"The story of the Graves Truck Line begins before the 1935 date that is always cited. Like all things, many factors figure into the way lives unfold, the way they follow a particular path, which ultimately can make, as poet Robert Frost said, "all the difference." The climate of the nation, as well as Kansas, in the 1930's was fertile for laying the groundwork for a multimillion dollar business that would support hundereds of people, raise the owner's social and economic status, and spawn successfull offspring, including the 43rd governer of Kansas. There was no shortage of problems and discouragments during the early years, as the Graves family increased and struggled on a farm in Salina County, Kansas. Factors good and bad led to a decision by William P. Graves to abandon farming in favor of forming a trucking service amid the Great Depression. After the father's death, son William H. Graves took control and was eventually joined by his three brothers, Dwight, John, and Lowell. Together they developed the farm-to-market business into a corporation that impacted many people and places."--inside cover.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 169-172) and index.