The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1915-10-29
DR.. EDWARD S. GRILL
CROSSES THE BAR"
Foremost Palatkan and Man:
of Affairs Dies After
Long Illness.

Great Crowd Attend Funeral Service
on Sunday Afternoon-Mason
Rites at the Grave.
DR.. Edward S. Grill for the past
more than forty years prominently
identified in the history making of
Florida and Putnam county as lead
er in political and financial matters,
died at his home in Palatka Heights
at 2:20 a. m. last Saturday morning,
October 23rd, after long illness. The
immediate cause of death was uremic
poisoning resulting from chronic
Bright's disease.
The funeral occurred from his late
home on Sunday at 3 p. M, and was
attended by vast concourse of peo-
pie both from the city and the country
districts. The casket was covered
with a profusion of floral offerings in
beautiful designs and these were also
banked high about the bier, mute tes =.
timonials, or an attempt to show
somewhat of the esteem in which the
once powerful man was held by his
neighbors.
The service All the home was con.
Quoted in a most impressive manner
by Rev. DR.. C. M. Afford of the First
Presbyterian church. There was no
music-just brief Scriptural lesson,
prayer and a few appropriate re-
marks by the officiating clergyman.
Mooney & Davis had charge of the fu-
neral.
The active pall-bearers were Harry
Gray, A. Usina, Judge E. E. Haskell,
W. A. Walton, A. S. Willard and Geo.
E. Gay.
There were ten honorary pall-bear-
ers, namely: w. S. Burdetts, Chas.
Francis, Chas. Kupperbusch, Sr., Leo
Jacobson, DR.. w. H. Rosenberg, S. j..
Hilburn, W. A. Russell, G. Loper Bal
ley, S. S. Browning and L. F. Jackson.
The local Masonic lodge turned out
in great numbers, and besides there
were many members Of the order
from other points in the county who
joined in the Masonic procession which
followed the pall-bearers, and which
during the funeral ceremony, was
drawn up in line in the grounds.
At the grave the Masonic ritual was
used and the reading of Past Grand
Master Haskell and Master Odom was
most impressive. There were up
wards of so motor cars at the ceme-
terry, and many came in carriages and
wagons, while others stiH walked the
long distance to the new cemetery.
1t is given to but few men to serve
their day and generation more accep-
tably than this man whom Palatka
mournS today. For upwards of forty
years he has been going in and out
among this people and has been
power in the political and business
life of Florida in general and Putnam
county and Palatka in particular. He
leaves a record unsullied by word or
act which would detract from a great
name. If he had faults land it is
presumed he had) they were not of a
character to leave their mark upon
mankind or impede the onward march
of Christian civilization.
DR.. Grill was born in Oneida county,
New York, Dec. 25th, 1843. His ear
ly life was spent on a farm. He at
tended country school, then semina-
ry, and was graduated in medicine
from the Electic Medical Institute,
Cincinnati, Ohio, with the degree of
NJ. D. in 1865. He spent some little
time at the practice of his profession 4
in Iowa Falls, Iowa, and later in Mem
phis, Tenn, in which city he remained
at his post all through dread epidem-
ic of yellow fever.
DR.. Grill was always a staunch dem
Ocrat. He came to Florida in 1874 |
and settled near Georgetown, this
county. During his residence of tive
or three years there he practiced
medicine all over the Fruitland penin-
sula, and with singular success. He
came to Palatka in 1877, where he
his medical practice.
These were strenuous times nolit-
cally. 1t was the period of republi-
,an reconstruction of the South and
he country was over-run with carpet
,aggers and irresponsible adventur-
,rs whose aim was the political plum
Ter of a seemingly helpless people.
Perhaps DR.. Crill's greatest service to
his section was shown at this time,
when his talents were generally rec
)SnlLeu anu ne was pldCeu III pOllClCdl
command of the democratic forces in
he county. His leadership won, and
n 1880 he was elected to the State
;enate, where he soon won distinction
IS a wise and constructive statesman.
IN the election of Gov. E. A. Perry,
cr. Grill was appointed State Treas
lrer, an office he held for the full
erm of four years. After his retire
nent from the State Treasurship he
vas returned to the State senate, serv-
ng through six sessions of the legis-
ature, when he declined reelection.
In 1889 DR.. Grill founded the East
florida Savings 4 Trust Co. of this
ity, an institution which under his
guidance soon became recognized as
me of the leading financial institu-
ions of Florida. He remained as the
executive head of this institution until
lbout a year ago, when illness COM
,elled his retirement.
AS banker he has been helpful in
placing many a man on his business
eet. He had wonderfully keen in
light into human nature. A deserv-
ng man with practical scheme of
BUSINESS was never turned away empty
landed. He helped men over the
'ough places of life. He was not a
builder, but he helped others to build.