Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1919-09-18
$. McGAvREN PASSES
i AWAY.

- 80
JOHN s. McGAvREN PASSES
Z AWAY.
Missouri Valleys Most Useful Citizen
Called to His Last Reward.
The subject of, this sketch was SO
z much q part Of the business and social
fabric Of Harrison county, and his
name in Missouri Valley and vicinity
had become to such degree a house
hold word that it is small wonder that
the mention Of any misfortune to
him, much less an untimely death
should cause the greatest anxiety and
deepest gloom.
The details relating to, the accident
which caused his death are not en-
tirely clear, as he was not able at
any time to give the facts. He was
returning to Glenwood Sept. IL, after
two days here assisting in the bank
during the busy week of the Fair and
Carnival When about mile this
side Of the town and about $3.50 D. M,
the car he was driving overturned,
and he received injuries to the head
and face, which rendered him uncon-
scious. Saturday afternoon on advice
Of the attending surgeon, and after
full consultation among members of
the family, it was decided to remove
him from Glenwood, where he had
been since the accident, to the Jennie
Edmundson hospital at Council Bluffs
TOR an operation. While it was known
there was great hazard in this, twas
almost equally certain that he could
not recover without, and should he
survive he would be left in practi-
cally paralyzed condition with perma-
nent injury to his mind. Those in
authority wisely assumed the respon-
sibility Of the last chance. He could
not rally, and the internal conditions
OF the brain as disclosed by the post
mortem demonstrated there was no
chance for him to survive. He passed
away about 6:15 p. M, Sunday.
This son Of DIR. Robert and Eliza
beth (Kirkland) McGavren, was born
ct the town Of old st. John. about two
miles south of the present city of
Missouri Valley, January IL. 1861,
and continuously resided in this town
ship and city until his death, Sept.
IL. 1919.
AS boy he attended first the COM
mon school in st. John, then the high
school in Missouri Valley. In the
spring Of 1878 he entered the Iowa
State College at Ames,, then known as
the Iowa Agricultural College, from
which he was graduated in Novem-
ber, 1881, in the sciences related to
industries then known as the Scien-
tific Course. For time he was en-
pioyed in the general offices of the
old Sioux City and Pacific Railway
Company. In October, 1882, he en-
tered the law department of the State;
University at Iowa City, and was
graduated therefrom June 49,, 1888.
In September of the same year he
formed partnership with j. S. Dew
ell, who had been classmate ooth at
Ames and Iowa City, and continued
in such business until September,
1890, at which time he gave up his
practice and became cashier of the
First National Bank of Missouri Val
ley, Iowa, in which profession he CON
tinued until promoted to the presi-
dency of said bank in 1918, which
position he held at his death.
He was always recognized as an
able financier, careful at all times Of
the interests Of the bank he served,
but, so cordial and considerate in all
his dealings with the customers that
the name Of John S. McGavren at
tached to any transaction became a
guarantee Of good faith and absolute
fair dealing and constantly widened
the sphere of his usefulness and
brought great prosperity to the bank.
Mr.. McGavren was married Oct,
1889, to Nellie M. Bell, daughter of
Howard and Helen M. Bell, Of Clar-
ence, Iowa. She was graduated in
same class with Mr.. McGavren, and
Tor three years had been a teacher of
recognized merit in our public school.
The six children Of this family sur
vive to comfort the bereaved mother.
Ward R. McGavren and Herbert w.
McGavren Of the McGavren Tractor
Company, at Mo. Valley; Ruth (Mc-
Gavren) Compton, now of Grinnell,
Ia, who lately returned from Russia,
after spending two years as assistant
to her husband, Carl Compton, in
{ Armenian Relief and Y. M. C. A. work
Slough "A. McGavren now on the en-
gineering department of Illinois Cen
tral Railroad, at Chicago; Ewart o.
McGavren, associated with his father
! in the canning industry at Glenwood;
JOINT Stanton McGavren now at home,
I and student at Ames the past year.
Politically Mr.. McGavren was by
inheritance, early training and on
some fundamental principles demo-
!. crat, but in his business career he
largely avoided party alliances and
sought to bring into action the best
men and to put in practice the prir1~