My Genealogy Hound

A. P. McGRAW, a leading citizen of the village of McGraw, formerly McGrawville, town of Cortlandville, and president and treasurer of The A. P. McGraw Corset Co., which conducts its extensive manufacturing operations in the village named above, was born in McGrawville, June 12, 1856. He is a son of P. H. and Louesa (Pritchard) McGraw, who were of Scotch-Irish descent.

Our subject’s paternal great-grandfather was born in the State of Vermont, but was engaged in farming a portion of his life in Herkimer County, this state, finally removing to McGrawville, where he took up a very extensive tract of land, and pursued his customary vocations. He reared eleven children.

His son, Harry, the grandfather of our subject, was born at McGrawville, and went into trade, conducting a store in that village for upwards of thirty years. By reason of the large landed possessions left him by his father, he was placed in a position where he could with considerable profit to himself engage to a large extent in speculating in land, and in dealing in real estate. He adopted this course, and made it second only to his mercantile business. His death occurred in 1849. He was an attendant of the Presbyterian Church, and faithful to all his moral obligations. His children were: Lucetta, the wife of Rev. E. B. Fancher; Perrin H., the father of our subject; Pamelia, who became the wife of H. M. Kingman; Marinda, who married Dr. H. C. Hendrick, the most prominent physician of McGrawville; Delos, who remains single; and Maria, deceased. The average age of the members of the family now living is seventy-three years. Our subject’s grandfather was the first postmaster in McGrawville, and was still the incumbent of that position when his death took place.

Perrin H. McGraw, after securing a common school education at Cortland, Homer and Mexico, engaged in the mercantile business, and for fourteen years continued to meet the demands of the trade in company with his brother, Delos. They then bought and sold butter and cheese, and carried on a very extensive business. He at length gave up his produce business, and started what is known as The McGraw Corset Co., with factory at McGrawville. He retained the management of this industry until 1890, when his son took charge of the business. In his politics, Mr. McGraw is a Republican, formerly a Whig; he takes the same lively interest in politics, but does not participate so freely in local and county struggles for political supremacy as in days of yore, when he was recognized as a leader among his fellow partisans. He represented Cortland in the State Assembly, and was a State Senator for two years. In addition to these offices of prominence, he also filled a number of the local offices, and proved himself to be a man of very superior ability, whose talents were fitted for use in almost any of the departments of life. At the commencement of the late war, he assisted the state authorities at Albany to organize a regiment. He was appointed quartermaster, and served seven months in the 157th Regiment, having to furnish supplies for about 1200 men. He worked hard and long for the county’s interest as president of the U. C. & C. R. R., which is now built and operated under the name of the Erie & Central N. Y. R. R. He early united with the Presbyterian Church, and at various times served as elder and as trustee. On April 26, 1846, he married Louesa Pritchard, who died April 23, 1890, leaving two children — A. P. and Mary L.

A. P. McGraw attended the common schools, and prepared for college, but, being urged to postpone his college course, he started in at the age of twenty-two to work with his father in the corset factory. From 1878 until the present time he has continued to constantly increase the corset and skirt business as well as to manufacture wagons, paper and wooden boxes, and carry on a farm of some 200 acres. Since 1890, when his father retired, he has had full control of the establishment, and has held the offices of secretary and treasurer. The business of manufacturing corsets, skirts, and waists that showed so remarkable a growth under the elder Mr. McGraw, has continued to increase in proportions under the careful and judicious management of his son. McGraw corsets and skirts are now known all over the land, and great dependence is placed on their honesty of construction, and up-to-date styles. In 1897, The A. P. McGraw Corset Company purchased the business of The McGraw Corset Co., and A. P. McGraw was elected president and treasurer of the new concern, and is now succeeding even more noticeably than before. As an indication of the magnitude of the business transacted, it may with propriety be stated in this connection that the daily mail of the company averages 150 letters, and the business foots up a yearly total of a quarter of a million dollars.

Mr. McGraw was united in marriage with Emiline M. Childs, daughter of Charles D. Childs of Vermont, January 18, 1882, and they now have two children: Charles A. and Agnes C. Our subject is a Presbyterian, like all his ancestors, and has always taken a hearty interest in all departments of the church work. In the Sabbath School he is the superintendent, and has been for eighteen years. He is an active Republican in politics, and is a member of the county committee. He has been president of the village, and also trustee of the school board. He was a member of the McGrawville Lodge, No. 320, I. O. O. F., and was also a member of the Sons of Veterans, Camp No. 36, until the pressure of business compelled him to forego much active work with these societies. As a mark of the appreciative regard entertained toward our subject by the citizens of the village and the surrounding country, who have been greatly benefited financially by his efforts in building up a large business, together with the benefit to the business itself — the name of the post-office was changed to McGraw. On a preceding page we present a likeness* of this live, enterprising citizen of Cortland County.

*A portrait was included in the original printed volume.