Harford County MD Archives Obituaries.....Grafton, Nathan Shelton July 24, 1915
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/md/mdfiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Wes Phinney twphinney@windstream.net November 15, 2007, 4:26 pm

Local Harford Co. Newspaper clipping
Nathan Grafton, one of the best and most widely known men in Harford, died at 
his residence one mile west of Forest Hill on Saturday night, of infirmities 
incident to his advanced age.  His funeral took place on Tuesday morning when a 
very large gathering of citizens assembled at his home to pay this last tribute 
of respect.   Elder Eubank, of Delaware, and Reverend Eugene Tucker 
officiating.  The interment was made at the Old Baptist Cemetery located about 
two miles south of Jarrettsville.  The pall bearers being Judge William H. 
Harlan, Messrs. S. A. Williams, John A. Evans, and Eugene Tucker, four 
associate bank directors, and Messrs., Hall Munnikhuysen, and Abel D. Wilson.

He is survived by one daughter, Mrs. Mary Henderson of Towson, and one son, Mr. 
William O. Grafton, of Aberdeen, two brothers and a number of grandchildren, 
there being four generations of the family represented.

   Mr. Grafton was born near his old home 89 years ago, and spent his entire 
life in Harford County and during this long period was fully identified with 
her civic and industrial career.

Starting at his trade of wheelwright and carriage builder as a young man he 
soon established himself at this present location in a small way, and laid the 
foundation for the large trade and honored name which crowned his later years
As the years went by Grafton’s name on a vehicle became synonymous with good 
material, honest work, and a full measure of value for the consideration paid.  
His seventy five dollar buggy meant more value than other factories’ work of 
the same scheduled grade, and .....

He was his own salesman and his courtly dignified manner, intelligent 
presentation of what he offered, and the established reputation of his goods 
built up a trade over Harford and Baltimore counties that kept his factory 
humming 12 months in the year and kept him continually starting out in the 
morning with three wagons for delivery and returning at night on horseback with 
a well deserved profit for his labor. ........

Mr Grafton did not confine his activity to private business.  He took an active 
part in public matters and was a distinct factor in all that he became 
conncected..   He represented Harford in the House of Delegates in 1874, was a 
trustee for the Forest Hill School, and was an original charter member of the 
Harford National Bank.   Known as a canvasser and  public speaker , he was a 
strong subscriber toward the construction of the Maryland and Pennsylvancia 
railroad construction.  A mainstay of the Old Style Baptist Church, of which 
his brother William was long the pastor.


Additional Comments:
From papers of granddaughter Catherine Naomi Grafton Wilson in Georgia.

Nathan Grafton was born November 25, 1826 to Martin and Hannah Lee Grafton, the 
eighth of eleven children.  He married Barbara Hartman in December 1850 and had 
seven children.  William Orac, his son, was the father of Catherine Naomi Wilson

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mdfiles/

File size: 3.5 Kb

This file is located at http://files.usgwarchives.net/md/harford/obits/grafton-ns.txt