- THOMAS DREW, farmer, Sec. 35; P.O. Magnolia; born in 1824,
in County Louth, Ireland;
- came to America in 1840, and first worked in Rahway, N.J.;
in 1844, he went to Flushing, N.Y., working in the Insane Asylum;
in 1846, to Fort Hamilton, working for a surgeon in the U.S.A.;
in 1847, he came to Wisconsin with Col. MILLER, inventor of the
MILLER Platform and Coupler, and located in Magnolia Township.
At this time, the nearest place of worship was Janesville, and
when Mr. DREW wished to attend, he had to walk fifteen miles
and back. He stayed in this employ till 1849, but had bought
eighty acres of land, on which there was a mortgage of $200;
in the spring of 1850, he increased the mortgage by $100, borrowing
money at 25 per cent, and went to California, where he was successful
at gold digging; in 1852, he returned, paid off the mortgage
and made his brother a present of the land; in the spring of
1853, he bought his present farm of 320 acres, which is free
form encumbrance, well stocked, and on which he raises general
produce. Married Miss Hannah BUCKLEY, of Janesville, Feb. 21,
1859; she died in 1865; they had four children - John, Nov. 22,
1859; Maggie, Dec. 1, 1860; Thomas, July 13, 1862; Mary, Oct.
2, 1863. He married Miss Mary MULCAHY, of Footville, May 1, 1871;
have three children - Daniel, born Feb. 12, 1872; Anna S., Aug.
17, 1873; William, Feb. 28, 1875. Mr. D. was Roadmaster one year.
He and his family are members of the Roman Catholic Church.
-
- Taken from "The History of Rock County, Wis."
(c)1879, p. 878.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
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