Graver was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1880. He was the son of William Graver (1842–1915) and Christina Graver, who moved in 1884 to Chicago. In 1888, his father founded the Graver Tank Works in East Chicago, Indiana. The company was the first industry established in East Chicago, Indiana, and got its start manufacturing tanks for a Standard Oil Company refinery. The company was also a pioneer in the manufacture of large steel tanks for grain elevators, oil and gas storage.