Contents |
William Drew was born in Devonshire, England, in about 1627 (1623 suggested by Stackpole], the date and place known from a deposition by his brother Thomas Drew. At an early age he entered into the Canadian fishing trade with his father, William Sr. and brothers. [1]
William Drew was rated at Oyster River in 1648, 1649 (Drue)1650, 1657, 1659, 1661, 1662, 1663, 1666, and 1669 (early NH Census, Dover). His log house, “fortified against the indians” was built by Thomas Beard. He was listed as a fisherman at Isles of Shoals.  He lived on the south side of the River at Drew’s Point, where on a hilltop can be seen the cellar of the garrison house built by him or his son, Francis. [another garrison house built by William Dam was later known as the Drew Garrison house.]
On 10 Aug 1653, William Drew was granted sixty acres of upland on the north side of Branson Creek joining to his marsh. This was laid out to his son Francis in 1669. Birth dates of William, wife Elizabeth and William; brother Thomas are from depositions. [2][I have not found copies of the original depositions. CG]
Drew, William, b. in 1627, had wife Elizabeth, who was b. in 1632. [3] He died in 1669 intestate. On 29 June 1669 the Estate of William Drew of Oyster River granted to Elizabeth Drew, widow. [4] She married William Follet 20 Jul 1671. On 8 July, 1671, she conveys certain land to Thomas Drew (William’s brother), as equivalent to the £70 due him from estate of William Drew, of Oyster River, her husband. The children of William Drew were; Francis b. 1648, John, b. 1651, and perhaps James, whose inventory was entered 25 Jul 1675.” [5] [Thomas is not listed as son of William Drew Jr. However, Thomas made a deposition on 22 Feb 1734 stating that he, then age 69 (b. abt 1665), “50 years ago I lived with my father Follett”, his mother’s second husband.]
“It is likely William Drew was a puritan,” one writer records, “for he settled among them.” His family is found in the records of the Congregational Church and he had settled at a time when the puritan movement toward the colonies was coming to a close, as he recorded. Civil War was brewing in England and the puritans were coming into their own under Oliver Cromwell and the Parliament.
On August 10, 1653, William Drew was granted “sixty acres of upland on the north side of Bransons Creeke, adjoining to his marsh”. This is the 60 acres laid out to his eldest son, Francis, from the estate., which was later deeded to his son Thomas on 9 Oct 1691. Thomas settled there with his wife Tamsen after he returned from captivity in Canada. On 15 May 1744, Thomas’ son Elijah deeded a “fifth part of sixty acres of land lying by ye Little Bay & by Bransis Creek” to Joseph Wheeler and Zachariah Edgerly. Thomas’ brother John Drew’s daughters Mary and Jonanna were married to Joseph Wheeler and Zachariah Edgerly, respectively. [6]
In 1657 William Drew Sr. died, apparently the victim of a boat accident on the York County coast of Maine. It is believed much of the estate of William Drew jr. came from his father under the laws of primogeniture. He was the eldest son.
21 Jul 1657 William Drew is on the Oyster River/Dover Tax list. (this could be William Sr, or Jr.) In 1659 William Drew was rated 11 s. 8 d and on the great rate at 1 p. 4 s. 4 d. at Oyster River. Beginning with this 1659 entry he appears on the tax lists of Dover again in 1661, 1662, 1663 and 1666.
William Drew died at Oyster River, Durham, New Hampshire in April 1669. Administration of the estate was granted June 29, 1669, to his wife, Elizabeth (Mathews) Drew. The inventory showed: “a dwelling house, barn, and other out houses, one cannon, fishing boats, two ships “Hopewell” and “Increase,” a great amount of fishing tackle, and a male and female servant” The widow inherited most of the property including the slaves or servants. [actual inventory source?]
The widow, Elizabeth (Mathews) Drew, married second, on July 20, 1671, William Follet, a Quaker of Dover, New Hampshire. She was still living in Durham, New Hampshire in 1690. His brother, Thomas Drew, received the farm at Drew's Point on June 20, 1680, from Elizabeth (Mathews-Drew) Follett. Biography above added 2-27-2019 by C. Gardner.
Drew, William, br. of (13 Thomas), b. ±1627, fisherman at Isles of Shoals keeping his fam. at Oyster River, had his house built there by Tho. Beard in 1648. He d. in Apr. 1669, adm. to wid. Elizabeth (Matthews, List 366), who m. 20 July 1671 Wm. Follett. Lists 354abc, 356a, 361a, 363abc, 365. Ch: Francis, b. ab. 1648. John, b. ab. 1651. Hannah, m. Godfrey Brooking, Nicholas Follett, Abraham Heseltine. Thomas, b. ab. 1665. (Elizabeth, poss. a 1st w. of Abraham Clark* or w. of Thomas Phillips of Ipsw. 1717-1734.) [7] [*Elizabeth Drew was not a wife of Abraham Clark, that was a different Elizabeth]
Death and estate management for William Drew [8]
Much of this information [in following two paragraphs ] is not correct, but will leave it here for reference. William Drewe below is not the same man in this profile, who was born in 1627 per deposition, died in 1669, and never lived in Plymouth. William Drewe (or Drew) was apparently born in Sharpham, Devonshire, England in 1612. He is said to have died 1641 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts (Then Plymouth Colony). But some entries say he died in Sharpham, Devonshire, England 23 June 1677. As I said I [author?] was not able to confirm any of these records. His wife appears to be Elizabeth Matthews 1623-1678. One record says that their sons name was John "Matthews" Drew 1642-1671. One tree had their marriage in Sharpham, Devonshire, England as 1641. Or in other words, one year before coming to New England and giving birth to John Drew. Marion G. Turk, in her book The Quiet Adventures in North America says that William Drew, his wife Elizabeth and son Sargent John arrived in Maine between 1627 and 1669. Most sources agreed that John was born in 1642.
This source is incorrect: Representative Men and Old Families of Southeastern Massachusetts by J. H. Beers & Co, 1912 p. 1469, says that the family of John Drew appears about 1660 in Plymouth. Beers says that He, John, is supposed to be a son of William and the grandson of Sir Edward Drew who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth.
[information below is most likely accurate]
Are you a direct male descendent in the Drew family with a yDNA test gathering dust? Please consider working with other Drews to unlock some questions we have about the early colonial Drews!
Learn about the study here: https://www.familytreedna.com/groups/drew/about
See emerging results of the study here: https://www.familytreedna.com/public/drew?iframe=ycolorized
Have you taken a DNA test? If so, login to add it. If not, see our friends at Ancestry DNA.
William is 14 degrees from Emeril Lagasse, 21 degrees from Nigella Lawson, 22 degrees from Maggie Beer, 44 degrees from Mary Hunnings, 25 degrees from Joop Braakhekke, 30 degrees from Michael Chow, 21 degrees from Ree Drummond, 23 degrees from Paul Hollywood, 20 degrees from Matty Matheson, 22 degrees from Martha Stewart, 26 degrees from Danny Trejo and 24 degrees from Molly Yeh on our single family tree. Login to find your connection.