of one hundred and one years. Among the children born to this worthy couple was
Solomon Graves, whose birth occurred in 1819, in Herkimer county, where he spent
the greater part of his life, becoming a leading and influential citizen, and
leaving the impress of his strong individuality upon public affairs. He was a
member of the state legislature and largely aided in shaping public thought and
opinion. He married Miss Margaret Smith, who was born in 1821 in Erie county.
She still survives him at the age of eighty-one years and is held in the warmest
regard by all who know her. Of their family three sons still survive.
     Edward O. Graves was provided with excellent educational privileges and on
completing his course in Hobart College in Geneva, New York, he entered
governmental service and for a number of years was one of the most reliable and
capable representatives of the treasury department. His first position was a
clerkship under the secretary of the treasury, Hon. F. E. Spinner, who had been
deputy sheriff of Herkimer county in his early manhood under John Graves, the
grandfather of our subject. In 1868 E. O. Graves was promoted to chief clerk in
the treasurer's office and when the first civil service examinations were
inaugurated be was made chief examiner, while on the 1st of July, 1874, he was
made superintendent of the redemption agency for the redemption of national bank
notes, an office which he organized in its minutest detail, making it one of the
model offices of the government. In 1883 he was appointed by President Arthur
assistant treasurer of the United States, and on the 1st of July, 1885, was made
chief of the bureau of engraving and printing. Thus promotion after promotion
came to him, adding to his responsibilities, for his worth was recognized and
his fidelity was above question.
     In the spring of 1889 Mr. Graves came to Seattle and made arrangements
for the organization of the Washington National Bank. He then returned to the
capital and resigned his position in order to take up his abode here and
complete the organization of the bank. He was made it, president and in July
opened the bank for business, continuing to manage and control its affairs most
successfully until March, 1900, when he decided to retire from active business,
and soon afterward found rest and recreation in traveling abroad. He is also a
partner in the bank at Whatcom as a member of the firm of Graves & Purdy, this
institution being the largest bank in northwestern Washington. Thoroughly
familiar with banking business and wonderfully conversant with financial
interests, Mr. Graves has made the two brinks leading financial establishments
and has so conducted them that they annually return good dividends, while
furnishing the public with a perfectly reliable place of deposit, exchange and
general banking business. Mr. Graves has also been president of the Chamber of
Commerce, which has had important bearing on business interests in Seattle.
During his twenty-one years of government service he was chairman of a
commission to examine the New York custom house, and of various other important
commissions, his recommendations in which resulted in large savings to the
government, while the fact that he held his position for so long a time in
Washington, during many changes of administration, proves conclusively that he
brought to his duties such ability, honor and fidelity, as are deserving of the
highest praise. His was a most valued public service, whose duty was ever his
paramount interest, and he won the friendship as well as trust and regard of
many of the most prominent men of the country.
     Mr. Graves was married in 1868 to Miss Clara E. Gale, a native of
Washington, D. C., and a daughter of Dr. Leonard D. Gale, a scientist of great
prominence who assisted Professor Morse in the invention of the telegraph. Mr.
and Mrs. Graves have two daughters, Jessie and Evaline C., at home, while their
son Edward Bertram is in the employ of the surveyor general of Washington. The
family are members of St. Mark's Episcopal church and their home is the center
of a cultured society circle.

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Submitted to the Washington Biographies Project in April 2008 by Diana Smith.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.