Adrian Sebastian Van de Graaff Jr., 1891-1936

Adrian Sebastian Van de Graaff Jr., 1891-1936

Van de Graaff, Adrian Sebastian

A. S. Van de Graaff was the eldest son of Tuscaloosa attorney and Circuit Judge Adrian Sebastian "Bass" Van de Graaff Sr. and Minnie Cherokee Jemison Van de Graaff. Adrian was born in Tuscaloosa and attended local public schools before entering the University in 1909. Following in the footsteps of his father, who had played football in 1880 while attending Yale College, Adrian joined the Alabama football team and in 1911 and 1912, becoming one of the South's most colorful backfield stars on the gridiron. Like each of his brothers, he was a member of Phi Delta Theta social fraternity. In 1912, Adrian received his A.B. degree and in 1915 graduated from the University's law school. He practiced law in Tuscaloosa for a couple of years, but then World War I began and he enlisted in the United States army. Adrian played football on a training camp team but after he received the rank of first lieutenant in the 319th Field Artillery, 82d division, saw combat service in the Saint Mihiel and the Argonne battles. When the war ended, Adrian returned to the practice of law, but not in Tuscaloosa. He instead joined a prestigious Birmingham law firm, Bradley, Tillman and Morrow. But on the death of his father in 1822, Adrian returned to Tuscaloosa and practiced law until his sudden death on March 14, 1936. He was apparently unmarried at that time. (Chris McIlwain)

Betty Slowe (Description)

Chris McIlwain (Description)

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Tuscaloosa (AL)

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