The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1911-11-21
Dr.. John S. MCerew "Father Of
Annexation" Joins His
Old Comrades.
PASSES AWAY IN HIS SLEEP
His Remarkable Life and Work
in Peace and War-FuneraI
ga Services Today.
tFrom Saturdays Advertiser.l

(From Saturdays 3 Advertiser.l
Mercifal death called for DR.. John
s. McGrew, "Father of Annexation, "
about nine O'Clock last evening, the
venerable physician passing away as
peacefully as though going to sleep. His
death was not unexpected, for he has
been failing recently and never recov.
cred from the shock of his fall and the
breaking of his thigh on october 8,
last.
The funeral services Will be held in
the Lunalilo street home at three
o'clock this afternoon and will be con
cluded there, the interment being priv
ate The body will be cremated and
the ashes buried in the family plot
in Nuuanu cemetery.
The direct descendants of Doctor
McGrew are his daughter, Mrs. Charles
b. Cooper and her two children, of this
city; j. Tarn McGrew, son, who lives
In Paris, France, where the widow is
now visiting him, and Reynold McGrew,
O grandson, who is under the guardian.
ship of DR.. Charles B. Cooper. w. M.
Graham, a nephew, is another near
relative.
Long, Useful Life.
DR.. John S. McGrew was born at
Lancaster, Ohio, December 90, 1925, his
parents moving to Cincinnati during
his infancy, where his father became
the founder of the Cincinnati Enquirer.
He attended the puplic schools of that
city until he reached the age of if
teen, when he went to Oxford college,
from which he graduated. He then at
tended the Ohio Medical College in
Cincinnati, graduating from that insti-
tuition in 1S47 after four years of
study.
Civil War Veteran.
At the outbreak Of the Civil War,
Doctor McGrew was among the first to
volunteer for active service and has
humane nature and medical skill stoOc
many wounded or sick soldier in
good stead during that eventful epoch
He was first appointed as surgeon ia
the Eighty-Third Ohio Regiment, from
which he was detailed as chief surgeon
of the division until after the Red Riv'
er expedition, when he was ordered to
appear before the New York examin'
ing board, which promoted him to stan
surgeon of the United States Nolun'
teers.
He was under General Mcclellan 's
command in West Virginia and alsC
served under General Sherman in the
south, participating in many notable
campaigns with great credit, for which
he was given the rank of lieutenant
colonel. By his quick wit, upon ont
occasion, in answering the chief of {
Confederate raiding party, he saved
Union major general from capture.
Here for Forty five Years.
In 1866 upon reslgning his commits
sion in the army, Doctor McGrew came
west, intending to make his home II
California, but after a brief stay il
San Francisco decided to make a toul
of the world. When he reached Homo
lulu he was so charmed with the place
that he never continued his voyage
but remained here. 1t was not long un
til he became closely identified with
the life of the city and he soon built
up a large practise and fortune. Sc
happily did his residence here result
that he found little time to visit the
Outslue WOflu, lhe nIsb lTlp 10 lhe bult
ed States being for the Centennial ex
position in Philadelphia in 1876 and
the second twenty.seven years later
when he visited his old home in Gin
cinnati.
Upon that occasion the Cincinnati
Enquirer published an interview will
him and a copy of the paper found iii
way TO Vicksburg Mississippi. Short
ly thereafter the doctor received let
ter from a lady In that city, full OF
gratitude to him for the great kindness
be showed to the writer's family, kind
ness which she vividly recalled from
her personal remembrance. when they
were prisoners Of war in the hands OF
the Union army during the siege OF
Vicksburg. II was Doctor MeGreN
himself who saved the family from
hunger and other miseries by his indi
yidual mlnistTatiOns.
Well Known Host.