Edward Graven, born March 30, 1929, is one of six children born to Ann (Durken) and Martin Graven of Spiritwood and Jamestown. His history goes back to one Pat Graven, his grandfather, who emigrated from County Mayo, Ireland, to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and later to Dakota Territory where he homesteaded near Spiritwood in 1882. Edward's early schooling was in Spiritwood and at St. John's Academy, Jamestown. He attended St. Thomas College, St. Paul, Minnesota, and North Dakota Agricultural College (N.D.A.C.) (now North Dakota State College), Fargo, North Dakota. After his discharge from the U.S. Army, in which he served from 1951-1953, he returned to Jamestown
and started farming with his brothers in Spiritwood. Later he worked for the North Dakota Highway Department, Northern Improvement Company, and Washington State Highway Department. On June 29, 1963, at Sacred Heart Church in Sanborn, he married Mary Ann Altringer, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Altringer of Eckelson.
Mary Ann Altringer was born April 8, 1927, and received her schooling at Eckelson until the high school closed in 1943 when she attended St. Catherine's, Valley City, graduating from there in 1945. She attended St. Benedict's College, St. Joseph, Minnesota and earned a B.S. degree from the University of Minnesota in 1950. She worked for Northwest Airlines in New York and taught in Perham, Minnesota, Denver, Colorado, and South San Francisco, California.
The Gravens made their home in Seattle, Washington until the spring of 1964 when they returned to the Eckelson area and started farming operations. They lived in Valley City for one year, then purchased the Catholic rectory in Sanborn (pictured) and had it moved to the "hill farm" north of the tracks in Eckelson (the former Lee Cowell farm). Here they have a small herd of registered Aberdeen Angus cattle. The Gravens have two sons: Patrick Joseph born March 18, 1964 and Michael Angelo born October 2, 1968. Both of the boys attend school at St. Catherine's in Valley City.
Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 82