Max McGraw

Max McGraw was born in Clear Lake, Iowa on 1 February 1883, and grew up in Sioux City, Iowa. As a youth he became fascinated with electricity.

While at high school he enrolled in a correspondence course in electrical engineering and organized an amateur telegraph circuit linking the homes of fourteen of his friends. He delivered newspapers and did odd jobs to save money.

In the summer of 1900, aged 17, McGraw entered business as an electrician. He called his enterprise the McGraw Electric Company.

Most of his early work was wiring houses that were converting from gas to electricity.

The business struggled at first, but in the second year gained profitable contracts from the Stockyards and the Peavey Grand Opera House in Sioux City. In 1902 the McGraw Electric Company moved into larger premises on Fifth Street, Sioux City.

In 1903 McGraw organized the Interstate Supply Company in partnership with his father and four others, selling mill, railroad and electrical equipment. This business grew rapidly.

McGraw married Frances Schaaf on 16 August 1904. They had two daughters and a son.

In 1907 McGraw founded the Interstate Electric Manufacturing Company, which manufactured magnetos, telephones and power switchboards. In 1910 he merged the supply and manufacturing companies into the Interstate Supply and Manufacturing Company. In 1912 he bought the Lehmer Company, a mill supply and electrical equipment manufacturer which he had used as a model for his earlier enterprises. He merged this company and the Interstate Supply and Manufacturing Company into the McGraw Electric Company, taking the position of President.

The combined business had sales of more than $2 million that year.