Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-07
DEATH OF w. Fl. McKNEW
PROMINENT BUSINESS MAN AND
INFLUENTIAL CITIZEN.
A Victim Of Nervous Dyspepsia and
Bronchitis Sketch Of
His Career.

William Harrison McKuew, one Of the
foremost business men Of Washington, and
a man of singularly gentle and kindly ma
tCre, died at his residence, No. 1922 Q
street northwest yesterday evening at 8:22
O'Clock. The body is to be inferred in
Glenwood cemetery Wednesday evening, af-
ter public services to be held in Calvary
Baptist Church, at pm. Rev. Samuel H.
Greene, DID, will officiate.
Mr.. McKnew's health had been failing
for several months. His nervous system
had been so severely taxed by over-appli-
cation to his business that when nervous
dyspepsia and bronchitis appeared he was
utterly unable to arrest their progress. In
the hope of restoring his health by some
change of scene and continuous rest, he
went to Colorado and California. A few
weeks ago. however, he returned to Wash
ngton and last night passed away, vic
tim to the two maladies against which he
rad been lighting SO bravely.
For many years Mr.. McKnew had been
prominent in the national capital as the
head of the firm OF William III. McKnew &
Co., NO. 1888 Pennsylvania avenue, to which
position he succeeded on the death of his
uncle, Mr.. r. H. Taylor. This store in
cluded In Its working force a considerable
number of employees. to all Of whom Mr..
Mcknew stood In the light of an adviser
ana friend rather than that Of an employ
er merely.
Native of This City.
Mr.. McKnew was born in Washington In
1855. He was primarily a product of the
District Of Columbia educational institu-
tons, but obtained his professional educa-
ton as a civil engineer from Rensselaer,
Polytechnic Institute in Troy, n. Y. After
graduating from the Rensselaer, school at the
mead of his class, the young engineer went
west and was engaged upon various engi-
neering enterprises. subsequently superin-
tending important engineering work on the
upper Missouri river, with Headquarters at
PlattSmouth, Neb.
His return to Washington occurred in
1888, when Mr.. Mcknew superintended the
construction of sea wall about the Po-
tomac flats. Soon afterward he succeeded
TO the management of his uncle's store.
But his life here was decidedly not restricted
to that of a business man merely. He was an
enthusiastic Mason and had attained to
the honor of the thirty-second degree was
a Knight Templar of many years standing
and was member of the Scottish Rite and
Lafayette Lodge. His wel-known probity
and his interest in local financial affairs
made him director in the Traders Ma
tional Bank and the Union Trust and
Storage Company.
Interest in Columbian University.
One of his chief interests was the well
fare of Columbian University, with which
he was intimately associated the first year
after his return to Washington. He soon
became a trustee Of the institution and
until his death served as chairman of many
important committees He contributed lib
orally to many charitable enterprises He
was an earnest member of Calvary Baptist
Church and was repeatedly elected chair
man OF the board of trustees.
Mr.. McKnew was the only son of Mrs
Rosalie B. McKnew, who survives him.
His wife, formerly Miss Ida Higgins, of
this city, and their children, Edna Isabelle
Mcknew, aged sixteen years; Richard Tay-
lor McKnew, aged fourteen years, and
Donald McKnew, aged seven years, also
survive him.