William Graham1

#11379, (1851 - 1934)
FatherThomas Graham1 (1808 - 1871)
MotherMary Lennox1 (c 1826 - 1913)
Relationship3rd great-grandson of James Graham
Extended Family
ChartsJames Graham & Agnes Finlayson - collapsible 7-generation descendant chart

Children of William Graham and Frances Theresa Marken Kerr

Life Events

BirthWilliam Graham was born on 10 May 1851 in Logie, Perthshire.1
 
(with Parents) 1861 CensusWilliam appeared on the 1861 Census of Logie, Perthshire with his parents. He was 9 and born in Logie, Stirling.2 
(with Parents) 1871 CensusWilliam appeared on the 1871 Census of Nepean Township, Carleton County, Ontario with his parents. He was 19, born in Scotland, and a store clerk.3 
OccupationHe was a secretary to Ottawa City Passenger Railway Company in 1879.4 
(with Mother) 1881 CensusWilliam appeared on the 1881 Census of Gloucester, Russell County, Ontario in the household of his widowed mother Mary. He was 28, born in Scotland, Presbyterian, and an Agent.5 
Note.By 1882, he and his two brothers had formed their own company known as "Graham Bros. Ltd., Seedsmen and Florists". Their ad read, "High grade cut flowers, opposite Russell House." William was the company president. In 1901 the address was 29 Sparks Street, and in 1911 they had a florist shop at 53-55 Sparks Street. The greenhouse was at Rideau Terrace close to the Governor General's residence at Rideau Hall. In 1919 the company address was 302 Sparks Street.

Their sister Catherine married William Ewing, whose seed business in Montreal was Wm Ewing & Co.6

Graham Bros Seedsmen & Florists
Invoice, 1918
(Witness) Marriage William Graham witnessed the marriage of Lewis King McLaurin and his sister Margaret Steel Graham on 27 Sep 1882 in Sunnyside, New Edinburgh, Gloucester Township, Carleton County, Ontario.7 
MarriageWilliam Graham married Frances Theresa Marken Kerr.8
 
1891 CensusWm and Frances appeared on the 1891 Census of Montreal, Quebec. They lived in a 3 story stone house with 10 rooms. Another family also lived there. William was 38, born in Scotland, parents born in Scotland, and was a seed merchant and employer. Frances was 28, born in Scotland, father born in Scotland, mother in E India. They had an 8-month old son, Thomas.9 
1901 CensusWilliam and Frances appeared on the 1901 Census of Ottawa, Carleton County, Ontario. William was a seed merchant, born May 10 1851 in Scotland, Presbyterian, age 49, and immigrated in 1863. Frances was 38, born June 26 1862 in Scotland, and immigrated in 1869. Their children were Thomas (10), Kerr (9), and Florence M (2 months). They had one domestic servant.8 
Note.The trade journal The Florists' Exchange ran the following item in 1906.

Graham Brothers have moved into
their new store, and it is a grand one,
the envy of us all. The available
space is 33 by 100 feet. The fitting
up is tasteful, useful and rich. The
ice box is built in the wall; mirrors
abound, with marble slabs at their,
base. The counters are neat, as are
the office, cloak rooms and other con-
veniences. The tinting of the store is
very pleasing, and the two large win-
dows with tile bottoms are great.
With a hardwood floor, the whole
makes the finest store in Canada, in
my opinion. Ed.10
 
1911 CensusWilliam and Francis [sic] appeared on the 1911 Census of Ottawa, Carleton County, Ontario, at 412 McLaren Street. William was 59, born in May 1842 in Scotland, immigrated in 1864, was a seedsman & florist working in a store. He worked 52 weeks, was an employer, and had $1000 of life insurance. Frances was 48, born in June 1863 in [unreadable], immigrated in 1890. They were Presbyterian. Their children were Thomas (20) and William K (19), both born in Quebec and salesmen.11 
1921 CensusWilliam and Frances Graham appeared on the 1921 Census of Ottawa, Ontario, at 412 McLaren Street. They owned their brick home. William was 70, born in Scotland, immigrated in 1863, spoke English and French, and was a retail merchant working on his own account. Frances was 58 and born in Batavia Java, father in Scotland, mother in Ireland, immigrated in 1880, and naturalized. With them was their son Thomas and his family, as well as one servant (French Canadian Roman Catholic female). The family was Presbyterian.12 
(Mentioned) ObituaryThey was mentioned in his brother John Graham's 1931 obituary.13 
DeathWilliam died on 22 Apr 1934 in 412 MacLaren Street, Ottawa, Carleton County, Ontario.
Information from the certificate: William Graham, 83 years, 11 months, 12 days, born May 10th 1850 in Scotland, merchant in the seed industry, lived at place of death 30 years, in the province 70 years, father Thomas Graham, mother Margaret Lennox, both born in Scotland. The informant was his son, Thomas Graham, 412 MacLaren Street. Burial in Beechwood Cemetery.14 
BurialHe was buried on 25 Apr 1934 in Beechwood Cemetery, Ottawa. The cemetery register showed that William and Frances died on consecutive days and were buried on April 25th at 3 pm in Section 41 Lot 94 Center. William was a seed merchant, age 83 years 11 months 12 days, parents Thomas & Margaret Graham. Frances was a housewife of age 71 years 9 months 27 days, parents William and Elizabeth Kerr. The undertaker was G H Rogers Ltd and the informant was their son Thomas.15,16 
.17
Deaths of William & Frances Graham
Ottawa, Canada 1934
Note.Graham Brothers had a good run but went out of business in 1935. Of the original three brothers, Thomas died early in 1897 and the treasurer position was assumed by William's son Thomas. William's other children died young. John died, unmarried, in 1931 and William in 1934.

Graham Bros Going Out of Business Sale
Ottawa Citizen, 1 June 1935
Last Edited28 Nov 2013

Citations

  1. [S111] Website International Genealogical Index, parish register extraction (www.familysearch.org).
  2. [S1186] Online index to the 1861 Census for Scotland (Ancestry.com) "Logie (374 ), ED 5, page 1 [the indexing was poorly done]."
  3. [S1835] 1871 Census for Canada. Image from Library and Archives Canada viewed at Ancestry.com. Ontario, Carleton (78), Nepean (a-2), page 26.
  4. [S299] E-mails from Moira J Morris to J Kolthammer.
  5. [S468] Transcription of the 1881 Census for Canada (Family History Library, online).
  6. [S462] City of Ottawa Heritage virtual exhibition
    http://www.ottawa.ca
  7. [S1017] Ontario Marriage Registration. McLaurin/Graham, #001820-82.
  8. [S505] 1901 Census for Canada. Image from Library and Archives Canada viewed at Ancestry.com. Ontario, Ottawa City, Wellington Ward (g-6), page 25, line 24.
  9. [S1572] 1891 Census for Canada. Image from Library and Archives Canada viewed at Ancestry.com. Quebec, Montreal West (172), St Antoine Ward (10), page 20.
  10. [S462] The Florists' exchange: a weekly medium of interchange for florists, nurserymen, seedsmen and the trade in general, New York, 1906. Read on the Internet Archive.
  11. [S951] 1911 Census for Canada. Image from Library and Archives Canada viewed at Ancestry.com. Ontario, Ottawa City (105), Wellington Ward (55), page 1.
  12. [S2776] 1921 Census for Canada. Image from Library and Archives Canada viewed at Ancestry.com. Ontario, Ottawa, Wellington Ward (38), Page 12.
  13. [S2469] Obituary of John Graham in the Ottawa Citizen, 17 September 1931. Digitized copy viewed on Google news archive.
  14. [S1006] Ontario Death Registration. William Graham, #010258-34.
  15. [S1006] Ontario Death Registration. Frances T M Kerr Graham, #010255-34.
  16. [S2460] Beechwood Cemetery Internments, 1873-1990. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Digitized ledgers viewed online at Ancestry.com. William & Frances Kerr, #25487 & 25488.
  17. [S2473] Death notice of William & Frances Graham in the Ottawa Citizen, 24 April 1934. Digitized copy viewed on Google news archive.
  18. [S1005] Ontario Canada Birth Registration. Mary Agnes Graham, #009393-98.
  19. [S1005] Ontario Canada Birth Registration. Florence Margaret Graham, #009408-01.