Grahs, Edward J., architect and building contractor - Portland - born in the vicinity of Helsingborg 16 April, 1862. Emigrated to America in 1882 and worked in and around Chicago for about a year, after which he moved to Oregon in 1883. In 1885 he bought a farm in Washington County 8 miles from Forest Grove and stayed there for about a year. He also claimed a piece of government land, but lost it. Since 1886 he has been a very busy and successful building contractor in Portland, and has lived there permanently with the exception of one year which he spent in Corvallis and North Yamhill. His more prominent buildings, for which he has both drawn the plans and done the actual construction, include the Meyer Palace along the Alberta Road and the Swedish Society Linnea Building. Grahs was one of the founding members of the organization The Swedish Brotherhood (now known as Linnea) as well as its first librarian. He has held every position there except Treasurer, and he is also a member of Modern Woodmen, the Building Contractors’ Association in Portland, and the Northwest Improvement League (also located in Portland). He owns a home on 368 Victoria St., and 5½ acres of orchard land in Fairvale below Council Crest. In addition, he owns mining property in Stevens County, Washington. On several occasions he has worked as a newspaper correspondent. In 1890 he married Hannah Carolina Wistrand, born in Småland.

[Translator’s note: the name was spelled Grähs in Swedish.]