Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1908-07-25
OLDEST Ex-MEMBER
OF CONGRESS LIVING
Is w. c. McGrew, Resident Of Pres
ton County, and Native of West
virginia--95 Years Of Age.

virginia--95 Years of Age.
James G. McGrew, of Kfngwood, w
Va, is the Oldest living exImember OF
congress and on September IA next
he will be IS years old. Only few
months ago. Cen e. r. Elcey, oil
Carrollton, Ohio, passed away leaving
Col. McGrew the veteran ex-member
OF the entire country. James G. Nc.
Grew today Is wonderfully vigorous
for his years and Keeps actively in
touch with matters political and bust
ness affairs. He was born in Brandon
vile, in what is now Preston county,
w. Va, and grew UP the typical far
mer's boy, keeping to the country
school and to the farm until nineteen
when a commercial life appealed to
him and he took up work in general
store at Kingwood. Four years later
he started a store OF his own and his
Tong life has passed In business pur-
suits, with politics mixed in. 1t is the
one proud remark OF his declining
years that although he has had many
honors and Offices he never offered
himself as candidate for office, never
solicited vote and was never de-
feated in an election.
Attended Secession Convention.
His first political move was as a
delegate to the famous secession con-
vention of Virginia held at Richmond
i'm February, 1861. He took part in the
discussions of this convention but OPP
posed secession, and with 81 other
delegates voted nay on the proposition
of leaving the Union, and then held
a secret session, voting to go home
and arouse not only opposition to the
secession ordinance but to excite a
demand for g partition of the old
state Of Virginia. This was another
sort of secession and out of the move
ment planned and aided by McGrew
there arose the present wonderful
state OF West Virginia. Or the 152
members of the famous Richmond Sc
ceSsion convention Col McGrew is
the only survivor. In the new state Of
West Virginia he has ever been active
and conspicuous. He was chosen a
member of the first and second legis-
1atures and is proud at this time to
relate that he worked hard to estab-
lish the school system and the state
college at Morgantown.
Elected Congressman in 1868.
He was elected to congress in 1868
and reelected in 1870 and declined
to take third term. He served in the
house during the days of giants-men
like Horace Maynard. Garfield, Bling
ham. Banks, w. D. Kelley, Ben Butler
and the present Senator Hale, Of
Maine, who with Congressman Nc
Grew is one of the few survivors Of
the famous congresses that met after
the civil war. Since leaving congress
COL McGrew has led a quiet life but
has not at any time relaxed in his
vigilance for the party. A Methodist
since early manhood he has taken in
terest IN church affairs and in 1881 he
was sent as a delegate to the great
eccumenical council held in London
and while abroad he made the grand
tour of Europe and the Holy land, 60
ing also to India. He is fond of relat-
ing that he has bathed i'm the river
Jordan and the Dead sea, that ne has
stood ON the back Of the SPHINX and
climbed the pyramid OF Ghizeh.
Secret Of Longevity.
To those who talk with this dis
tinguished statesman and ask the Sc
cret OF his long life and present heal ~
the reply of the veteran is that he
owes much to heredity as his ances-
tors lived many years and in health,
but he adds that he owes much to
mis- own method of spending much
time in the open air, and to his tenn
perate habits as he never used COT
fee, tea or alcoholic drinks of any
sort. Nor has he ever used tobacco
in any form and he thinks his abb
stenious methods have contributed
wonderfully to his prolongation 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 friend as
combining the caution of the High
lander with the impetuosity and bold
ness of the Irishman.
A Life Well Spent.
Mr.. McGrew married Persis Hagans
in 1S41. They trod the path together
for 54 years and since her death in
1898 he has lived with married
daughter, Mrs. Martha Heermans, OF
Kingwood. His son, Major William