Erie County has many men who are not only fortunate in their material circumstances and in their position as citizens, but also in the general estimation of the public fully deserve all their good fortune. Such a man is William C. Graves, vice president of the Castalia Banking Company and the owner and the one time the farmer of 207 acres of land in Margaretta Township. Mr. Graves has spent most of his life in Erie County, and has that prestige which belongs to a successful career.
Many years ago, when Erie County's development was advanced only a few degrees beyond pioneer conditions, the Graves and Caswell families came here from the East. Spencer Graves was an early settler in Margaretta Township and a highly influential citizenship of the locality. Calvan Caswell was also a pioneer in the same township, and lived there for more then half a century. At one time he owned large tracts of land in the township, was a orderly and intelligent farmer, and was also at one time president of the Erie Couynty Agricultural Society and did a great deal to strengthen and extend the influence of that organization. These two families were united by the marriage of Lucius S. and Emily L. (Caswell) Graves, the former a native of New York State and the latter of Erie County. To their marriage was born William C. graves in Margaretta Township on February 19, 1861. His early life was spent on the farm in his native township, and in the course of time he acquired a liberal education. He attended the common schools, the Castalia High School, and for about two years pursued a general commercial course in the Northern Ohio Normal at Ada. Immediately after his marriage he removed to Rockford in Mercer County, Ohio, where for about ten years he was identified with the timber and lumber industry,. From there he removed to Sandusky and was a member of the firm of T. C. Adams & Son in the wholesale flour, fruit and produce business. In 1900 Mr. Graves returned to Castalia, and for eight years was in the general merchandise business in that village and also served as postmaster. Then followed three years of farm management on his estate in Margaretta Towhship, and in 1913 he returned to Castalia and was since given much of his attention to the Castalia Banking Company. He became a stockholder in that institution when it was reorganized and subsequently was elected its vice president.
Mr Graves married Lucy M. Adams, daughter of the late Thomas C. Adams, who for many years was well known in Castalia and other parts of Ohio as a merchant. Mr. and Mrs. Graves have one son, Calvin t. Graves, who is now established successfully as a real estate man in Detroit, Michigan. Mr. Graves is affiliated with Sandusky Lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and is a man of genial social qualities as well as of broad experience and thorough ability in business affairs.
A Standard History of Erie County, Ohio, Published 1916