REV. HENRY PHILLIPS GRINYER.
It is not often that an individual may turn from a trade which he has fairly learned, to a profession, and make a success in the second case. Before the Rev. Henry Phillips Grinyer, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church of Exira, this county, became a minister of the gospel, he was a skillful tailor and cutter. In fact Mr. Grinyer became a "local" preacher near St. Thomas, Ontario, while he was still engaged in following his trade. The Rev. Mr. Grinyer, who became the pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church at Exira in 1913, has proved himself to be an able preacher. He has neglected none of his pastoral duties and is exceedingly popular with his congregation.
The Rev. Henry Phillips Grinyer is not a native of this county. He was born in Canada on April 1, 1870, son of James and Matilda (Duffin) Grinyer. James Grinyer was a native of Brighton, England, and his wife, of Merriton, Ontario, Canada. James Grinyer was born in 1842, and emigrated to Canada with his parents when he was eight years old. They settled near Caledonia, and there his father was a farmer. James Grinyer grew to manhood near Caledonia, Canada, and received his early education in the schools of that vicinity. After leaving school he took up the trade of a saddler and followed that trade all his life, until his death in 1912. His wife had died in 1876, more than a quarter of a century previously. In 1885, nine years after the death of his wife, James Grinyer moved to Illinois and spent the rest of his life in that state, his death occurring at Galena. Henry Phillips Grinyer is the youngest and sole survivor of six children born to his parents, the others having been William, two sons named Samuel, Margaret Jane and Mary.
After having received his earlv education in the common schools of Hagersville, Ontario, and after having completed a high-school course of three years, Mr. Grinyer took up the tailor's trade and became very proficient as a tailor and cutter. He worked at this trade until he was thirty-seven years old, during part of which time he was also engaged in preaching. In 1896 he started out as a "local" preacher, near St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada. He lived at Moorefield for two years and in 1902 moved to Cargill, Canada, where he remained for five years, or until 1907, when he came to the United States, and was stationed at East Peru, Iowa, as the pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church at that place. From East Peru he went to Waukee, Iowa, and remained there as pastor for two years. After a pastorate at Waukee, Rev. Henry Phillips Grinyer removed to Griswold, Iowa, and was located there until in September, 1913, at which time he became the pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church at Exira. He also has charge of the churches at Hamlin and Buck Creek, dividing his time among these three charges.
On October 15, 1892, the Rev. Henry Phillips Grinyer was married to Sarah Ann Geddes, daughter of C. R. and Charlotte Geddes, and to this union three children have been born, Gladys, Myrtle and Carleton. Gladys married C. T. Cocklin, and has one child, Harvey Ross.
The subject of this sketch is conscientiously and sincerely devoted to the ministry of the Gospel. He is a forceful preacher and a man of genial personality, two factors that have contributed to make his career a success. He takes no active part in politics but votes independently of parties and party emblems and the candidates of parties. Rev. Henry Phillips Grinyer in the several localities in which he has labored has proved himself to be an efficient, upright and honorable citizen, and is held in the very highest esteem by all who know him.
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Transcribed from History of Audubon County, Iowa Its People, Industries and Institutions With Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens and Genealogical Records of Many of the Old Families, by H. F. Andrews, editor, Indianapolis: B. F. Bowen & Company, 1915, pp. 551-552.
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