Thomas Stevenson Drew
Encyclopedia
Thomas Stevenson Drew was the third governor of the U.S. state
of Arkansas
. Though Drew was the third to be elected governor, he was the fourth in office because his predecessor, Samuel Adams
, had served as acting governor during much of 1844, having gained the office through the previous position as president of the Arkansas State Senate.
Drew was born in Wilson County, Tennessee
, but moved with his family to north Louisiana
and then into southern Arkansas in 1818. He first worked as a traveling salesman and schoolteacher. Drew first settled in Clark County
in southern Arkansas. In 1823, he was appointed Clark County Clerk. In 1827, he moved to Pocohontas
, Arkansas, where he married Cinderella Bettis, daughter of the properous founder of that town, Ransom Bettis. His father-in-law gave the newlyweds 800 acres (3.2 km²) of bottomland in Cherokee Bay near the town of Biggers in what is now Randolph County, then Lawrence County. The Drews prospered, having a plantation
and twenty African American
slaves.
In 1832, Drew was elected judge of Lawrence County. In 1835, Drew and Bettis convinced the Arkansas Territorial Legislature to create Randolph County from Lawrence County. In 1836, Drew and Bettis held an infamous free barbecue complete with free liquor for the entire county in Pocahontas (then known as Bettis Bluff). The grateful attendees the next day chose Pocahontas as the county seat in an upset election over the more populated community of Columbia. That same year, Drew gave the county land in downtown Pocahontas where a courthouse was constructed.
In 1836, Drew was chosen as a delegate to the Arkansas Constitutional Convention. He was elected Governor in 1844 as a Democrat
, having secured the backing of the Conway-Sevier faction that had ruled Arkansas since territorial days. His administration concentrated on the state's financial solvency and attempted to correct the state's bad credit as well as disunity within Democratic ranks. Under Drew, Arkansas became the first southern state to declare Thanksgiving Day as a state holiday. At Cinderella's urging, Drew secured passage of legislation protecting a woman's property which she brought into a marriage as her own separate entity, distinct from the husband's holdings.
Drew was re-elected in 1848. The next year, he dispatched a militia
to Marion County to suppress the Tutt-Everett War
. Drew only served a year of his second term. He resigned in protest of the $1,500 annual salary then provided for the governor. He retired from politics and concentrated on his own financial holdings. In 1860, he was living in Sebastian County near Fort Smith
in western Arkansas. He moved to Weatherford
west of Fort Worth
, Texas
. He later moved to Hood County, Texas, where he died in the community of Lipan
.
Drew was originally buried in the Old Baptist
Cemetery in Lipan. In 1923, his remains were exhumed and reburied at the Masonic Cemetery in Pocahontas, Arkansas, alongside the graves of Bettis, Cinderella, and several of the Drew children.
One of Drew's brothers, Richard Maxwell Drew
, held several public offices in Claiborne Parish
, Louisiana, including that of state representative
from 1848 until his death in 1850 at the age of twenty-eight. Richard Cleveland Drew
, R. M. Drew's son and hence a nephew of Thomas Drew, was a circuit court
judge from Webster Parish
, which was created in 1871 from neighboring Claiborne Parish.
Drew County in southern Arkansas is named for Thomas S. Drew.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
. Though Drew was the third to be elected governor, he was the fourth in office because his predecessor, Samuel Adams
Samuel Adams (governor)
Samuel Adams was a Democratic Governor of the State of Arkansas.Samuel Adams was born in Halifax County, Virginia. Adams was self-taught and moved to Arkansas in 1835. Adams became a planter and became active in Arkansas politics.In 1840 Adams was elected to the Arkansas Senate...
, had served as acting governor during much of 1844, having gained the office through the previous position as president of the Arkansas State Senate.
Drew was born in Wilson County, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, but moved with his family to north Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
and then into southern Arkansas in 1818. He first worked as a traveling salesman and schoolteacher. Drew first settled in Clark County
Clark County, Arkansas
Clark County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of 2010, the population was 22,995. The county seat is Arkadelphia.The Arkadelphia Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Clark County.-Geography:...
in southern Arkansas. In 1823, he was appointed Clark County Clerk. In 1827, he moved to Pocohontas
Pocahontas, Arkansas
Pocahontas is a city in Randolph County, Arkansas, United States, along the Black River. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, its population of the city is 6,765. The city is the county seat of Randolph County....
, Arkansas, where he married Cinderella Bettis, daughter of the properous founder of that town, Ransom Bettis. His father-in-law gave the newlyweds 800 acres (3.2 km²) of bottomland in Cherokee Bay near the town of Biggers in what is now Randolph County, then Lawrence County. The Drews prospered, having a plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
and twenty African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
slaves.
In 1832, Drew was elected judge of Lawrence County. In 1835, Drew and Bettis convinced the Arkansas Territorial Legislature to create Randolph County from Lawrence County. In 1836, Drew and Bettis held an infamous free barbecue complete with free liquor for the entire county in Pocahontas (then known as Bettis Bluff). The grateful attendees the next day chose Pocahontas as the county seat in an upset election over the more populated community of Columbia. That same year, Drew gave the county land in downtown Pocahontas where a courthouse was constructed.
In 1836, Drew was chosen as a delegate to the Arkansas Constitutional Convention. He was elected Governor in 1844 as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, having secured the backing of the Conway-Sevier faction that had ruled Arkansas since territorial days. His administration concentrated on the state's financial solvency and attempted to correct the state's bad credit as well as disunity within Democratic ranks. Under Drew, Arkansas became the first southern state to declare Thanksgiving Day as a state holiday. At Cinderella's urging, Drew secured passage of legislation protecting a woman's property which she brought into a marriage as her own separate entity, distinct from the husband's holdings.
Drew was re-elected in 1848. The next year, he dispatched a militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
to Marion County to suppress the Tutt-Everett War
Tutt-Everett War
The Tutt-Everett War, also called the Marion County War or the Tutt, King, Everett War was a politically motivated feud that took place in Marion County, Arkansas, during the politically charged era preceding the American Civil War....
. Drew only served a year of his second term. He resigned in protest of the $1,500 annual salary then provided for the governor. He retired from politics and concentrated on his own financial holdings. In 1860, he was living in Sebastian County near Fort Smith
Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith is the second-largest city in Arkansas and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County. With a population of 86,209 in 2010, it is the principal city of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area, a region of 298,592 residents which encompasses the Arkansas...
in western Arkansas. He moved to Weatherford
Weatherford, Texas
Weatherford is a city in Parker County, Texas, United States, and a western suburb of Fort Worth. The population was 19,000 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Parker County and is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.-Geography:...
west of Fort Worth
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. He later moved to Hood County, Texas, where he died in the community of Lipan
Lipan, Texas
Lipan is a city in Hood County, Texas, United States. The population was 425 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Granbury, Texas Micropolitan Statistical Area.Thomas Stevenson Drew, the third governor of Arkansas, died in Lipan in 1879.-Geography:...
.
Drew was originally buried in the Old Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
Cemetery in Lipan. In 1923, his remains were exhumed and reburied at the Masonic Cemetery in Pocahontas, Arkansas, alongside the graves of Bettis, Cinderella, and several of the Drew children.
One of Drew's brothers, Richard Maxwell Drew
Richard Maxwell Drew
Richard Maxwell Drew was an attorney and politician in Claiborne Parish in north Louisiana whose family was among the first settlers of what is now Webster Parish, established in 1871 as a breakaway from Claiborne Parish....
, held several public offices in Claiborne Parish
Claiborne Parish, Louisiana
Claiborne Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Homer and as of 2000, the population is 16,851.-History:The parish is named for the first Louisiana governor, William C. C. Claiborne....
, Louisiana, including that of state representative
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
from 1848 until his death in 1850 at the age of twenty-eight. Richard Cleveland Drew
Richard Cleveland Drew
Richard Cleveland Drew, Sr. , also known as R. C. Drew, was a judge of the state district and circuit courts, based in Minden in northwestern Louisiana. The Drew family was among the original 19th century settlers of the future Webster Parish, of which Minden is the parish seat...
, R. M. Drew's son and hence a nephew of Thomas Drew, was a circuit court
Louisiana Circuit Courts of Appeal
The Louisiana Circuit Courts of Appeal are the intermediate appellate courts for the state of Louisiana.There are five circuits, each covering a different group of parishes...
judge from Webster Parish
Webster Parish, Louisiana
Webster Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The seat of the parish is Minden. In 2010, its population was 41,207....
, which was created in 1871 from neighboring Claiborne Parish.
Drew County in southern Arkansas is named for Thomas S. Drew.
External links
- Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture entry: Thomas Stevenson Drew