BIOGRAPHY: Abram Witmer GRAFF, Mifflin County, PA

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The Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of the Juniata Valley, Comprising 
the Counties of Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata, and Perry, Pennsylvania.
Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M. Runk & Co., 1897, Volume I, pages 646 & 649.

  ABRAM WITMER GRAFF, deceased, formerly of Milroy, Mifflin county, was born at 
Graffs Mills, near Lancaster, Pa., January 14, 1816.  He was a son of John and 
Mary (Witmer) Graff, and grandson of Hon. Judge Andrew Graff, of Lancaster.  His 
maternal grandparents were Abraham and Mary Witmer, who had four children.  
Abraham Witmer was the projector and builder of Witmer's bridge across the 
Conestoga creek at Lancaster.  This was a private enterprise, upon which Mr. 
Witmer expended nearly $150,000.  Mr. Witmer was elected to the Pennsylvania 
assembly, and served during the time when that honorable body sat in 
Philadelphia.  He took an active interest not only in political concerns, but in 
local affairs generally, and was always ready to promote by the use of his time 
and means the advancement of the place in which he resided.  He at one time kept 
the leading hotel in Lancaster.  At another time we find him in Clearfield, 
where his memory is preserved as the donor of the ground on which the academy 
was built, and Witmer Park laid out.
  Abram W. Graff attended the public schools of Lancaster, finishing his 
education in the academies of that city and Lebanon.  Soon after he removed with 
his parents to Cumberland county, where he taught school for a short time, and 
then engaged in the mercantile business with his brother-in-law, Abram Hamilton.  
Mr. Hamilton was the father of Maj. Andrew G. Hamilton, of the One Hundred and 
Twenty-seventh Kentucky Cavalry.  Major Hamilton was taken prisoner and confined 
in Libby Prison at Richmond, Va., and later, with Colonel Rose and one hundred 
and seven other prisoners made his escape.  Major Hamilton and Colonel Rose were 
the leaders in engineering and digging the famous tunnel out of Libby Prison.  
Some years later, Major Hamilton met his death at the hands of an assassin, near 
his home in Kentucky.  Owing to adversities, the business enterprise conducted 
by Messrs. Graff and Hamilton was not continued long, and the former took a 
clerkship in Carlisle for a short time, and then came to Huntingdon county.  For 
a time he was associated in the mercantile business with Mr. Grier, but soon 
after removed to Aaronsburg, Centre county, where he conducted a store.  In 
1852, he removed to Milroy, and formed a partnership with Joseph Beck in the 
mercantile business, which was continued for some time.  In 1859, he joined his 
interests with Ner Thompson, at Milroy, where they carried on a large and 
profitable business, in conjunction with a second store at Centre Hill, Centre 
county.  This partnership proved a very successful one.  In addition to 
conducting mercantile business, they invested largely in timber lands near 
Milroy, where they manufactured lumber and building material.  They also 
operated the tannery at Milroy.  After a successful career of fourteen years, 
the firm of Graff & Thompson was dissolved by mutual consent, Mr. Graff 
continuing mercantile business, independently at Milroy.  He later became 
interested with L. F. Treaster, in the manufacture of cooperage stock, under the 
firm name of Graff & Treaster, continuing this in connection with his mercantile 
business, until his death, April 5, 1892.  He left a considerable estate, all of 
which was acquired by his efforts, and by the exercise of his talents.  He was a 
Republican;  he served as postmaster at Milroy for sixteen years.  He was a 
charter member of Lodge No. 97, I. O. O. F., at Lewistown.
  Mr. Graff was married July 25, 1848, to Mrs. Caroline (Flick) McMurtrie, widow 
of Marshall McMurtrie.  They had five children:  Mary Witmer, wife of George H. 
Fulton;  Caroline;  John Witmer, married Mary Taylor, resides in Osborn City, 
Kan., two children;  Harriet Stoner (Mrs. John D. Sterrett), four children;  and 
Jacob Witmer, who died young.  Mrs. Graff had one daughter by her first marriage 
with Mr. McMurtrie.  She died July 17, 1872, aged forty-nine years.  In his 
early boyhood, Mr. Graff enjoyed the honor of shaking hands with General 
Lafayette, when, as the Nation's guest, he visited Lancaster, in 1824.  This 
privilege, slight in itself, but precious when joined with underlying sentiment, 
was always remembered with pride and pleasure.  The distinction was effected 
through the influence of Mr. Graff's paternal grandfather, who had been a 
soldier in Washington's army, was with him at Valley Forge, and afterwards 
received an honorable appointment from President John Adams, March 25, 1799.  
Abraham W. Graff was an honorable and conscientious man, faithful in business 
transactions and exemplary in the various relations of life.  His many acts of 
kindness endear his memory not only to their recipients, but to all who knew and 
appreciated his character.