The Graham Bros. Distillery
RD #2, 1 st District
Winnebago County, IL

(Est. 1876)

The distillery was established by Freeman Graham (1806-1896), a native of Simsbury, CT., and operated as Graham's Distillery. It was purportedly the first sour mash whiskey distillery in IL. Freeman's son Byron became the prinicipal distiller some time later, and he continued to operate it with his brothers David and Freeman Jr. as the Graham Bros. Distillery Co.

In 1900, the plant employed 8 men.

A 1907 report shows that the plant has three boilers and that the engineer was a Mr Allen.

In 1913, J H Graham is shown as President, Henry Graham as Secretary

In 1915, Byron Graham was President, Harry H Graham VP and Distiller, S J Christensen Treasurer and General Manager, M C Heiser was Secretary.

A 1892 biography of the founder reads as follows:
FREEMAN GRAHAM, of Rockford, was born in Simsbury, Hartford County, Conn., October 11, 1806. His boyhood days were passed in his native place, where he received a common school-education, and served an apprenticeship of seven years in making cotton and woolen machines, becoming a practical machinist.

In 1854, he came West, entered the employ of Charles Walker, of Chicago, and took charge of his iron works in Beloit, Wis., where he remained two years.

Receiving an offer of a larger salary, Mr. Graham came to Rockford and entered the employ of Mr. Emerson. He became sole manager of the well-known firm of Emerson, Talcott & Co., manufacturers of farm implements, and in that responsible position was widely known as an enterprising and progressive business man. When the Rockford Cotton Mills were started under his direct supervision, he became part owner and retained his connection with that flourishing enterprise for many years.

He also erected and owns the distillery now operated by his sons under the firm name of Graham Bros.

A man of thrift and large executive ability, Mr. Graham has aided in the upbuilding of Rockford and has always taken a deep interest in local affairs. While a resident of Connecticut, he served some years in the State Legislature and held the office of Justice of the Peace for many years. For five years he served efficiently and to the universal satisfaction as Alderman of the Fifth Ward, in which position he contributed effectively to the advancement of the city.

An extensive traveler, as early as 1828 he went to South America, and spent one year in Yucatan, where he was interested in introducing a machine for dressing manila from the raw material into practical use, and he still has in his possession a certificate of grant from the Spanish authorities for his machine.

At the age of eighty-five years, Mr. Graham is quite active, retains the use of his intellectual and physical faculties, has never used eye glasses, and retains that sanguine and buoyant spirit characteristic of youth. On May 3, 1892, he celebrated the sixtieth anniversary of his marriage.The maiden name of his estimable and devoted wife was Julia Driggs, and she was born in Barkhamsted, Litchfield County, Conn., October 2, 1814, her ancestors being of Scotch origin. They have been the parents of seven children, the eldest of whom, Julia and Mary, died young. Byron is a distiller in Rockford, and he and his brother, Freeman, Jr., belong to the firm of Graham Bros. Cotton Mills Company. The former married Miss Mary Hight, of California, and the latter chose as his wife Miss Elizabeth Cammon. Julius, general manager of the firm of Graham Bros. Cotton Mills Company, married Miss Emily Brantenham. Julia is the wife of Henry Warner, who manages the paper and cotton mills at Rock Island, Ill. David, the youngest son, is manager of the distillery. Mr. and Mrs. Graham attend the Episcopal Church and are highly esteemed in the city, where they have resided for so many years.

The father of our subject, whose name was likewise Freeman, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War and followed the business of a clothier until he died in middle age. Grandfather William Graham, who was of Scotch parentage, was a prominent physician of the Nutmeg State. The mother of our subject, whose maiden name was Hannah May, was born in Connecticut, where she died at the age of eighty-four. Her father, John May, whose ancestors had been connected with the Colonial settlement of New England, attained to the great age of ninety-nine, at which time his death was caused by injuries received from falling down a flight of stairs. Our subject was the youngest, with one exception, of ten children, all of whom attained to mature years. One brother, Harvey, served through the War of 1812 as Sergeant. Of that large family our subject is the only survivor, the others having preceded him in death.

Politically, Mr. Graham was originally a Whig, and subsequently became a Republican, and during the war was a stanch Union man.