Bibb Graves

David Bibb Graves (born April 1, 1873 in Hope Hull, Montgomery County; died March 14, 1942 in Sarasota, Florida) was a two-term Governor of Alabama, serving from 1927-31 and 1935-39.

Graves was the son of David and Mattie Graves, and a distant cousin of early Alabama governors William Wyatt Bibb and Thomas Bibb. He grew up in Texas and attended grade school there before enrolling at the University of Alabama. While in college, Graves captained the University of Alabama Corps of Cadets and played on Alabama's first football team. He completed his undergraduate degree in civil engineering in 1893 and began law school at the University of Texas, but soon transferred to Yale Law School, earning his LL.B. in 1896.

Graves began his law practice in Montgomery and soon entered politics. He was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives in 1898 and married his cousin, Dixie Bibb, in 1900. He was aligned with progressives in the legislature and opposed the Alabama Constitution of 1901. He retired from the house in 1904 to challenge incumbent Ariosto Wiley to represent the Second Congressional District of Alabama, but was unsuccessful and returned to practicing law. He served as campaign manager in Montgomery County for B. B. Comer in 1904 and chaired the Alabama State Democratic Executive Committee in 1914, where he helped write a proposal to replace the state's system of runoff elections with a first- and second-choice ballot option.

Beginning in 1907, Graves served as adjutant general of the Alabama National Guard and helped organize the 1st Alabama Cavalry Regiment, which he commanded as lieutenant colonel and colonel. In September 1916 the regiment was mustered into federal service and stationed at the U.S. border to repel raiding parties. During World War I the unit was assigned to the 51st Artillery Brigade, with Graves serving as a colonel in the 117th Field Artillery in the 31st Division, which saw heavy action in France.

References

• Flynt, Wayne. "Bibb Graves." Alabama Governors: A Political History of the State, edited by Samuel L. Webb and Margaret E. Armbrester. Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press, 2001.
• Gilbert, William E. "The First Administration of Governor Bibb Graves, 1927-1930." M.A. thesis, University of Alabama, 1953.
• Flynt, Wayne (March 1, 2013) "David Bibb Graves (1927-31, 1935-39)". Encyclopedia of Alabama - accessed December 4, 2013