Hiram Malachi Graden ¹

  General Notes:

Information provided by Lance D. Gill Also, Carolyn Graden Dossey

Hiram Malachi and Sarah Ellen Sanders Graden

Hiram was born September 10, 1857 in Gallia County, Ohio near the town of Gallipolis. During the Civil War the family left the area near the Ohio River and moved to Montgomery County, Illinois near other members of their family. Hiram grew to manhood near Nokomis. When the Gradens came from Ohio Hiram’s father purchased land in Montgomery County from Elza and Sarah Sanders. These two families were joined when Hiram married Sarah Ellen Sanders their daughter who had been born April 14, 1863 in Montgomery County. The couple were married at the home of her parents on April 1, 1881 in Christian County, Illinois.

Hiram was a printer by trade and in 1880 and 1881 he was the publisher of a newspaper in Nokomis called the Nokomis Atlas. During their years in Nokomis two children were born, Anna was born in 1882 and Owen was born in 1884.

Hiram was known in the family as the dreamer, always working on his “perpetual motion machine” and in need of money. In 1885 they loaded their family and possessions into a wagon and made the trip to Kansas, settling first near Beloit, then Berwick and then near Goff in Nemaha County, KS. When they were living near Berwick the last of their children Herman Lester was born on May 7, 1890.

In December of 1892 they purchased a farm of 80 acres near the town of Goff in Nemaha County, Kansas from George and Mina Johnson for $1700. The land was mortgaged 6 times from 1893 to 1898. The land was sold to James H. Smith in 1904. The family lived on the farm later, so they must have rented it back. Hiram was known in the area for his truck gardens. His grandson said he also taught school during those years.

Morning Star school sits just across the corner from the family farm. The school still stands today.

Since they lived near the railroad town of Goff the family probably took part in the towns activities. The only respectable coasting hill for snowy winter sledding in Nemaha County was at Goff. The 4th of July celebrations were always a roaring success with their traditional “firing or the anvils” (two anvils placed together with gunpowder between them) and the Raggin Muffin Parade.

Owen may have stayed in the area to help on the farm. In 1906 at Oneida, Kansas the church held a fundraiser where for a donation a person could have their name stitched into a quilt. Owen Graden’s name was found on that quilt. Owen was also listed on the Nemaha County World War I Draft Records as age 34 and located at Goff. In 1930 he is living with a wife Theresa and two stepdaughters in South Dakota.

Anna married William Walkington September 25, 1902 in the home of her parents and settled near Woodlawn in Nemaha County. This marriage was announced in the Goff Advance with Rev. Byers officiating. Lester married Jessie Gertrude Postle on December 25, 1911 in Sabetha. The Graden’s were friends of the Cody family that also lived near Goff. The father was a cousin to the famous “Buffalo Bill” Cody. The Postel sisters who lived in Sabetha worked out in the county. Isabel appears to have been working for the Codys and introduced her sister to Lester. Jessie had worked raising her younger sisters after the death of her mother and also did sewing for other families in the area. Isabel married the Cody son Arlet and the two couples and their children remained close.

During the first years of Lester and Jessie’s marriage Jessie collected post cards which were passed down in the family. The ones from Ella read:

December 30, 19? Dear Children We wer sory you did not get home Christmas it was aful dry time for we did not get any presents atale would like to see you all coms when you can rite soon. Father and mother

Sept. 27, 1912 Dear Jessie, Will a few lines we are prety well you all the same hope your sister is getting allright I saw Arlet he said you folks was all right we got a card from Lester thur morning. I thought I would not rite to him that he would be home Sunday and this would do for both ayou come home when you can. Mother

April 12, 1914 Dear Jessie, Will send you a card had rether come but can not Just must hope you ar all well we are well would like to see you all come when you can Love to all father and mother

Nov, 1914 Dear Jessie, Will send a card to day are you going to come or not hope you are I have your quilt done but thought would not send it if you we coming you could take it. Mother rite soon

Dec. 30, 19? Dear Children and grand children Hope you are all well by this time. We are prety well Bad coals. H? folks felt aful bad because Lester did not come we went to the trane he told Pa he sent for Lester. Rite soon. Love to all mother

Ella’s health started to fail and they went to live the last years with their daughter Anna and her family at Woodlawn. Ella died May 7, 1919 and the following obituary appeared in the Goff Advance: Mrs. H. M. Graden Friends of the community learned with regret of the death of Mrs. Graden, Tuesday evening at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Will Walkington at Woodlawn. Mrs. Graden has been in very poor health for the past ten years, and had suited to several operations the first six years ago. Sarah Ellen Sanders was born April 14, 1863 in Montgomery County, Ill. And died May 7, 1919, at the age of 56 years and 24 days. She spent her girlhood days in her home state and was married May 9, 1881, to Hiram M. Graden at Ohlman, Ill. Together they came to Kansas a few years later, first locating at Beloit, then moving north of Berwick in this county. They have been residents of this county for nearly thirty years, half of which time the have been resident of this community.

Funeral services were conducted from the Baptist church at Woodlawn today at 1:00pm, by the Rev. G. E. Howard, and interment was in the family lot in Fairview cemetery. Hiram remained with his daughter’s family, although I didn’t find him in 1920. The Goff Advance of April 5, 1923 records the following obit:

Death of Hiram Graden Old friends in Goff learned with regret Sunday morning of the death of H. m. Graden at the home of his daughter near Woodlawn early that morning of apoplexy. Mr. Graden and his good wife lived north of Goff where the O. V. Collins family now live, for a number of years. Mr. Graden made a specialty of tuck gardening and had many friends in the community. Hiram M. Graden was born September 10, 1857 at Gallipolis, Ohio and died April 1, 1923 at the age of 65 years, 6 months and 20 days. He was married May 8, 1880 to Ella Sanders. To them were born three children, Mrs. Anna Walkington, Sabetha; Owen Graden of North Dakota and Lester Graden of Sabetha. Mr. Graden preceeded him in death on May 6, 1919. Besides the three children there are nine grandchildren, one brother and two sisters.

Mr. Graden had been quite ill and it was thought he was improving, when a sudden change in his condition ended his live.

Funeral services from the Holiness church at Woodlawn Tuesday afternoon were in charge of Rev. George Howard of Centrellia, an old friend of the family. Interment was in Fairview cemetery beside his wife. Sympathy of Goff friends is extended to the family.

Family Information of Hiram and Ella Anna S. Graden was born in 1882 in Montgomery County, Illinois and died May 24, 1949 in Nemaha County, Kansas. She married William (Will) Walkington September 25, 1902 in Nemaha County, Kansas.

Owen H. Graden was born in 1884 in Montgomery County, Illinois and died in South Dakota. He married Theresa.

Herman Lester was born May 7, 1890 in Nemaha County, Kansas and died January 17, 1962 in Falls City, Richardson County, Nebraska. He married first Jesse Gertrude Postel on December 25, 1911 in Sabetha, Nemaha County, Kansas. He married second Grace Lucas Goll in Falls City, Richardson County, Nebraska in late 1950’s.

Sources: Death Certificate for Hiram none found for Ella Marriage Record from Christian County, Illinois Illinois Board of Health record for their marriage Land Record Montgomery County, Illinois History of Montgomery County, Illinois Land records for Nemaha County, Kansas Post card collection of Jessie Graden in possession of Carolyn Graden Dossey Goff Advance newspaper History of Nemaha County, Kansas Fairview Cemetery Records and person visit 1930 Census records of Beadle County, South Dakota 1920 Census records Nemaha County, Kansas Topeka Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol 28 Page 35, 36

Records Need Checking Newspapers for Nokomis 1880’s

  Noted events in his life were:

• Occupation: Printer.

Hiram married Sarah Ellen "Ella" Sanders, daughter of Elza Creel Sanders and Sarah Ann Sturgeon, on 1 Apr 1881 in Christian County, Illinois, USA. (Sarah Ellen "Ella" Sanders was born on 14 Apr 1863 in Montogomery County, Illinois, USA and died on 7 May 1919 in Woodlawn, Nemaha County, Kansas, USA.)