Horace French Graham (February 7, 1862November 23, 1941) was an American politician who served as the 56th governor of Vermont from 1917 to 1919.

Early life Graham was born in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Samuel Hallett Graham and Lucy Fairbanks (Swett) Graham. He received his early education in Craftsbury, Vermont, and was a graduate of Craftsbury Academy. He graduated from the College of the City of New York (now New York University) in 1882.New York City College, Annual Register, 1878, page 109Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, Directory of Members, 1898, page 123Phi Gamma Delta magazine, Governor Horace F. Graham, March 1917, page 605 He received his law degree from Columbia Law School in 1888 and became an attorney in Craftsbury.Manual of the Legislature of Vermont, published by Vermont General Assembly, 1902, page 54Annual Register of the Officers and Students of Columbia College, published by the college, 1884, page 53Successful Vermonters: A Modern Gazetteer of Caledonia, Essex, and Orleans Counties, William Hartley Jeffrey, 1904, pages 263 to 265Columbia University, Annual Register of the Officers and Students of Columbia College, 1888, page 53

Graham was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity.Biography, Horace F. Graham, Phi Gamma Delta magazine, published by the fraternity, Volume 39, May, 1917, pages 605 to 606

Early political career A Republican, he served as Craftsbury's Town Meeting Moderator from 1902 to 1932, and in the Vermont House of Representatives in 1892 and 1900. He was Orleans County State's Attorney from 1898 to 1902, and a Republican Presidential elector in 1900.

Graham was Vermont's Auditor from 1902 to 1916, and a member of the state Education Commission in 1913.Vermont Legislative Directory, published by Secretary of State, 1933, page 586Magazine article, Republican Presidential Electors, The Vermonter magazine, October 1900, page 47

Election as Governor In 1916 Graham was the successful candidate for the Republican nomination for Governor. In a state where only Republicans won statewide office from the 1850s to the 1960s, he easily won the general election. He served from 1917 to 1919, the one term then available to Vermont Republicans under the "Mountain Rule."Vermont: The Green Mountain State, by Walter Hill Crockett, Volume 4, 1921, pages 471-472Newspaper article, The Mountain Rule in Vermont, New York Times, February 12, 1895Magazine article, Mountain Rule Revisited, by Samuel B. Hand, Vermont History Magazine, published by Vermont Historical Society, Summer/Fall 2003, pages 139 to 151

Graham's governorship was notable for his advocacy of women's suffrage in local elections, and for his efforts to mobilize the Vermont National Guard and other state resources for World War I.History of Woman Suffrage: 1900-1920, edited by Ida Husted Harper, published by National American Woman Suffrage Association, Volume 6, 1922, page 663Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789-1978, edited by Robert Sobel and John Raimo, Volume 4, 1978, page 1603

Charges of embezzlement While Graham was governor, an investigation revealed that a large sum of state money (nearly $25,000, or $450,000 in 2019) was unaccounted for during his term as Auditor. Graham repaid the missing funds, but was charged with embezzlement and convicted at trial. He was then pardoned by the new Governor, Percival Clement, who lauded Graham's integrity (his nickname was "Honest Horace")Report of Proceedings of the Annual Meeting, published by Vermont Bar Association, 1922, page 66 and efforts as Governor during World War I. Graham always maintained his innocence, but stated that since the loss took place while he was Auditor, he felt personally obligated to reimburse the state for the missing money.Per multiple sources:

Newspaper article, Gov. Clement Gives Graham Full Pardon, Boston Daily Globe, November 5, 1920

Post gubernatorial career His reputation for integrity was largely undamaged, and he served in the Vermont House again from 1923 to 1925, and also took part in revising Vermont's Statutes in 1933.Vermont Legislative Directory, published by Vermont Secretary of State, 1933Newspaper article, H.F. Graham Dies; Ex-War Governor, New York Times, November 25, 1941Who Was Who in America, published by Marquis Who's Who, Volume 2, 1950, page 217American State Governors, 1776-1976], published by Oceana Publications, Dobbs Ferry, New York, Volume 3, 1977, page 486Report of Proceedings of the Annual Meeting, published by Vermont Bar Association, 1942

Death and burial

Graham died in Craftsbury on November 23, 1941.Vermont Death Records, 1909-2008 entry for Horace French Graham He was buried at Craftsbury Common Cemetery.Vermont Old Cemetery Association

Personal Graham was a lifelong bachelor and lived with his sister Isabel.1910 U.S. Census entry, Isabel S. Graham family1920 U.S. Census entry, Lucy F. Graham family1930 U.S. Census entry, Horace F. Graham family

References

External resources Horace French Graham biography, National Governors Association, accessed November 19, 2011

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