Archie Clinton Graham

Archie Clinton arrived on October 28, 1895, after one son and four daughters for Anna and Will. He had dark curly hair and a pleasant personality. All the Graham boys possessed charisma and all of them liked to drink, except Art. Arch (as his wife Marie called him) told comical stories of how he had to feed livestock before school. He was the first Graham to be born in Wyandotte Count, Kansas City, Kansas, where Anna and Will stayed.

    He went to work as a Meat-cutter for the Migo (sic) Brothers in a tough part of K.C.  He had married lovely (Marie Theresa Meitner (Austrian) on October8, 1930.  I was their flower girl in "old rose" and a big, tight hair bow.  Marie had twin sisters and a brother, Rudy,

    The reception was in their big, clean garage and Mr. Meitner led the small band with his violin.  Marie had a lifelong friedn, beautiful redheaded Mary Campbell and if that isn't Scottish, (the origin of redheads) what is?  Marie and Daddy were the only Catholics that married into the Graham family.

    Arch had a life-threatening experience, when during a robbery at Negros, he was shot in the left forehead.  His brother, Harry was summoned and gave Arch blood.  Arch survived and people gave Marie's prayers and Harry's alcohol-laced blood all the credit.

    Marie liked a nice home, but she said, "Arch would be happier in the type of home like his mother's." (Poorer and plainer.)  They had three daughters blonde Mary Elizabeth, Louise Ann and Ireme Wilamenia, my first "new" cousins.  I had been the "baby cousin" 'till Mary.

    Arch was a lot of fun and they lived in lovely homes.  None of the girls showed an aptitude for music, so on a trip there with Brad, she was delighted when he sat down at her piano.  

    Mary and Irene were fair-skinned blondes, but Louise had dark-brown tightly curled hair and was a bit "slow".  Mary said, "has mental deficiency been more in the public eye, she would have received treatment."  She looked so different, a malicious rumor sprang up in the family.  Aunt Hazel was indignant! 

"I baby sat" them between school terms. On hot summer mights, we'd take our blankets and pillows to the wide front porch. We'd go to movies.

    Mary married well-to-do- Harold Schleicher and had seven children, including twins.

    Irene married twice, she didn't marry the second time until ex Thane (Thaine?) had died of cancer.  She had tow children. 

    Marie was an "angel on earth", everyone loved her!  A business-like Capricorn and a devout Catholic, she outwitted greedy Blanche and we all got a share of Iva's money.  I got Cora's $2,000.00, being an only child, when I lived on Grove Street, Fort Atkinson, WI.  Not being blood-related (actually she was blood-related, she was a niece - added by Barbara Hatch), she had to go thru Arch.  Believe me, she was the brains!  Arch so easy-going.

    Marie found Arch on floor of the bathroom dead of a stroke December 17, 1977.

    She (Marie) died at age 89. (1-27-1997)  Mary predeceased Marie - Nov. 1987 age 55.

Written by: Dorothy Nugent Hatch

Addition: The day Marie saw their car parked in front of a tavern with only the 3 girls in it was the last day Arch drove. Marie sold the car!