In
1869, Colonel Edwin S. Graham and his brother, Gustavous A. Graham came to
Texas as shareholders in the Texas Emigration & Land Company and visited
the North Texas area several times. In 1871, the brothers purchased a salt
works from Martin Bowers on Salt Creek near the present town site.
Col.
Graham's diary reflects that the territory was populated with buffalo and the
fact that those animals seems to prefer Young county area above that of much of
the surrounding areas, caused him to get the idea that this territory would be
one of the finest cattle raising districts in the entire state of Texas.
In
1872, the two brothers decided to establish a town in the Salt Creek Valley
adjoining their salt works. G.A. Graham and his chainman, Absalom B. Gant
surveyed and platted a town site with unusually wide streets, spacious lots and
a commerce park. The name of the town Graham, coming from her founders.
Graham
was made the second county seat of young County following the reorganization of
Young County in 1874. Young County was established in August 1856 from the
lands of Bosque and Fannin Counties. Young County was named by the Texas
Legislature for Colonel William Cooke Young, a Texas Ranger, Confederate
Soldier and Texas pioneer. Young was killed in an ambush in Fannin County on 16
October 1862. The County's second courthouse was erected in 1876 at Graham,
Texas. The Graham Leader, the town's first newspaper issued its first edition
on August 16, 1876, edited by Major J.W. Graves. This weekly publication is
still in existence and is the oldest publication in Northwest Texas. In its 132
years, it has only missed one weekly paper.
In
1877, farmers began arriving in the territory near Graham in considerable
numbers with the opening of the Brazos River Indian Reservation lands. In that
year, there was 100 buildings in town. In 1878, Graham had the only terminus of
telegraph lines in Northwest Texas and so was the only means of connection with
the outside world for a considerable distance in every direction. J.M. Brantley
opened the first subscription school in Young County in 1876 enrolling 50
students. The first church in town was the Presbyterians organized by Rev. C.H.
Dodds in 1876.
On February 17, 1877, about 100 cattlemen of North and West Texas gathered in Graham and formed the Cattle Raisers Association of Texas. The organizational meeting was held under a live oak tree near the northwest corner of the public square.
For more history contact Dorman Holub.