Drew, Frank - 1877-1941

DREW

Posted By: Linda Vander Linden-Volunteer (email)
Date: 2/22/2012 at 11:30:36

Hawarden Independent, September 4, 1941

Frank Drew, printer in The Independent shop for nearly half a century was found dead in bed Monday morning. His passing was totally unexpected, he having been in apparent normal health the preceding day. He was 64 years old.

Mr. Drew's lifeless body was discovered by his aged mother at about 7 o'clock Monday morning when she went to his bedroom to awaken him. When he did not answer her, she went to the neighboring Mrs. Chas. Kenniston home in search of aid.

A physician was called and he said Mr. Drew had been dead for three or four hours. County Coroner Charles Vander Ploeg of Sioux Center announced following an examination that Mr. Drew's passing was caused by angina pectoris.

Funeral services were held at 2:30 o'clock Wednesday afternoon in the Drew home, followed by burial in Pleasant Hill cemetery, Ireton. The Rev. T. H. Harding officiated at the last rites.

Out of respect to his memory, the local business houses remained closed during the services. Pall bearers were David O. Stone, Carl Olsen, Fred Vernon, Harry Bader, Russell Younie and Roy Searle.

Frank Eugene Drew was born on March 25, 1877 in Oshkosh, Wis., the second son of Amerst & Elizabeth Hone Drew.

The family remained in Wisconsin until he was six years old when they moved to a farm near Ireton. After only six months, they moved to Hawarden in December of 1883, when the town was in its very beginnings. Frank Drew lived here the remainder of his life.

It was in 1892 when he was a lad of 15 that he fed his first sheets of paper into the press of the old Independent shop in the upstairs rooms over the newspapers present location. He worked part-time in The Independent shop during the next four years, working also at many other odd jobs after school and during vacations.

Finally, he became a full time employee of D. O. Stone in 1896 - 45 years ago - and worked continuously for The Independent from that time until his death.

Mr. Drew was skilled in all departments of printing. In recent years he had devoted practically all his time to operation of the linotype in the 25 years since it was installed, it has never had any other full time operator, but he also was an expert at setting type by hand, at presswork, and at all other crafts connected with the printing trade.

Mr. Drew's father died during the spring preceding the family's migration to western Iowa from Wisconsin. Mrs. Drew was forced by circumstances to make the family living, but Frank, together with his brothers, Sidney and Jerome, found such work as boys are able to do. Ever since he was able Frank has supported his mother, and cared for her. Her increasing frailness in recent years made the task progressively more difficult.

His mother survives him, together with his elder brother, Sidney of Springfield, SD. He was preceded in death by his father, his younger brother Jerome, his son, Lyal, who died during the influenza epidemic, and his daughter, who passed away of pneumonia as a baby.

Relatives and friends from out of town who attended the funeral were Sidney Drew, Sr. and sons, Sidney, Jr. and John Drew of Springfield, SD; Miss Dorothy Drew of Willmar, MN; Roswell Drew, Mr. & Mrs. Frank Kelly, and Mrs. J. D. Drew of Sioux Falls, Mr. & Mrs. Milo Drew and Karen of Lennox, SD; Mr. & Mrs. Will Hone of Alcester; Charles Hone and Miss Grace Merwin of Archer, IA; Walter Jones and Mr. & Mrs. John Dunn of LeMars.