The Holt County sentinel., 1911-09-29
Passing of q Pioneer.
Peacefully and painlessly. her q

Mrs. kiitie McGrew on last Thurs.
day evening closed her eyes on mortal
things and passed into the blessed
rest promised by lli,n whom Size Lad
no earnestly and consistently served.
Her demise came a. the conc lusion Of
a period of illness extending over the
past many months. and while of
course expected. 1t nevertheless
brought poignant grief to hundreds,
who counted themselves thrice bless
ed In possessing the friendship Of so
estimable woman. kittie Coleman
McGrew was born december IL, lsj3.
At Oregon, Mo-. and died at Auburn.
Neb.. September II. 1911. at Il o'clock
p. M, aged 81 years. $ months and -
days. She came with her parents TO
Brownville, Neb., when still In her
infancy. II was here that she spent
her young girlhood and received her
education In the Brownville High
School. On December /. 1870. she
was united In marriage with Samuel
w. McGrew. and TO their union was
born two children, Grace ID. and
Burch J. H. was the untimely death
Of these dear ones that shook Mrs.
McGrew's health to the very founda-
tions. and made possible the ravages
of the disease which eventually
claimed her for its victim. Mrs. Nc.
Grew was woman Of the highest
culture and refinement, responsive TO
all that was best In art. literature
music and reform. To her. religion
was someth ny soulful, and In her
heart there was an altar upon which
burned the continual fires Of her ven.
GRAFTON for her God and the Chris,
who came. the highest expression OF
God upon earth. She united In 1874
with the Methodist Irotestant church
~ London. In 1855 they moved 10
Auburn, and al that time she allied
herself with the Presbyterian church
and was a member of II al the time
OF her death.
Her mother instinct was not con.
tined To her own children, but also
went out sympathetically 10 such as
were not as fortunate a. her own.
She took the place OF foster mother
to three young lads, Chas. Sykes. for
some year, city salesman for "A large
wholesale house In Salt Lake City:
Mr.. sykes died some time ago. Den.
a.. Wnn l.,T In.
Worth, Tex, and Dr. Samuel BAKER.
of A ma. Neb. Her nieces, the Misses
blanche and Helen Coleman. also
made their home with their aunt
since the death Of their parents. The
former until her marriage and the
latter still being member OF the
family, 'i
Mentally alert. she was foremost In
every enterprise which afforded op.
portunity for the furthcring Of intel.
lectuality and cultivated the morality
Of the community.
Having the eye and taste Of an art.
list, she viewed the masters under.
s,andingly. With a mind which
craved truth, she surrounded herself
with the best books and read only the
finest literature. Having a memory
that was unfailing, she could COM
mand and present interesting matter
upon practically any theme which
might be under discussion. And like
Dorcas. she has left behind her u pro.
cession Of good works, which only the
coming months can reveal.
Mrs. McGrew was charter mem
Der Of the Mental Culture Club, OF
this city. also a charter member Of
the Women's Club, and has held i'm.
portant places In each. She was a
prominent member Of the Civic I'm.
provement Society, the Womens
Auxiliary Cemetery Association. and
the women's Christian Temperance
Union.
One OF the pioneers OF the state,
her childhood having been spent amid
the scenes of frontier life, she was vi.
tally interested In collecting and pre-
serving for posterity data and relics
of that period, so short time ago as
years are reckoned, but SO remote
when progress and change are CON
sidered. As one Of the foremost
workers In the Association Of Ne
braska Pioneers and the State His
torical Society, 1t was her desire IL
have Nemaha county In the vanguard
of active. historical work. Due tt
her efforts the Nemaha County His
torical Society was formed, It's annua
sessions having now become of the
most interesting and instructive ga
therings OF the year. In consequence
of her efforts and enthusiasm, the so
ciety Is now In possession of much
valuable data and personal memoirs
of the early pioneers, many OF thest