McGrew, Henry

The following data is extracted from A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans.

Henry McGrew, a son of the late Governor James McGrew and his wife Mary (Doggett) McGrew, has spent practically all his life in Kansas City, Kansas, was formerly prominent as a member of the bar of that city, and is still one of the leading business men.

He was born at Lancaster, Keokuk County, Iowa, April 18, 1857, the same year that his father came as a pioneer to Wyandotte, Kansas. He grew up at Wyandotte, attended the public schools, and had all the advantages that a young man of ambition would crave as a preparation for a career. Determining upon the vocation of lawyer, he entered the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, where he was graduated LL. B. with the class of 1879. He engaged in practice at Kansas City, Kansas, and while in active practice he served five years as city attorney of Wyandotte and for two years 1891-92 was county attorney of Wyandotte County. In the meantime he became actively interested in the management of extensive real estate and other properties and business affairs, and since 1904 he has been practically retired from his legal practice. Mr. McGrew has done much to develop some of the best sections of Kansas City, Kansas, for residence and business uses, and is one of the men first in influence and power in the general commercial life of the city. He is connected as a stockholder or director with several of the leading banks, and is also general manager of the Bonner Portland Cement Company, with offices in the Victor Building.

Mr. McGrew has been classified politically as a standpat republican. He is a thirty-second degree Scottish Rite, a member of the Mystic Shrine at Leavenworth and belongs to the Congregational Church.

On January 6, 1881, at Kansas City, Kansas, he married Miss Julia M. Townsend, who was born at Racine, Wisconsin, daughter of Joseph and Annie (Ratten) Townsend. Both her parents were natives of England. Mr. and Mrs. McGrew have three sons: George W. McGrew, who married Mayme Maker; Joseph T. McGrew, who married Jessica Jones; and Homer A. McGrew, who married Virginia Young.

Source: A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans

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