Charles Leonidas Graves, Jr., 1916-1983
Papers, 1933-1987
5.4 linear feet ( 7 full-size boxes, 1 half-size box, and 13 volumes)
Biographical Note
Charles L. “Charley” Graves, Jr., was born on March 1, 1916, in Louisville,
Kentucky, and graduated from Louisville’s Male High School in 1933. He received a
Bachelor of Arts degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Louisville in 1938
and is listed in Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges (vol.
3)
from the year before. He received a Masters of Engineering degree from the University
of Louisville in 1974.
After graduation Graves worked in bridge, highway, and plant construction until
he joined J. Ray McDermott & Company, Inc., as a Field Project Engineer in 1946.
Graves worked his way up through the company, becoming Assistant Vice-President in
1951, Vice-President in 1955, Director in 1961, Executive Vice-President in 1964,
President and C.E.O. in 1972, and Chairman of the Board, President, and C.E.O. in 1974.
In December 1978 McDermott & Company, while Graves was President and C.E.O.,
pleaded guilty to and paid fines for conspiring to rig bids and fix prices in the offshore
construction industry. Graves resigned as Chairman of the Board and C.E.O. in March
1979 for health reasons brought on by complications from diabetes.
Charles Graves married Isabelle “Suzie” Ruigol on October 29, 1938. They had
three children, David, Richard, and Carol. He owned Shamrock Plantation, just outside
Woodville, Mississippi, where he raised Tennessee Walking Horses. Graves served as a
Director of the Whitney National Bank and the International Trade Mart in New Orleans
and was an active member of the Metairie Country Club, the Plimsoll Club of New
Orleans, International House of New Orleans, and the Houston Club. He died on
July 6, 1983.
Charles Leonidas Graves, Jr., 1916-1983
Papers, 1933-1987
bulk, 1972-1983
Scope Note
These papers are organized into four series: (1) J. Ray McDermott & Co., Inc.,
(2) personal, (3) succession, and (4) a series of papers organized by his family. The
McDermott records include business material, McDermott Quarterly, Annual, and Special
Reports, McDermott merger and debenture agreements, letters of delegation (job
descriptions), a McDermott corporate profile, a McDermott Fact Book, the McDermott
newsletter Perspectives, and articles about the company and Graves. The personal
papers include information about his childhood, as well as Graves’s high school
yearbook, his
Master’s thesis for the University of Louisville, copies of birth and marriage certificates,
and copies of passports. Other personal papers include records about memberships on
boards and directorships he held, certificates, retirement announcements and related
information, correspondence from well-wishers and thank yous, as well as
correspondence regarding political contributions, clubs, speeches, and Graves’s special
interest, Tennessee Walking Horses. The third series comprises records of Graves’s
succession and the settlement of his estate. Materials in the fourth series overlap with
much of the above material. However, this series was organized by the family, probably
Mrs. Graves, before donation and has been preserved in that order. A separation list
accompanies the finding aid.
Charles Leonidas Graves, Jr., 1916-1983
Papers, 1933-1987
bulk, 1972-1983
Series 1
J. Ray McDermott & Company, Inc.
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Correspondence
Correspondence, congratulations on being named Executive Vice-President
of McDermott, December 1971-March 1972. 18 items.
McDermott news release, Graves being named President of Company,
December 22, 1971.
Correspondence, congratulations on being named President of McDermott,
February 1972-September 1972. 235 items.
Draft, Questions and Answers following speech at Oppenheim & Co.,
New York, November 11, 1973.
Correspondence, congratulations on being named Chairman of the Board of
McDermott, August 1974-September 1974. 44 items
Resignation announcement as President and C.E.O. from McDermott,
February 13, 1979. Includes Graves’s handwritten copy detailing
health problems resulting from diabetes.
Correspondence, wishing Graves well on his retirement, February 1979December 1980.
Correspondence, December 1980-December 1981. 92 items.
Correspondence, January 1982-June 1983 and n.d. 53 items.
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Published Reports
McDermott, Quarterly Reports, 1954-1962.
McDermott, Quarterly Reports, 1963-1967.
McDermott, Quarterly Reports, 1968-1976.
McDermott, Quarterly Reports, 1977-1979.
McDermott, Quarterly Reports, 1980-1982.
McDermott, Special Report, 1966.
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McDermott, Annual Reports, 1954.
McDermott, Annual Reports, 1955-1959.
McDermott, Annual Reports, 1960-1964.
McDermott, Annual Reports, 1965-1969.
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*Box 1, Folder 1
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McDermott, Annual Reports, 1970-1974.
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McDermott, Annual Reports, 1975-1979.
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McDermott, Annual Reports, 1980-1982.
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McDermott, Annual Reports, 1982-1983.
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McDermott, Annual Reports, 1983.
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Unpublished Reports
Babcock & Wilcox, Three Mile Island, April-May 1979.
Babcock & Wilcox, Three Mile Island, May-June 1979.
Babcock & Wilcox, Three Mile Island, June-November 1979.
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Letters of Delegation (Job Descriptions)
Letters of Delegation, Administration, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, Aviation, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, Babcock & Wilcox Operating Management, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, President’s Staff, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, Industrial Products Group, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, Materials Group, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, Power Generation Group, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, Naval Nuclear Fuel Division, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, Operational, Functional Area, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, Definition of Responsibilities, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, Babcock & Wilcox Operating Unit, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, Oceanic Contractors, Inc., 1979.
Letters of Delegation, Oceanic Operators Area, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, Middle East Group, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, New Orleans Staff Services, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, North Sea Group, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, Oceanic Engineering Service Group, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, South East Asia Group, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, West Africa, Central South Africa, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, Operations, Functional Area, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, Definition of Responsibilities, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, McDermott Operating Unit, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, President’s Staff, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, Equipment & Materials Group, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, McDermott Engineering Services Group, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, North American Operations Area, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, Harvey (Louisiana) Division Group, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, Hudson Engineering Group, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, Shipyard Group, 1979.
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Letters of Delegation, Structural Group, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, McDermott Operating Management, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, Corporate Staff, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, Corporation Planning and Development, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, Employee relations, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, Materials and Transportation, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, Public affairs, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, Finance, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, Controller, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, Controller/ Tax Administration, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, Corporate Management Information Services, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, Corporate Risk Management, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, Internal Audit, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, Treasurer, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, Legal, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, Operations, Functional Area, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, Definition of Responsibilities, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, Operations, Functional Area, 1979.
Letters of Delegation, Description of Responsibility, 1979.
Bound Publications
1970 Offshore Technology Conference, vol. 1.
1970 Offshore Technology Conference, vol. 11.
The Jaramac, published by J. Ray McDermott & Company, Inc., Summer 1975.
The American Economy: Achievements and Challenges, published by J. Ray
McDermott & Co., Inc., ca. 1977.
The Story of Oil and Gas, published by J. Ray McDermott & Company, Inc., 1978.
Bound Manuscripts
J. Ray McDermott & Co., Inc., Report on Gulf of Paria Drilling, March 1952.
J. Ray McDermott & Co., Inc., $30,000,000 4 ¾ Convertible Subordinated
Debentures Due 1987, 1972.
J. Ray McDermott & Co., Inc., Redemption of $60,000,000 4 ½ Convertible
Subordinated Debentures Due December 1977, 1973
J. Ray McDermott & Co., Inc., $30,000,000 9.70% Sinking Fund Debentures Due
December 1, 1999 and $35,000,000 8.90% Notes Due December 1, 1984,
1974
J. Ray McDermott & Co., Inc., Corporate Policies Manual, vol. 1, September 1978.
J. Ray McDermott & Co., Inc., Merger of The Babcock & Wilcox Company into
McDermott Energy, Inc., A Delaware Corporation and a Wholly-Owned
Subsidiary of J. Ray McDermott & Co., Inc., vol.1, 1978.
J. Ray McDermott & Co., Inc., Merger of The Babcock & Wilcox Company into
McDermott Energy, Inc., A Delaware Corporation and a Wholly-Owned
Subsidiary of J. Ray McDermott & Co., Inc., vol.2, 1978.
J. Ray McDermott & Co., Inc., Corporate Organizational Charts, Prepared and
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Distributed by The Organization Planning Department of Employee Relations,
New Orleans, Louisiana, n. d.
Other Publications
Perspectives Newsletter, 1979-1981.
McDermott Fact Book, 1980.
McDermott Corporate Profile, 1981.
McDermott News, June, July 1983 and McDermott, 1983, photocopies.
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Collected Items
Various articles.
Biographical Data.
Photos, Wire Rope Manufacturing Plant, April 1952.
Series 2
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Personal (non-posthumous)
Graves childhood information, 1933-1950.
Louisville High School Yearbook, 1933.
Thesis, University of Louisville, 1938.
Various, primarily correspondence from Suzie, also War
Ration Books, ca.1940.
Various, diplomas and contributions, 1937-1982.
Contracts, Sabine River Works, May 1945-January 1946.
Articles, photocopies of birth (Graves) and death records (his mother),
1960-1982, n.d.
Passports, ca. 1960.
Boards and Directorships, 1967-1982.
Thank you notes, ca. 1970
Photocopy, Scientific American, September 1968.
Correspondence, political, 1972-1976.
Clubs, 1972-1979.
Director, Whitney National Bank, April-June 1973.
University of Louisville, regarding Graves’s Master of Engineering Degree,
1973-1974.
Dr. Arnell Patz, Graves’s physician, diabetes specialist,1976-1977.
Lunch with British Ambassador, Honorable Peter Jay and
his wife, January 1978.
The Wilner Institute of the Johns Hopkins Hospital, 1978-1980.
Retirement, announcement and correspondence, 1979-1980.
Thank yous and get well cards, 1979 and n.d.
Correspondence, political contributions, 1980-1982.
Certificates and personal matter, 1972-1975 and n.d.
Speech Material, 1972-1975.
Speech Material, continued.
Speech Material, continued.
Speeches, 1972-1975.
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Speeches, continued.
Speeches, continued.
Outside Interests
Articles, Tennessee Walking Horses, 1967-1971 and n.d.
Shamrock Plantation, 1983-1984.
Horses, Certificates of Registration, 1965-1977 and n.d.
Series 3
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Community Property and Appraisals, 1960-1984.
Guaranty Bank & Trust Company, 1965-1986.
Succession of Charles L. Graves, 1977-1985.
Loan to Richard Graves from Succession, 1983.
Sale of McDermott stock and options, 1983-1984.
Life Insurance, Statement and Loan Agreement, 1983-1985.
Correspondence regarding Succession, 1983-1986.
Mrs. Graves’s Itineraries, 1984-1985.
Life Insurance, 1984-1986.
Law Firm handling the Succession: Fers, Benson, Woodward,
Hillyer, Pierson & Miller, 1984-1986.
Mercury Partners, 1986.
Taxes, 1986.
Series 4
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Succession of Charles L. Graves
Papers Organized by the Graves Family
Birth Certificate, Education, and Proof of Residence.
Wartime Activities, Early Family Life and Youth, Marriage Certificate,
and Social Security Number.
Income Tax Report.
Club Membership Cards, Letters of Recommendation.
Professional Papers, Car Registration Certificate.
Medical Reports.
Medical Reports, continued.
Other Events.
Other Documents on Family Life, Personal Financial Statement of 1978,
Defendant’s Version.
Separation List
Circulation
Transportation Progress: The Study of General Motors Through Twenty-Five
Years, 1908-1933, by Arthur Pound, 1934.
Transfer to Duplicate Exchange
Industry Road Maps, 1976-1977. 39 items.
Economic Road Maps, 1978-1983. 53 items.
Withdrawn
Round the World Magazine, 1976.
The K & E Log Log Duplex Slide Rule, by William E. Breckenridge, New York,
New York, 1932.
Pocket Comparison: Information and Tables For Engineers and Designers and
Other Data Pertaining To Structural Steel, Carnegie Steel Company,
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1934.
Specification for the Design, Fabrication and Erection of Structural Steel For
Buildings, American Institute of Steel Construction, New York, New York,
February 1946.