The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1908-07-23
|0tDEgI llll|l bSl
| JAMES 'MlgRENQE VIRGINIA
Vl||L|..L|..B|E::...9.5|iI..O|'.|||l||..
]. | The | /. .)l|.'4.T'H'.,. OF !.
!. !. sept EN||..B|ER

1 : a.. .rt
Washington, July 22:-James C..
McGrew,rof Kingwood, w. Va. Is
the Oldest living ex- member or con-
gress, .and%on September IA next he
will be- 96, years old! Only: a few
months ago the veteran General E.
r. Eckleys of Carrollton,i Ohio, s.pass-
ed away, leaving Colonel McGrew
e the veteran : e Hs1r Of the entire
The James C. McGrew of today
Is wonderfully vigorous for his years
and keeps actively in touch with
matters political and business at
fairs. He was born in Brandon
willie, in what is now Preston county,
w. Va, and grew up the typical
farmers boy, keeping to the coun-
.try school and the farm until 49,,
when "a commercial life appealed to
him and he took up work in a gener-
al store at Kingwood. 49,.
+ -Four years later he started a store
of his own, and his long life has
passed in business pursuits with pol
'@SASo
remark of his declining years that,
although he has had many honors
and Offices, he never offered him
self as a candidate for Office never.
solicited a vote and was never de-
feated In election. .
Delegate In 1861.
10 Hrot
delegate to the famous secession
conventional Virginia, held at Rich
mond: in February, 1861. He took
part In the discussions of this con-
vention, but opposed secession, and,
with, Sd delegates, voted nay on the
propositioR~of leaving the. Union, and
then held a secret session, vottng/to
go home and to arouse not only OPP
position to the secession ordinance,
but to excite a demand for the parti-
ton Of the State Of old Virginia..
This was another sort Of secession
and <out OF the movement planned
and aided by McGrew there. arose
the present wonderful State of
West Virginia. OF the 1872 members
of 1.-THE famous Richmo nd secession
convention, Colonel McGrew is the
only survivor! In the new state Of
West Virginia he has ever been activ
and conspicuous. He was chosen a
member OF the first and second legis-
latures and is, proud at this time to
relate that he worked hard to estab-
lish the school system and the state
college at Morgantown. -. 49,
He was elected to congress in
1868 and reelected in. 1870, and
declined to- take a third term He
served in the house during the days
Of giants-men like Horace Maynard
Garfield, Bingham, Banks, w D.
Kelley, Ben Butler and the present
Senator Hale Of Maine, who with
Congressman McGreW is one Of the
few survivors of the famous con-
crosses that met after the Civil War.
Since leaving congress Colonel NC
Grew has led a quiet life, but has
not at any time relaxed his vigil
ance for the party. A Methodist
since his early manhood he has ever
taken interest in church affairs and
in 1881 he was sent delegate to
the commercial council held in Lon
don, and while abroad, made the
grand tour of Europe and the Holy
Land, going also to India. -
~. Owes Age to Ancestors.
He is fond Of relating that he has
bathed in the river Jordan and the
Dead Sea, that he has stood on the
back to the SPHINX and climbed the
Pyramid Of Ghizeh. To those who
talk with this distinguished states
man and ask the secret Of his long
life and present health, the reply Of
the veteran is that he owes much
to heredity, as his ancestors lived
many years and in good health, but
he adds that he owes much to his
own method Of spending much time
in the open air. and to temperate
habits. He thinks his abstemious
methods have contributed wonder
fully to the prolongation Of his life.
Z. He is proud, too, of his Scotch
Irish ancestry, and he has been de-
scribed by a friend as combining the
caution of the Highlander with the
impetuosity and boldness Of the IT.
ishman. Mr.. McGrew married Per-
sis Hagans In 1841 and their mar
ried life was one long romance.
They trod the path together for 81
years and since her death, in 1893,
he has lived with married daugh-
ter, Mrs. Martha Heermans Of King
wood. 1t is the. sweet sentiment of
Mr.. McGrew when he speaks Of his
dear wife to credit her with what
ever OF success he has had in life be-
cause Of her wise counsels and wo-
manly intuNions. His son, Major
William G. McGrew, Is q. business
man of MOrgantOWn w Va. and