View complete article and references at Commemorative Landscapes of North Carolina at: https://docsouth.unc.edu/commland/monument/153

Description: This bust of William A Graham sits in the rotunda of the North Carolina Capitol. Graham is portrayed realistically, clothed in the dress of his time in a high-collared shirt with a jacket and elegant tie.

Inscription:

WILLIAM A GRAHAM / 1804 - 1875

Dedication date: January 12, 1910

Creator: Frederick Wellington Ruckstull, Sculptor

Materials & Techniques: Marble

Sponsor: North Carolina Historical Commission

Cost: $1000

Unveiling & Dedication: Speeches were given by Frank Nash and Thomas W. Mason. Unveiled by William A. Graham Junior, the Fourth. The introductory address was delivered by J. Bryan Grimes.

Subject notes: William Alexander Graham was born in Lincoln County in 1804 to Revolutionary War veteran Joseph Graham and his wife, Isabella. William Graham attended the University of North Carolina and later studied with acclaimed attorney and jurist Thomas Ruffin. Graham became a successful lawyer and enjoyed a long career in public service, serving first in the House of Commons of Orange County and later as a United States Senator. Graham was elected Governor of North Carolina in 1845. Millard Fillmore appointed Graham Secretary of the Navy in July 1850. He later served as a state congressman and a Confederate senator.

City: Raleigh

County: Wake

Subjects: Historic Political Figures