Bio: Emanuel C. Drew, Bienville & Carroll Parish, Louisiana
Source: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northwest Louisiana
The Southern Publishing Company, Chicago & Nashville, 1890
Submitted by
Gaytha Thompson
540 May Drive
Madison TN 37115
LaFamTree(a)aol.com
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EMANUEL C. DREW
Emanuel C. Drew is an intelligent, enterprising and successful young "knight
of the scissors," and is now ably editing the Louisiana Advance, one of the
spiciest, breeziest journals of this section of the State. He was born in
Carroll Parish, La., November 1, 1858, being the youngest of three sons, the
other two members of the family being Robert H., who is a resident of Black
Hawk Landing, and is superintendent of a large cotton plantation, and Judge
Larche C., who resides in Calhoun, Quachitia Parish, La., being the editor and
proprietor of the Experimental Farmer, a well known agricultural paper. Their
father, Capt. Newit J. Drew, was a native Louisianian, born in 1831, and was
a distinguished soldier during the secession, being captain of Drew's battery
of light artillery, well known in the Trans Mississippi Department. He
received the best advantages in his youth, being educated under private
tutors at first, afterward entering the university at Baton Rouge, and his
wife, Ann Chaney, who was born in Carroll Parish, La, in 1834, was educated in
Jackson, La., then the Athens of the State. Both parents are still living in
the enjoyment of fairly good health.
Emanuel C. Drew's early education was perfected at home by his mother, who
thoroughly grounded him in the common branches and taught him the principles
of business. When he had attained his seventeenth year he began the battle of
life for himself as a salesman in a general mercantile establishment, and
there he remained until twenty years of age.
In the month of December, 1879, he was united in marriage to Miss Laura Smith,
a native of Quachita Parish, La., whose birth occurred in 1860. She was
educated principally in Alabama, but her parents were Georgians and her father
a cotton planter. Mrs. Drew is a lady of remarkable business tact and acumen,
and gives much, valuable aid to her husband in the work of editing the
Advance, her excellent address, affable and industrious disposition being
cardinal elements of their success.
Mr. Drew began his journalistic career in Minden, La., as editor and
proprietor of the Minden Democrat, which he managed successfully through a
heated campaign of one year. At the end of that time he purchased the new
paper known as the Louisiana Advance, which at that time (1884) had only an
eight-quire circulation, but by unflagging energy and Mrs. Drew's fidelity to
her husband's interest, the circulation was increased to forty-one quires
within one year from date of purchase, besides a large and lucrative job work.
Mr. Drew has always been a true Democrat of the Jeffersonian type, in which he
followed in the footsteps of his ancestors, and he has ever taken an active
part in local politics, being a stanch, eloquent and able advocate of the
principles of his party, and all measures which he considers right and just.
He is justly proud that he is able to say that no Drew of his family ever
scratched a Democratic ticket. He has never been an officer of any grade, has
never aspired to be, being content to use his influence in electing to office
those whom he considers more suitable men. He deserves the highest
commendation from his country men generally, regardless of politics, for the
active and very intelligent manner in which he advertised the northern part of
the State, and is now secretary of the North Louisiana Immigration
Association. The energy with which he has pushed matters has been remarkable
for a man of his years, and the good his work has done is almost untold. He
has sent authentically compiled literature to all pars of the Union, and many
have become interested in the beauty and richness of Northern Louisiana. Mr.
Drew has been district land agent for the V.S. & P.R.R. for four years, and
has performed a vast amount of business for them, the accuracy with which
every detail has been attended to, stamping him as a man of fine executive
ability, persistency and determination. His work for this parish has been
most exemplary in every particular, which is a source of great satisfaction to
him. He is a member of the K. of P. of Ruston, La., and he and his wife are
members of the Missionary Baptist Church at Arcadia, La. They are well
established in life, and have a sufficient amount of this world's goods to
make them comfortable and happy, and expect to make their home in Northern
Louisiana, where a bright and successful future is awaiting many a home
seeker. Mr. Drew is secretary of the Louisiana Sate Land Company, and is also
agent for a large land owner of Illinois, and withal, conducts the largest
land business in the northern part of the State.