California Biographies Transcribed by Peggy Hooper This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm Source: History of the state of California and biographical record of the San Joaquin Valley, California. An historical story of the state's marvelous growth from its earliest settlement to the present time. Prof. James Miller Guinn , A. M. The Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago 1905 Notes: Missing Page: 865-866,983-984,1175-1176 HON. ALEXANDER M. DREW. Conspicuous among the able attorneys of Fresno county is Hon. A. M. Drew, who is meeting with signal success in the practice of his profession in the city of Fresno, which has been his home for the past quarter of a century. A man of undoubted ability and integrity, he is prominent in social, legal, fraternal and political circles, and has now the distinction of representing the Sixty-first district in the state legislature. A son of Elisha Drew, he was born January 17, 1857, in Lena, Stephenson county, Ill. He is descended from an old and honored family of New England and comes of patriotic ancestry, his paternal grand- father, Captain Drew, having served as a private in the Revolutionary army and as an officer in the war of 1812. A native of New England, Elisha Drew was born in 1806, in the northern part of Vermont. When a young man he lived for a few years in Ontario, Can., from there moving to Illinois in the early forties, and settling first near Galena. He subsequently took up land in Stephenson county, about four miles west of Lena, and there improved a farm. In 1875 he removed to the village of Lena and there spent his declining years, passing away at the venerable age of ninety years. He was in every respect a worthy citizen and a consistent member of the Method- ist Episcopal Church. He was twice married, by his first wife, Anna Dart, having six sons, namely : James, who died at Sterling. Ill. ; Elisha, a resident of Greenville, Tex., who served four years in the Civil war, enlisting first in the Fifteenth Illinois Volunteer Infantry and afterwards in the Forty-third Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and was wounded at the battle of Shiloh ; Charles, who served in the United States navy during the Civil war and died in New York City ; Isaiah, who served in an Illinois regiment during the Civil war and now resides in Marion Center, Kan. ; Alfred, a resident of Rockford, Ill.; and Joseph, who served in the Ninety-second Illinois Volunteer Infantry during the Civil war, was wounded in battle, and died in Kansas in 1865. Elisha Drew married for his second wife Caroline Smith, who was born in Ogdensburg, N. Y., and died in Illinois, at the age of sixty-nine years. Her father, Captain Smith, was an officer in the United States navy during the Revolution. Of this marriage five children were born, namely: Mrs. Montague, who died in Illinois; Mrs. Carrie Hawley, of Illinois ; Alexander M., the sub- ject of this sketch; Mrs. Mary Lakin, of Palo Alto, Cal. ; and Jessie, a teacher in the public schools of Salt Lake City, Utah. Brought up on the home farm, A. M. Drew obtained the rudiments of his education in the district school, after which he entered the Lena high school, from which he was graduated in 1875. The ensuing year he taught school near Winslow, Ill. Coming to California in 1877, he continued his studies at Howe's normal school, in Sacramento, and after his graduation in 1878 taught school one term in that vicinity. In August, 1878, Mr. Drew located in Fresno, which was then but a small village, with but one brick building within its limits, and a popu- lation of four hundred souls. Continuing in his chosen occupation, he taught in the district schools for a time, making Fresno his home, although for four years he was principal of the Iowa Hill schools. During the time he was engaged as a teacher he studied law during his leisure moments, and in 1887 was admitted to the bar. The following year Mr. Drew spent in the law office of Wharton & Shaw, and from 1888 until 1890 was engaged in practice with Judge George A. Nourse and F. H. Short. Since that time he has practiced alone, and has won an extensive and lucrative practice, being one of the busiest and most successful lawyers of the city. Mr. Drew at one time owned a vineyard and orchard of eighty acres, most of which he set out himself, and is still interested in the culture of grapes to some extent. He is one of the oldest members of the Raisin Growers' Association, and frequently presides at its meetings. In Sacramento, Cal, Mr. Drew married Abbie E. Pratt, a native of Maine, and a graduate of Howe's normal school. Three children have been born of their union, namely: Leslie M., who was graduated from the Fresno high school, and is in the employ of the Raisin Growers' Association ; Arthur Homan. a pupil in the high school; and Gertrude S. Politically Mr. Drew is a steadfast Republican, and is a member, and former chairman, of the Repub- lican county central committee. In 1902 he was nominated on the Republican ticket as repre- sentative to the state legislature, and was elected by a majority of three hundred, being the first Republican ever elected in the Sixty-first district, which is strongly Democratic. He is a member of the judiciary and other committees of the house, and has been quite active in legis- lative matters. Of the sixteen bills which he introduced, nine have become laws. One of the most important of these was the Drew State Text Book bill. Fraternally Mr. Drew was made an Odd Fellow at Iowa Hill, Placer county, Cal., in 1882, and is now a member and past officer of Fresno Lodge No. 186, I. O. O. F. In 1897 and 1898 he served as grand master of the Grand Lodge of California; in 1898 he went to Boston as su- preme representative to the Sovereign Grand Lodge, and in 1899 went to Detroit in the same capacity. He is also a member and past chief patriarch of Fresno Encampment, Patriarchs Militant, past captain of Fresno Canton, and a member of Fresno Lodge No. 247, F. & A. M. In religion he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which he was formerly a trustee. He also belongs to the Fresno County Bar Association. During the years of his residence in Fresno Mr. Drew has become intimately identified with numerous movements toward the upbuilding of the city. He is regarded as one of its public- spirited and progressive citizens, and a man who never hesitates to support well-considered projects looking toward the elevation of the social, moral, educational and industrial status of the city.