West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1908-07-23
Hon. James c. MCGreW Holds That
Distinction.
A NATIVE OF PRESTON COUNTY
Born In Brabdonyille aud Now Reside,
la KingwoOd-wilI BE 95
Years Old In September.

| '"S '"eV'hB lhteiiIgenCer, gives
the following account Of native
West Virg,nian:
James &. McGrew. of Kingwood,
w. Va, rs the oldest living ex.
member of congress and on Sep
TENDER "a next he viii be os years
old. Only few months ago, Gen.
+. r. Exley, of Carrollton, o..
passed away leaving Col. McGrew
the veteran ex-member of the entire
country. James G.. McGrew today
is wonderfully vigorous for his years
and keeps actively in touch with
matters political and business affairs.
He was born ia Rrandonville. in
what is now Preston county, w. Va,
and grew up typical farmers boy,
Keeping 10 the country school and
the farm until 10, when commercial
life appealed to him and he took up
work in general store at Klngwood.
-Four years later he started a store
OF his own and his long HE has
passed in business pursuits, with
politics mixed in. 1t is the one
proud remark of his declining years
thatalthough he has had many honors
and Offices he never offered himself
as a candidate for office, never
solicited a vote, and was never de-
feated in an election.
His first political move was as a
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 50 other delegates voted
nay on the proposition of leaving
the union and then held a secret
session, voting to go home and to
arouse not only opposition to the
secession ordnance, but to excite a
demand for a PARTITION of the stale
OF old Virginia. This was another
sort of secession, and out of the
movement planned and aioed by
McGrew there arose the present
wonderful state OF West Virginia.
OF The r52 members OF the famous
Richmond secrssi IA convention
Col. McGrew is the only survivor.
In the new state Of West Virginia
he has ever been active and con
spicuous. He was chosen a mem
Der of the First and Second legisla-
lures and is proud at this time 10
relate that he worked hard to es-
tablish the school system ami the
state college a: Morgantown.
He was elected to congress in 1868
and re elected in 1870 and declined
to take third term. He served in
the house during the days of giants
men like Horace Maynard, Gar
held, Bingham, Banks, w. ID. Kelley,
Ben Butler, and the present Senator
Hale, of Maine, who, with Com
| gresham McGrew, is one of the
few survivors of the famous con
| crosses that met after the civil war.
Since leaving congress Col. McGrew
has led a quiet life. but has not at
any time relaxed his vigilance for
the party. A Methodist since his
early manhood he has taken interest
in church affairs and IN 1873; he was
sent as a delegate to the great ecu
meDical council held in London.
and while abroad he made the grand
tour Of Europe and the Holy Land.
goinb also to India. He IS fond Of
relating that he has bsihed 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 aud ask the Sc.
cret Of his long life aud present
health, the reply Of the veteran is
that he owes much to hrrediry. as
his ancestors lived many years and
in health, but he adds that he owes
much to his own method Of spending
much time IN open air and 10 hrs
temperate habits, as lie hes never
used coffee, tea, or alcoholic drinks
OF any sort. Nor has he used 10
bacco IN any form, and he thinks
his abstemiOu3 methods have con-
tubutei wonderfully TO the prolon
CATION Of his life far beyond the
prophets limit OF even -four score
years. He is proud, too, Of his
Scotch Irish ancestry. and he has
been described by a friend as com.
bining the caution Of the Highlander
with the impetuosi,y and boldness
Of the 1rishman.
Mr. McGrew married Perss ia
gans in 1894, and their married life
was one long romance. They trod
the path together Tor 81 years, and
since her death m 1903 be has lived