James Allen Graham, (April 27, 1921 – November 20, 2003) was an American teacher and politician who served as the thirteenth North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture.[2]
James Allen Graham | |
|---|---|
 Jim Graham in 1992 | |
| 13th North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture | |
| In office July 19, 1964 – January 2001[1] | |
| Appointed by | Terry Sanford |
| Preceded by | Lynton Y. Ballentine |
| Succeeded by | Meg Scott Phipps |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 7, 1921 Cleveland, North Carolina |
| Died | November 20, 2003 (aged 82) |
| Political party | Democratic[1] |
| Spouse | Helen Ida Kirk (October 30, 1942 - her death 1999) |
| Alma mater | North Carolina State University, B.S., (Agricultural Education) 1942. |
| Nickname | Jim |
Early life
editGraham was born on April 7, 1921, to James Turner and Laura Blanche Allen Graham in Cleveland, North Carolina.[1][2] Graham was raised in Rowan County, North Carolina, on a 250-acre farm where the family raised cotton, cattle and grain.[3]
Education
editGraham graduated from Cleveland High School in 1938, where he played on the High School football team.[1] In 1942 Graham graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Education[4] from North Carolina State College[2] where he was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity.[5]
Family life
editJim Graham married Helen Ida Kirk, on October 30, 1942, they had two daughters, Alice Kirk Graham, and Laura Constance Graham.[2]
Commissioner of Agriculture
editOn July 19, 1964, Graham was appointed North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture, by Governor Terry Sanford, to fill the unexpired term of the late Lynton Y. Ballentine. Graham was elected Commissioner of Agriculture in November 1964 and reelected eight times.[1][2]
Writings
edit- Graham, James A.: The Sodfather: A Friend of Agriculture, (1998).
References
edit- ^ a b c d e Wineka, Mark (November 22, 2000). "Jim Graham: After 36 years, agriculture commissioner steps aside". The Salisbury Post. Archived from the original on July 4, 2008. Retrieved September 21, 2012.
- ^ a b c d e "RESOLUTION 2005-25" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved September 21, 2012.
- ^ Yancy, Cecil H. Jr. (November 26, 2003). "'Sodfather,' Jim Graham, dies at 82". Southeast Farm Press. Retrieved September 21, 2012.
- ^ "NCSU Libraries Special Collections". Archived from the original on 2010-06-10. Retrieved 2012-09-20.
- ^ Staff Writer (Summer 2012). "Tekes in Politics" Archived 2016-03-09 at the Wayback Machine. The Teke. pp. 12–13. Tau Kappa Epsilon. Retrieved January 10, 2018.