Auntie Jen's Family Trees: Week 17: At Worship

This post is coming a little late this week. I have to admit, I struggle with writing some of these prompts as it takes more time for me to research some things. I would love to just have so much time to just sit and go through everything and exhaust every resource in a week's time. Sadly, it's just not possible. So I am going with what I have. This week's prompt is At Worship. While we have family that has attended many churches in their day, this particular ancestor stood out for this prompt. I think you will see why.
I first heard about this ancestor from my Mother-in-law as this was her grandfather. She told me some stories that she remembered about him. He was very good with his hands. Had great talent. She still has a cuckoo clock that he made. I also found a newspaper clipping mentioning his ability to weave beautiful carpets with his new Deems fly carpet loom. He was a very proper man who held a lot of respect in the community. Well, in his main calling, it was to be expected. That's because H. T. McGrew was a traveling Minister for the United Brethren Church.
Rev. Hudson Taylor McGrew was born February 29, 1872 in Warsaw, Indiana to Zachariah Taylor McGrew and Anna Eliza Rolston; the second born child out of six, but the first born son. His father was farmer his whole life. I don't know what led him into the ministry, but he made it his life's work. Let me tell you, knowing he was a "traveling" minister, sure made it more difficult to trace every where he would have went and preached. The best place for me to look was in the newspapers. Wow, I did not expect to find all I did. Newspapers were big on reporting every detail in their communities. So when Rev. H T McGrew would make a visit, it was known. Then when he wanted to invite people to services, he posted in the newspaper himself. When United Brethren Conferences were held, and new appointments were made, it was in the newspaper. Thanks to them, I was able to put together some sort of a list of where he was when.

1907 -- Lebanon, Kansas
1908-1910 -- Fairview, Kansas
1910 -- Ionia, Kansas
1911-1913 -- Green, Kansas
1913-1914 -- Maitland, Missouri
1917 -- Westland & Kern, Missouri
1920 -- Downing & Fabius, Missouri
1922 -- Chillicothe, Missouri
1923 -- Bogard, Missouri
1929 -- Turney, Missouri
1930-1933 -- Guilford, Missouri
1933-1934 -- Locksprings, Missouri
1935-1938 -- Callao, Missouri
1939-1940 -- Millville, Missouri
1941 -- Ored, Missouri
1944 -- Hamilton, Missouri:

These are all locations he was at according to the newspapers. It's amazing that kind of information you find in the newspapers. The articles that mention him wasn't always business,but also personal. When he visited family, when family visited him, vacations, dinner parties, etc. In one paper, he was listed in the "Society" column. Honestly, it gives me a little more insight into the family and why they always expected "proper" behavior. Their every move was documented by the newspaper. Even my husband's mom (Hudson's grand daughter) was mentioned many times in the local newspapers.

He was a Minister until he officially retired in 1945, although he continued performing certain ceremonies as needed. he was very dedicated to the work of the Lord. Right around the time he officially retired, there was a merger in the church.

"Until the 1940s, two denominations used the name “Church of the United Brethren in Christ.” The other (much larger) group, after a merger in 1946, became the Evangelical United Brethren Church. In 1968, they merged into what is now the United Methodist Church." United Brethren Church website - www.ub.org/contact/genealogy

He mostly identified with the United Methodist Church. When he married his daughter, Pearl McGrew (My husband's grandma) to her husband, Samuel Galen Swope (My husband's grandfather) he listed himself as a "Pastor, M.E. Church". And then Pearl mostly attended the Methodist church in her life.
Sadly, the stresses of life would be too much for him as he would die from a heart attack at the age of 78. In his life though, he affected many people and lived as best as he could in dedication to the Lord. My husband never got the chance to meet him, but has enjoyed learning about everything I have found out about him. I still have leads to follow, hoping to fill in a few gaps in his service. I was surprised to learn that the Methodist Church has records available for genealogy purposes. I found Rev. Hudson T. McGrew's name was listed in the records. I am going to have to wait to pursue this lead though as they charge for the research. No matter how much you think you know about someone, there are always more records to be found. Well, in closing I will share a few newspaper articles along with the obituary that was posted.