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GARFIELD
COUNTY, COGENWEB PROJECT
This is a collection of
historical pictures in and around Rifle Colorado.
Photos are used from Edwin Thompson, Steve Fox, Paul
Bernklau and others.
Pioneer Family The Grahams
Here is a 1916 Reveille tribute article about Isem
and Jennie Graham. Their family and descendants have
been major contributors to Rifle and Garfield County.
Isem and Jennie Graham with their two oldest sons,
Elmer and Albert.
Millard Elmer Graham
March 5, 1890 - October 17, 1965
Elmer, as he went by,
was the eldest son of Isem and Jennie Graham. The others in age order: Albert,
Claude, Henry, Wilbur, Eber, and Vern.
There was one daughter, Violet Dell
Graham, but she passed away in 1902 at the age of 10 months.
Elmer, age 75, a
native and life long resident of Rifle, died in Clagett Memorial Hospital
October 17, 1965.
A retired carpenter, Elmer owned the first Ford agency in
Rifle many years ago. He acquired it in 1914 after C. M. Donell terminated his
agency with Ford and began one with Dodge.
Elmer later engaged in the sheep
business, and in construction as a building contractor.
He attended schools
in Rifle and a mechanical school in Kansas City, Mo.
He married Hazel Manila
Taylor at Hotchkiss June 2,1918. They had five children: May Afton Graham
1919-2012, Millard Elvin "Buzz" Graham 1926-2005, David Emery Graham 1928-1931,
Velma Lorraine "Tiny" Graham 1931-2016, and Clayton Graham 1934-2014.
Mrs.
Graham was a homemaker. She was born May 25, 1898, at Kingspoint, Mo., to Albert
Bruce and Louella Wilson Taylor. At the age of 2, she came with her family
from Missouri to Routt County near Yampa. In 1912, the family moved to Rifle
where she attended high school.
Initially, the Ford agency was a partnership
with W. E. Borton. Then the newspaper April 1915 reported a change of ownership
had recently occurred. Mr. Borton had sold his interest to Elmer who would
continue to run the business.
Photos show Elmer initially used the pharmacy
building of his brothers Albert and Claude as agency headquarters.
In late
1914, the agency was located across the street south of Rifle House in a frame
building. That location was where the Eagle House had been before a fire took it
out.
In 1915, the frame building was moved west and a 50 x 50 foot brick
garage was constructed. The frame was connected to it at the back.
Also in
1915, C. M. Donell built his new Dodge agency immediately east of the Midland
hotel. News clips in 1914 say he was "having the debris removed from the lot
adjoining the sanitarium, which he purchased recently from R. C, Brenton. In
answer to the query as to why and wherefore, C. M. said he didn't know."
Elmer married in 1918. The announcement said he was one of
Rifle's most
popular young bisinessmen but did not mention the Ford agency. It had been sold,
and by then was Roy's Garage.
It sold again by January 1920 to the Reigan
Brothers. Their car line was Nash, later became Chevrolet Cadillac.
Elmer
passed away October 17, 1965. Hazel passed away at the E Dene Moore Memorial
Home May 30, 1988, after a lengthy illness They are buried at Rose Hill.
      
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