Duval County FlArchives Biographies.....Drew, Horace Rainsford July 6, 1876 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/fl/flfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Nancy Rayburn http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00025.html#0006128 July 7, 2015, 11:58 pm Source: Vol. II pg.38-39 The Lewis Publishing Co. 1923 Author: History of Florida, Past and Present DREW, M. D., HORACE RAINSFORD. Connected with the medical profession of his native city, Dr. HORACE RAINSFORD DREW is entitled to a prominent position among the leading men of Jacksonville, where his family has long been established, and where his father and grandfather have made the name a notable one. Dr. Drew is a veteran of the Spanish-American war, and has been equally useful in times of peace. He was born at Jacksonville, July 6, 1876, a son of HORACE and GERTRUDE (FAIRBANKS) DREW, and belongs through his mother to another highly esteemed Southern family, a record of which will be found in the biography of Maj. GEORGE RAINSFORD FAIRBANKS, his maternal grandfather, elsewhere in this work. HORACE DREW was born at Jacksonville, January 20, 1854, and received his educational training in the University of the South at Sewanee, Tennessee, from which he was graduated with the class of 1875. Returning to Jacksonville, he went into the business his father, COLUMBUS DREW, had founded, now known as the H. & W. B. Company, one of the largest printing and stationary houses of the South. As was but natural, the young man entered upon the cares of business life with hearty enthusiasm, and gave so much himself to it, and his other interests which kept on multiplying, that by the time he had reached the age of sixty he found that he would have to make a decided change in his manner of living or be forced to retire from all activities. To a man of his temperament such a course was practically impossible, and so he sought advice, and within a few years has become a vital force in his community, finding in public service and the civic helpfulness the relaxation he needed, in the interest he felt he must have in order to enjoy life. He has made himself felt in commercial organization, civic bodies, and entering the city administration, assumed a leadership for younger men, bringing them out of their offices and selves to put their shoulders to the wheel and push forward for the good of Jacksonville and her development. For years Mr. Drew had been a member of the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce, but was, to quote his own words, “like many other men who never darken it door.” He was also a member of the Rotary Club, but very rarely attended its meetings. It was with the latter body that Mr. Drew commenced his new plan of giving less time to his office and more to an out-of-doors program. The Rotary Club had just taken up the project of pushing competition for the Military Service Club in time for the National Rifle Matches of 1915, and Mr. Drew became so interested in this work that he determined to see if there were not other propositions which the club could successfully promote. From then on he has been back of all of the constructive work of this organization, of which he is a director; he is a governor of the Chamber of Commerce, first vice president of the Tourist and Convention Bureau, president of the Business Men’s Club, and a member of the park commission, which was created through his efforts. In all of these bodies his influence is felt, and never has he failed to take the leadership when the opportunity came, and it is a leadership which springs from his natural desire to help Jacksonville and her organizations, rather than from any personal desire to get ahead of others or to assume undue authority. Mr. Drew is a firm believer in the processes of “contact and cooperation” with men and their ambitions as a means to effective accomplishment. Since he has come out into the open and taken upon himself this arduous work of leadership he has become one of the best known and liked of citizens and the results he has reached are remarkable and far-reaching. Not only has he accomplished much himself, but he has also been able to secure from others a wholehearted cooperation which is stimulating and gratifying. GERTRUDE FAIRBANKS DREW, mother of Doctor Drew, died in 1885, having born her husband five sons, two of whom died in infancy, three living to maturity. Of them all Doctor Drew was the eldest born. HORACE DREW married MARY HODSON on February 26, 1895. She was born in Dorchester, Maryland, a daughter of EUGENE and CELESTA (BROMWELL) HODSON. EUGENE HODSON was born at Washington, District of Columbia, and his wife was a native of Baltimore, Maryland. They had five children, four of whom survive, of whom Mrs. Drew was the third in order of birth. After a residence of some years at Baltimore Mr. Hodson moved to the Eastern shore of Maryland, in Dorchester County. By his second marriage Mr. Drew had two children, namely: MARGARET, who married R. O. GROVER, and they have three children, MARGARET D., MARTHA and FRANCIS MERRITT; and EUGENE, who married JESSIE SEIVER DeBELLE. Doctor Drew attended his father’s alma mater, the University of the South, and it was while he was pursuing his studies in that institution that war was declared between this country and Spain. He immediately volunteered for service and was made sergeant of Company E, First Florida Infantry. After the close of the war he received his honorable discharge and, returning to the university, completed his studies there, receiving from its medical department his degree of Doctor of Medicine in 1901. Coming back to Jacksonville, he entered upon the general practice of his profession, and maintains offices in the St. James Building. During the more than a score of years he has been in practice he has built up a very large and valuable connection, and is recognized as one of the most skilled and experienced men of his profession in Duval County. A strong believer in the value of medical societies, he maintains membership in the county, state and national organizations, and is active in all of them. While he is a firm adherent of the democratic party, he has never sought for political preferment, but contented himself with doing his duty at the polls. On June 28, 1916, Doctor Drew was united in marriage with LOUISE PHILLIPS, born at Danville, Kentucky. They have one son, HORACE RAINSFORD, Junior. Doctor Drew is a man of high ideals, and lives up to the finest conceptions of professional and civic duty. His skill as a physician is unquestioned, and personally he commands the confidence and respect of all with whom he is in any way associated, and he is a worthy son of a distinguished father File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/fl/duval/bios/drew111bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/flfiles/ File size: 7.1 Kb