Graves was born in
Marietta, Ohio. He attended
Phillips Academy, Andover, graduating in 1888, and
Yale University, graduating in 1892. He received a
Master's degree from Yale in 1900. At Yale Graves was a member of the secret society
Skull and Bones. Graves,
James Toumey and
Gifford Pinchot established the Yale Forest School in 1900, the first graduate school dedicated to forestry in the United States. He served as its first Director [1900-1910] and returned as Dean of the forestry school [1923-1939]. Henry was the Provost of Yale University from 1923-1927. In 1900, he and Pinchot were also two of the seven founding members of the
Society of American Foresters. Graves resigned from his position as Chief Forester, completing his duties in 1920. Following his retirement in 1939, Graves was able to dedicate more time in assisting his good friend, George Dudley Seymour with managing the Hale Homestead ('The Birthplace' of
Nathan Hale) in Coventry, Connecticut. Both Henry Graves and George Cromie [Yale Forest School, 1911 and 1st Superintendent of Trees, City of New Haven, CT] provided technical forestry management assistance to George Dudley Seymour for the woodlands surrounding the Hale Homestead, which would become the Nathan Hale State Forest in 1946. In 1933, Connecticut State Forester, Austin Foster Hawes named a Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp located in the Nipmuck State Forest in Union, "Camp Graves" in honor of Henry. On August 1, 1944, at a meeting of the Washington Section of the
Society of American Foresters held at the Cosmos Club in Washington, DC, Graves was presented the Sir William Schlich Memorial Award. Graves was the third person to receive this SAF award for distinguished service to American forestry.
Clarence Korstian read a prepared statement by Gifford Pinchot in presenting the medal to Graves: "...I have the honor and the profound pleasure of presenting to you the Sir William Schlich memorial medal for distinguished service to American forestry. Well and truly have you earned it by a life devoted to the service of the people in forestry and in conservation. May you live long to enjoy the admiration and affection of your fellow foresters, and the respect of all who know you. It is yours by right." Honorary Degrees: Harvard University (M.A., 1911), Syracuse University (Law, 1924), Yale University (Doctor of Law, 1940). He was a member of the
Connecticut Academy of Arts and Sciences. The Henry Solon Graves Grove is located within
Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park. A stone marker in the grove, dedicated in 1926 reads: "The Grove of ancient Trees named in honor of Henry Solon Graves Forester, Educator and Administrator. A Leader of unusual ability in the profession of forestry in which he has rendered distinguished service to his country". Henry married Ella Marian Welch (Vassar, A.B., 1895) on December 19, 1903. ==See also==