JOHN DREW 1876 & 1879

(From the Thursday, September 2, 1909 Duluth News-Tribune)

FORMER MAYOR OF DULUTH DIES AT AGE OF 92 YEARS

John Drew, Said to Be Oldest Resident in City, Passes Away at His Home After 21 Years of Retirement -- Figured in Early History of Northeastern Minnesota.

John Drew, 92 years old, former mayor of Duluth and for many years the head of a large clothing, merchant tailoring and gentlemen's furnishing goods business on Superior street, died yesterday.

During the '70s he was one of a group of five or six men, who in their various lines did practically all the business that was done in northeastern Minnesota. He was known to all the older residents. Ill health confined him closely to his home, 113 North Lake avenue, where he has lived for 26 years.

During the past year Mr. Drew's health has been poor. He was eating breakfast yesterday when he suddenly expired. Mr. Drew was born 92 years ago last April at Reding, Conn. He came to Duluth in 1869, entered actively into the business of the then very young town. He was mayor for the term of 1874-75 and for the term 1879-80. He was a Republican. During the '70s he and Peter Dean were rivals representing their parties for the office of mayor. Mr. Drew was known as "Uncle John" and Mr. Dean was known as "Uncle Peter."

Although but little known in Duluth in recent years except to old settlers, Mr. Drew's name appears often in the city books as the holder of Duluth real estate. He is believed to have been the oldest living resident of the city for several years.

Mr. Drew leaves a wife, Mrs. Emma H. Drew, who with her daughter Alice is now in Portland. They were to have spent some time on the Pacific coast owing to the poor health of Miss Drew but the journey will be curtailed and they will be home in a very few days. Sons of the deceased are Charles H. Drew of the city engineer's office, and John R. Drew of Cleveland.

The absent relatives have been notified and funeral arrangements will not be made until they arrive. The mayor and others of the present city officials will probably attend the funeral in a body. The body will be taken to Sheboygan, Wis., for burial, as a family monument has been erected there.