Alexander Graves

Alexander Graves (August 25, 1844 – December 23, 1916) was a U.S. Representative from Missouri. He was born in Mount Carmel, Mississippi, and came of age in the antebellum South. He pursued higher education at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky, but his studies were interrupted by the outbreak of the American Civil War.

With the onset of the Civil War, Graves joined the Confederate States Army and served under General Nathan Bedford Forrest, one of the Confederacy’s most prominent cavalry commanders. He remained in service through the close of the conflict and was paroled with Forrest at Gainesville, Alabama, in May 1865. Following his parole, he resumed his education, reflecting a determination to complete his formal training after the disruptions of war.

After returning to civilian life, Graves continued his studies and was graduated from Oakland University in Mississippi, later known as Alcorn University, in July 1867. He then undertook the study of law and enrolled at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, one of the leading legal training grounds of the era. He was graduated from the University of Virginia in June 1869, completing the professional education that would underpin his legal and political career.

Following his admission to the bar, Graves moved to Missouri and established a law practice in Lexington, a key community in Lafayette County. He quickly became active in local public affairs. In 1872 he served as city attorney of Lexington, and in 1874 he was elected prosecuting attorney of Lafayette County, Missouri. These positions gave him experience in municipal and county governance and brought him to the attention of Democratic Party leaders in the state.

As a member of the Democratic Party representing Missouri, Alexander Graves contributed to the legislative process during one term in office. He was elected as a Democrat to the Forty-eighth Congress and served from March 4, 1883, to March 3, 1885. His service in Congress occurred during a significant period in American history, as the nation continued to grapple with the legacies of the Civil War and Reconstruction, industrial expansion, and evolving regional interests. In this context, Graves participated in the democratic process and represented the interests of his Missouri constituents in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1884 to the Forty-ninth Congress, bringing his congressional career to a close after a single term.

After leaving Congress, Graves returned to Lexington, Missouri, where he resumed the practice of law. He continued his legal work for the remainder of his life, maintaining his role as a respected member of the local bar and community. He died in Lexington on December 23, 1916, and was interred in Machpelah Cemetery. In later recognition of his and his family’s place in the community’s history, the Alexander and Elizabeth Aull Graves House in Lexington was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.