GRAHAM
GRAHAM
from his father, a graduate of Oxford university.
In 1813 he began to teach and subsequently en-
tered Amherst college with the intention of
studying for the ministry. After a short time
there he was invited by the faculty to leave, hav-
ing exhibited ability for elocution and acting,
which was considered unbecoming in one preijar-
ing for the ministry. In 183G, however, he was
ordained a Presbj'terian clergyman. Four years
later while delivering a course of lectures before
the Pennsylvania temperance society, he was im-
pressed with the idea that a vegetable diet would
alleviate an appetite for stimulants. The re-
mainder of his life was given up to the study of
this theory and to the demonstration of its value,
until he finally advocated the vegetable diet as a
cure for all diseases. At first lie met with
great opposition, especially from butchers and
bakers, but subsequently gained a considerable
following. His name was given to unbolted
wheat flour, which he introduced as a food. He
is the author of an Essay on Cholera (1832) ; TTie
^sculapian Tablets of the XineteeiUh Century (1834) ;
Science of Human Life (1836) ; A Lecture to Young
Men on Chastity (1838); Bread and Bread-making;
and one volume of The Philosophy of Sacred History.
He died at Northampton, Mass., Sept. 11, 1851.
GRAHAM, William, educator, was born in
Paxton township. Pa., Dec. 19, 1746; son of
Michael Graham, who emigrated from Ireland to
America about 1723, and settled in Pennsylvania.
William attended the common schools and was
graduated from the College of New Jersey, A.B.,
1773, A.M., 1776; studied theologj', and was
assistant to the Rev. John Brown in a classical
school established in a log school-house at Mount
Pleasant, Va., which through its amalgamation
with Augusta academy grew into Washington
college and Washington and Lee university. On
Oct. 26, 177.5, he was received as a minister by
the Presbytery of Hanover at Timber Ridge, Va.
In 1774 he became rector of the log school-house
then known as .4ugusta academy, which became
Liberty Hall, May 6, 1776; John Montgomery
being his assistant. He also filled the chair of
moral and intellectual philosophj' and he added
to his duties as rector those of pastor of two
churches and of manager of a farm on North
river near Lexington. The academy was re-
moved to Timber Ridge in 1777. and to near his
fai-m at Lexington. Va., in 1783. when it was
chartered by the Virginia assembly. The first
class was graduated in 1783, the name having been
changed in 1784 to Washington academy in
recognition of a gift by General Washington, of
100 shares of stock of the James River canal com-
pany valued at the time at 850.000. He resigned
the presidency of Washington academy in 1 796
and went to the Ohio where he purchased land
with the design of settling there with his family
and a few chosen friends. He was on a journey
from the Ohio to Richmond, Va., when he died at
the home of his friend. Colonel Gamble, and he
was buried near the south door of the Episcopal
church on Church hill, rendered historical bj- the
oration of Patrick Henry. President Graham
was a trustee of Liberty Hall academy 1776-83,
and president of the board of trustees of Wash-
ington academy, 1783-96. He was with John
Sevier, David Campbell, Landon Carter, Samuel
Houstoun and Samuel Doak, a member of the
convention of 1784, to form a plan of government
for the proposed state of Frank land, and drew
up a plan of constitution which was not pre-
served, the project falling through as it infringed
on the rights of the state of Nortli Carolina. He
died in Richmond, Va.. June 8. 1799.
QRAHAM, William Alexander, statesman, was born in Lincoln county, N.C., Sept. 5, 1804; son of Gen. Joseph and Isabella (Davidson) Gra- ham ; grandson of James Graham of Lancaster county, Pa., and of Maj. John Davidson, one of the signers of the Mecklenburg Declaration ; and a descendant of the Scotch-Irish Gra- hams, who went to Pennsylvania from the north of Ireland. His father vcas a Rev- olutionary soldier conspicuous for his bravery. The son was prepared for college by the Rev. Dr. Muchat at States- ville, N.C., and at the Hillsborough acad- emy, and was gradu- ated at the University "^^^ ^y^ "^ ^ of North Carolina in
1824. After a course in law at the office of Chief- Justice Ruffin he was admitted to the bar in 1826 and practised at Hillsborough, N.C. He was a state representative in 1833, 1835, 1838 and 1840, and was chairman of the committee on judiciary and speaker of the House of Commons during the sessions of 1838 and 1840. He was elected to the U.S. senate as successor to Judge Robert Strange, resigned, serving from Dec. 10, 1840, to March 4, 1843. He was elected governor of North Carolina in 1844, after an extended canvas with Jlichael Hoke, Democrat, a classmate and friend, and he served as governor for two terms, 1845^9. He was offered his choice of the mission to Russia or that to Spain by President Taylor in 1849, but declined either and in 1850 President Fillmore appointed him secretary of the navy in his cabi- net. Secretary Graham acted with President
