Horace Reynolds Graham Jr (1918 - 1974)

Born 23 May 1918 in Sewell, Machalí, Cachapoal, Chile

Ancestors

Husband of Mary Louise (Sesler) Graham — married about 19 May 1944 (to about 1963) in Pensacola, Florida

Husband of Josephine Flora (McKinnon) Chism — married about 1964 in Memphis Tennessee

Descendants

Died 26 Aug 1974 at age 56 in Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Rob Graham [send private message]

Biography

Mr. Horace Graham Jr served in the United States Navy in World War II
Service started: 1 Jan 1943
Unit(s):
Service ended: 4 Dec 1945

Horace was born in 1918 in Sewell, Chile, son to Horace Reynolds Graham and Zetha Leah Chambers. ^[1] His father worked as a mining engineer at the El Teniente copper mine operated by the Braden Copper company near Sewell. He returned to the United States in August of 1930 to attend the Lawrenceville School in Lawrenceville, New Jersey^[2], sailing on the SS Santa Clara from Antofagasta, Chile.^[3] He graduated in the spring of 1938 and entered Princeton University in the fall of the same year. He graduated from Princeton in the spring of 1941 with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering. ^[4]

After Graduation, he was commissioned in the U.S. Navy, attended flight school, and then served as a dive bomber (SB2C Helldiver) pilot aboard the USS Intrepid.

Silver Star

^[5][6][7]. He was honorably discharged with the rank of LTJG on 4 Dec 1945 ^[8].

On 19 May 1944, in Pensacola Florida, Horace married Mary Louise "Malu" Sesler.^[9] Their son, Robert Wallace Graham was born in Uniontown, Pennsylvania February 7, 1945.^[10]

In the summer of 1945, he and his family relocated to Maria Elena, Chile, SA, where he was employed by Anglo-Lautaro Nitrate company as a chemical engineer. His father was the executive vice president of the Nitrate company at the time.

His daughter, Kathleen Kelly Graham was born in Maria Elena on February 12, 1948.^[5]

Horace remained in Chile until 1953, when he and family relocated to the United States, and, after a brief stay in Uniontown while Horace conducted a job search, settled in Memphis, Tennessee, where he took a job with Buckeye Cellulose Corporation.^[5]

Horace and Malu divorced in 1963^[5], In 1964, he married Josephine McKinnon.^[5] He passed away on 26 Aug 1974. in Memphis, Tennessee.^[8] He was cremated September 1974, and his ashes were scattered over the Mississippi River in front of the Church of the River (Unitarian) by his son.^[5]

Sources

1. ↑ Birth Certificate of Horace Reynolds Graham Jr.which cites "in the books of the constituency of Sewell, Department of Rancagua dated 30 April 1943, and signed with the No 161, was born a son on 23 May 1918 to Leah Chambers Graham and Horace Reynolds Graham ",In the files of Rob Graham. See scanned image Horace R. Graham Jr's Birth Certificate
2. ↑ "U.S., School Yearbooks, 1880-2012"; Year: 1937 >> Source: Ancestry.com. U.S., School Yearbooks, 1900-1990 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010 citing Horace Reynolds Graham; Birth year 1921; Lawrenceville School; Lawrenceville, New Jersey
3. ↑ Source Citation; Year: 1930; Arrival: New York, New York; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Microfilm Roll: Roll 4804; Line: 1; Page Number: 38; Description; Ship or Roll Number: Roll 4804; Source Information: Ancestry.com. New York, Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.
4. ↑ "U.S., School Yearbooks, 1880-2012"; Yearbook Title: Bric A Brac Yearbook; Year: 1942 Citing Horace Renolds Graham Jr. of Santiago, Chile, in the class of 1941; Source Information: Ancestry.com. U.S., School Yearbooks, 1900-1990 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5} personal recollections of Rob Graham
6. ↑ Hall of Valor - Silver Star Awards
7. ↑ "Transmittal of and/or entitlement to awards", Naval Personnel Comand; form 1650/96 issued 6/20/2019; see H. R. Graham service awards - NavPers 1650/96
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} Source Information: Ancestry.com. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. - Original data: Beneficiary Identification Records Locator Subsystem (BIRLS) Death File. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Citing Name: Horace Graham ; Gender: Male ; Birth Date: 23 May 1918 ; Death Date: 26 Aug 1974 ; SSN: 212208806 ; Branch 1: NAVY ; Enlistment Date 1: 1 Jan 1943 ; Release Date 1: 4 Dec 1945
9. ↑ Ancestry.com. Florida, County Marriage Records, 1823-1982 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016.; Original data: Marriage Records. Florida Marriages. Various Florida County Courthouses and State Archive, Tallahassee, Florida. Citing: Marriage License 18800; State of Florida, Central Bureau of Vital Statistics, Escambia County C J No 32731 issued to Horace Renolds Graham Jr and Mary Louise Sesler on 17 May 1944 at the Pensacola, Florida courthouse. Marriage Certificate signed on 19 May 1944 at the N.A.S. Chapel, Pensacola Florida, recorded 25 May 1944, marriage book 59, page 201
10. ↑ Birth Certificate of Robert Wallace Graham, File No. 0190030-45, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania > Department of Health > Vital Records > Date Filed: 02-17-1945, Date of Birth 02-07-1945, Personal copy in the files of Rob Graham. See scanned image of Rob's birth certificate