Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1895-01-25

While not unlocked for, Death has
again visited us, and taken as hisvictim
Mrs. Josephine Megrew, matron of the
soldiers home and the wife of the COM
mandant. She has been very sick since
October and at no time has she been
free from danger. Her condition be-
came so critical a week ago that her
physician thought the only chance left
was to take her to the Deaconness
hospital ut Omaha sand submit to an
operation. She passed through the
operation all right but did not have
strength enough left to survive the
shock, and died on Tuesday evening.
Josephine 3. Havenhill was born in
Newark, Ill in 1915. She grew,.u p there,
receiving much of her education in the
Institute in that city. She afterwards
graduted in music in Valparaiso, Ind.
She then became professor of music in
Newark Institute. where she was mar
ried in October, 1865 to Capt. Megrew.
After remaining four years in Newark,
the captain moved to Pontiac, Ills,
then back to Newark for another four
years; then to Cedar Rapids, To-. and
from there to Miner county, South Da-
kota in 1883, where they resided on a
farm or in Howard until the captain
was elected commandant and she the
matron of the South Dakota soldiers
home, to which they came just two
years ago. Much of the early life of
Mrs. Megrew was spent in teaching mu-
sic, of which she was passionately fond,
and which was her recreation to the
time of her fatal sickness. She was the
mother of five children, three of whom
died in infancy and are buried at New
ark, Ills. Harry, a beautiful boy, was
killed in eastern Dakota in 1885.
George, whom all know and honor,
alone was spared to the oft stricken pa
rents, and the pathetic calls of the
mother for her son will be a perpetual
memory with all who were her attend
ants during her last days in Omaha.
For many years she had been a men,
Der of the Methodist church, though
of late years not active. During her
administration of the home she had
been most self sacrificing in her care
for the men. 1t seemed strange that
Uncle Jimmie Griffen. who has been
the special protege Of both Mat
rons Lucas and Megrew, should have
died the very day she was brought home
a corpse. Nature did much for her
mentally, to this was added fine early
education both literary and musical.
This with wide association with the
world and much reading made her a
very intelligent lady. She was also a
most earnest w. r. G. worker until her
cares in the soldiers home occupied
all of her time and consumed her
strength. She was department junior
vice president under Mrs. Thomas. Ap-
parently strong in body, much more
was expected than she could endure;
for now that she is gone, those nearest
her are aware that the Dread Destroyer
had long been at work. But a kind
heart has ceased to beat; a sympathetic
soul and a tender friend has passed
away. The Homecoming of husband
and son will find no one present to
cheer, o longer hear a mothers vel.
come. The STAR offers s~incerest sym.
pathy to husband and son in their sad
bereavement,
The funeral will be held at 2 O'Clock
p. m. on Saturday from the home
Prayer, Rev. Baker; scriptures, Rev
swickard; and address by Rev. Clough