The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1908-07-30
COL. ]. c. M'GREW
Of KINGWOOD. ". VA.
Oldest Living Ex-Member of Congress
and is Still Active and Vigorous.


w. Va, is the oldest living ex-
member OF Congress and son Sep
TENDER IS next he will be IS years
old. Only a few months ago,
General E. R. EcIey. OF Carroll
ton, Ohio, passed away leaving
Col. MCGrew the veteran ex-mem-
Der of the entire country. John
c. McGrew today is wonderfully
vigorous for his years and keeps
actively in touc with matters po-
litical and bus. less affairs. He
was born in Brandonville, in what
is now Preston county, w. Va,
and grew up the typical farmers
boy, keeping to the country school
and the farm until - when a com-
mercial lite appealed to him and
he took up work in a general store
at KingWood. -Four years later he
started store of his own and his
long lie has passed in business
pursuits, with politics mixed in.
1t is the proud remark Of his de-
clining years that although he has
had many honors and Offices he
never offered himself as a candi-
date for Office, never solicited
vote and was never defeated at an
election.
His first political move was as
delegate to the famous secession
convention of Virginia held at
Richmond in February, 1861. He
took part in the discussions Of this
convention but opposed secession,
and with 81 other delegates voted
nay on the proposition Of leaving
the Union, and then held
secret session ordinance, but to
excite demand for the partition
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 I52 members Of
the famous Richmond secession
convention Col. McGrew is the
only survivor. In the new State
Of West Virginia ne has ever been
active and conspicuous He was
chosen a member Of the First and
Second Legislatures and is proud
at this time to relate that he work
ed hard to establish the school
and the State college al Morgan
town.
He was elected to Congress in
1868 and reelected in 1870 and
declined to takea 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 oil
Maine, who with CONGRESSMAN
McGrew is one OF the few survivors
OF the famous Congresses that met
after the Civil War. Since leav-
ing Congress Col. McGrew has led
a quiet life but has not at any
time relaxed his vigilance for the
for the party. \ Methodist since
his early manhood he has taken
interest in church affairs and in
1881 he was sent as a delegate to
the great rOumeniCal council held
in London and while abroad he
made the grand tour of Europe
and the Holy Land, going also to
India. He was fond Of relating
that he has bathed in the river
Jordan and the Dead Sea, that he
has stood on the back of the
Sphinx and climbed the pyramid
of Ghizeh.
To those who talk with this dis
tinguished statesman 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 health, but he adds that
he owes much to his own method |
of spending much time i'll open
air, and to his temperate habits as
he has never used coffee, tea or
alcoholic drinks of any sort. Nor
has he used tobacco in any form
and he thinks his abstemious