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ARCHIBALD MEGREW, a resident of the village of Letts, was born in Allegheny County, Pa., in 1809, and was the second in a family of four children, born to John and Mary (Smith) Megrew, who were also natives of the same State. His father died in early manhood, and his mother afterward moved to Eastern Pennsylvania, where she married Martin McKee, and four children were born of their union. They moved from Pennsylvania to Ohio in its pioneer days.
Our subject grew to manhood in the State of Pennsylvania, receiving his education in the district schools, and in 1831, in Cumberland County, was united in marriage with Hester Pifer, who was born in Pennsylvania, and was a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Shoaf) Pifer. After their marriage the young couple resided in Pennsylvania for about five years, Mr. Megrew working at the carpenter’s trade, which he had learned several years previous. At the expiration of that time they removed to Richland (now Ashland) County, Ohio, where he followed his trade for several years, when, receiving a call, he engaged in preaching for the Church of God, traveling over a circuit which included parts of Wayne, Stark, Summit and Tuscarawas Counties. For about four years he remained in that circuit, and was also employed as the pastor at Dalton and Jeromeville, and thence he removed to Wooster, Ohio. In the spring of 1851 he came to Louisa County, Iowa, settling in the village of Grand View, where the cholera was then raging. In this State he also engaged in ministerial work, having been employed by the Board of Missions of Eastern Pennsylvania to do missionary work throughout Iowa. Two years he spent in traveling over the State in this work, and was also employed as a local preacher in Louisa County. In 1857 he went to Johnson County, being stationed at North Liberty, where he remained two years, returning to Louisa County in the spring of 1859, where he has since resided. Purchasing a farm of eighty acres of improved land in Grand View Township, he continued its cultivation for some time, but later sold it and became the owner of a farm of 160 acres in Port Louisa Township, which since 1875 he has rented. In that year he removed to Letts, where at one time he owned quite a number of the town lots. Mr. Megrew has been an active worker for the best interests of the town, and has done much for its improvement, being yet the owner of considerable property. Years past he farmed on the site of some of its best residences. He still retains his membership with the Iowa Eldership of the Church of God, in which he has been an active worker for many years. His main aim in life has been the advancement of the church, and in this direction he has accomplished much good.
While residing in Wooster, Ohio, the death of Mrs. Megrew occurred on the 26th of May, 1849, at the age of thirty-six years and eleven days. Nine children had been born of their union, seven of whom are yet living: Willis enlisted at Indian- . . .
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. . . apolis, Ind., for three years’ service during the late war, became a member of the 11th Indiana Zouaves, under Col. Wallace, served his time, then re-enlisted in the standing army, was taken sick at Richmond, Va., and died of the cholera in that city in 1865; Elizabeth, now Mrs. Jacobs, is a resident of Walla Walla, W. T.; Mary A., now Mrs. Stines, is also living in Walla Walla; John P., who served during the entire war as a member of the 11th Indiana Zouaves, is married, and resides in Dakota; Sidney died in infancy; Matthew S. is married, and resides in Port Louisa township; Hester A., wife of John H. Crow, is living in Port Louisa township; Archibald is married, and resides in McPherson, Kan.; and Harriet, who is also married, lives in Troy, Miami Co., Ohio.
After the death of his first wife Mr. Megrew was again married, at Wooster, Ohio, in 1850, Miss Martha E. Huff, who was born in the Buckeye State, in Wayne County, becoming his wife. Her parents, Charles and Mary (Coble) Huff, were natives of Pennsylvania. Her father was a wagon-maker in his native State, and in 1851 came to Louisa County, Iowa, with his family, settling in Grand View Township, where he purchased eighty acres of partly improved land and forty acres of timber land. From this tract he developed a splendid farm, which he made his home during the remainder of his life. He was a member of the Church of God at Grand View, was an active worker for its welfare, and his death occurred in May, 1888, at the ripe old age of eighty-eight years. His excellent wife was called to her final home in 1870, when sixty-six years of age. She, too, was an active worker for the church, and her death was sincerely mourned by a large circle of friends and acquaintances.
A fine portrait of Mr. Megrew will be found upon a preceding page.
