Judge Graham
Cochran County, Texas
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George Andrew Graham
Entered office: January 01, 1935 George Andrew Graham was born in
Scurry, Kaufman County, Texas on
February 16, 1891. He was soldier in the
United States Army during World War I and
was stationed at Camp Bowie, near Fort
Forth.
Left office: December 31, 1938
Birth: February 16, 1891 Scurry, Texas
Death: August 21, 1978 Lubbock, Texas
Burial: Forest Lawn Cemetery, Ruidoso, New Mexico
After being discharged Graham, his wife,
Bessie, and their oldest daughter moved to
New Deal, Texas where they farmed with
Graham’s father, Samuel. By 1924 the Grahams had four children and one on the
way. A bumper crop was made but they
were forced to give up their lease. They
were faced with the decision of using the
money they had on hand to buy a strip of
land in Lubbock or file a claim for property
in New Mexico and use the money to
purchase farming equipment and relocate
near Bledsoe.
The family decided on the farm land.
After the arrival of their fifth child the family moved but were unable to drill deep enough to get water. After five years of hauling water, driving school buses, and farming, the land near Bledsoe was theirs and three more children had been born to the family.
In 1931 the family moved to a farm five miles east of Morton where their ninth child was born. Graham farmed this land and worked for CWA from 1932 to 1934.
Beatrice, their second oldest daughter, developed pneumonia and died on February 17, 1934 at the age of 13.
Graham was elected Cochran County Judge in 1935 and served in that capacity until 1939. The first marriage he performed as judge was Edith (Skeet) Stewart and Perry Tichenor.
After his term as county judge, the Grahams operated a restaurant on the east side of the square and the former judge taught at Morton High School and drove a school bus during World War II. They sold the cafe in 1947 to Jesse Carol Burns and the Grahams moved to Ruidoso, New Mexico, where they operated a bowling alley, rented cabins and assisted with chuck wagon suppers. During this time they also operated Main Street Drug in Lubbock between 1950 and 1955.
Biography Source: Texas Sesquicentennial Texas’ Last Frontier Cochran County 1836-1986 Volume 1. Copyright Cochran County Historical Commission written by Mary Graham circa 1985 adapted by Mary Helen McKnight 2016
Image Source: Texas' Last Frontier Historical Museum If you know of an official that is not listed here, or if you have photos, maps, documents or stories you would like to share, please, email me!
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