William Drew's ancestry is unproven. Best evidence makes him the son of Willis Drew of Duplin County, North Carolina, who was born about 1770 and died about 1818 in Laurens County, Georgia. If that be so, William was only 8 years old when his father died, leaving him to fend for himself at a very early age. This connection has been accepted by the Sons of the American Revolution. These then would be his siblings: Fonnel Drew, Benjamin Drew, Arcady Drew, and Margaret Drew. If the connection with Willis Drew is correct, then William is the grandson of William Drew, Sr. who was born about 1735 in Halifax County, North Carolina and was a Revolutionary War soldier. He served in the Revolutionary War in the 2nd Regiment, NC Line.

William Drew, Sr. bought 100 acres of land in Duplin County, North Carolina on August 18, 1756. Then he appeared in Burke County, Georgia in 1805 drawing lots in a land lottery. He moved back to NC before 1788 after making a Bill of Sale to his son, William Drew, Jr. at Burke County, Georgia on December 17, 1788 for all of his cattle. Another Bill of Sale was made in 1793 to William Jr. in North Carolina. William Drew, Sr. died in Halifax County on May 8, 1827.

Some have it that William Drew, Sr. was the son of Thomas Drew of Goochland County, Virginia and the grandson of Edward Drew of Isle of Wight County, Virginia.

Sources:
Sketch in Huxford files - Hux.Gen.Lib. - Homerville, GA.
Bill of Sale in DB 9, p.151, Sampson Co., NC.
Letter from J.W. Emison to Folks Huxford, Jan.27,1961.
James W. Whitley manuscript - 104 Canterbury Rd., Williamsburg, VA 23185 Abstracts of Sampson Co., NC Wills, 1784-1895, Cora Bass (1958).
Alcy Drew's Will, made 9-13-1825, probated in Sampson Co., NC.
Judge Huxford's answer to the Emison letter, 6-1-1961.
Bill of Sale, 5-22-1793, to Wm.Drew,Jr., Sampson Co., NC.
Death Notice - Raleigh Register - 5-11-1827.
Research of John Drew III of Jacksonville, Florida.

William Drew Gravemarker

BACK TO WALTER'S TREE

BACK TO HOME PAGE

BACK TO HOMESTEAD