GRAHAM, FISH

Posted by Cathy Gowdy on Friday, September 04, 2009 at 03:46:25 :

The Marin Journal
Thursday, October 21, 1915
Page 2

William G. Graham Meets Death In N. Y.

A few weeks ago William G. Graham, one of the most widely known hotelmen in California, left San Rafael for a visit with his daughter, Mrs. A. H. Fish, in Nyack, New York. Tuesday morning word reached here that he had met sudden death by falling through a window at the home of his daughter. The accident happened during the night, and it was presumed that the aged man had been walking in his sleep.

Mr. Graham had lived here with his son, George S. Graham, for many years after his retirement from active life. In the early days of San Francisco he was prominent in the business life of the city.

Born in Paterson, New Jersey, in 1833, he came around the Horn with a few of his close friends and landed on the Pacific coast in 1849. The party separated, Graham going to the Calaveras Big Trees and starting the Calaveras Hotel, a famous resort of the early days. Following this successful venture, he opened other hotels, among them being the Visalia Hotel, the Vance House in Eureka, the famous old Morton House on Post street, San Francisco, which antedated the Russ and Lick, Houses; the Graham House on Geary street, and later another Graham House on Market, Mason and Turk streets, the Commerce Hotel on Grant avenue, and at one time the Tamalpais Hotel in what is now Mt. Tamalpais Military Academy in San Rafael.

He was a member of the Society of California Pioneers. In his early life here he conducted the Tamapais Hotel and served the county as a member of the Board of Supervisors. Word has not been received here as to the disposition to be made of the body.