JAMES H. DREW AND BLANCHE GREENEN DREW
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PAGE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION ~~ LOT'S MORE TO COME!
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PAGE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION ~~ LOT'S MORE TO COME!
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Aside from their wedding photos, the photos presented here are the best available of this couple. Blanche is shown at left in 1914 at age 34. The photo of Harry is much later, probably taken during the 1920's when Harry was in his 40's. |
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ORIGINS AND BACKGROUND OF JAMES H. DREW James "Harry" Drew, 1880 - 1937, was the youngest surviving child of James and Theresa Drew of Daviess County, Indiana. ["Harry" is the standard nickname for "Henry" which was his real baptismal name.] His parents (an Irish immigrant father and first generation Irish mother) struggled to survive on a farm in Barr Township, Daviess County, Indiana and had Harry late in life. Harry attended Barr Township School and was a very good student through grade school and high school. When he was just 10, his father died; and less than two years later, his mother died, leaving Harry an Orphan. At that time, he was taken in by his elder sister, Catherine, and her husband, John Beckett who already had children not much younger than Harry. For more details and info on Catherine Drew Beckett, CLICK HERE.
Following high school, Harry attended Indiana Teachers' College in Valparaiso (which later became Valparaiso University.) Although tradition is that he "attended Valparaiso with his Cousin Kate McGee" I have to question this tradition because Kate (from Missouri) was 11 years older than Harry and was just one year older than Harry's brother George, who also attended Valparaiso. At any rate, all three did attend Valparaiso and graduated as certified teachers and both George and Kate had illustrious careers as teachers. My guess is that George and Kate attended at the same time (in the late 1880's) and Harry would have attended about 1898 - 1900. So far we have been unsuccessful in finding any records on them through the Valparaiso University Archivist. [They exchanged e-mails; but I'm not sure they really tried]
Harry's obituary asserts that he moved to Indianapolis in 1900, which would probably have been after completing his studies at Valparaiso. He then attended Indiana Law School and completed a law degree. It is not known how long he practiced law; but at the time of his engagement notice in the February 28, 1909 edition of the "Catholic Columbian Record" he is described as a "prominent young lawyer." His engagement announcement in the Indianapolis News, February 20, 1909 asserts that he was Secretary and Treasurer of the Indianapolis Brass Company and a member of the law firm of McGee, Reardon, & Drew. A scrapbook was passed down to his daughter, Louise, which contained his written (tongue in cheek) proposal of marriage to Blanche Greenen in "florid legalese" which has been a source of myrth to all who have read it.
In addition to the curriculum sequence above, The Daviess County Democrat, of Washington Indiana, asserts (in Harry's engagement announcement 2/28/09) that Harry was "at one time the owner of the Owl Drug Store here and went from here to Indianapolis to work with the Mooney- Mueller Drug Company." The dates of these "pharmaceutical endeavors" are not given in either documents or traditions.
James H. Drew's family of origin is described in a well researched website at http://www.wildirishroots.com/DREW/1833JamesDrew/1833JamesDrew.html.
ORIGINS AND BACKGROUND OF BLANCHE GREENEN Blanche Greenen's family of origin is described in a well researched website at http://www.wildirishroots.com/Greenen/1842JWGreenen/1842JWGreenen.html
THE MARRIAGE OF JAMES H. AND BLANCHE: JUNE 1909
AWESOME PHOTOS & DOCUMENTS ARE ON LINE!CLICK HERE to see the story and some stunning photos of the wedding and honeymoon.
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THE EARLY YEARS IN INDIANAPOLIS: 1909 - 1918
HARRY SUCCEEDS IN BUSINESS ~ SIX CHILDREN AND A WORLD WAR
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CAVORTING WITH THE GREENEN COUSINS
CLOSE SIBLINGS & COUSINS THROUGH THE 20's & 30's
THE CLEVELAND YEARS
HARRY AND FAMILY CONTINUE TO SUCCEED. AFFLUENCE ACHIEVED
The photo above most surely was taken by James H. Drew as the 7 Drew children assembled around their mother on the porch of their Cleveland home on Bellmore Avenue. Note the (huge) size & configuration of the home or appartments) next door as they will serve as a "clue" in a later sequence of Cleveland photos. 
Click on the picture to see and/or import it in full sizeDuring these years the Drew family attended St. Philomena's church; and children went to St Philomena's parish school. The year following the family's move to Cleveland, the seventh and last child arrived. Richard F. Drew was born March 8, 1920 and baptized at St. Philomena's CLICK HERE to read more about the baptism and see some interesting photodocumentation.
CLICK HERE to see more information about the Drew family home in Cleveland.
James H. Drew obviously had a very good camera by this time. Most likely he developed his interest in cameras through his brother in law, Charles Peter Greenen, Blanche's eldest brother. Charlie Greenen, in turn, was blessed with a father in law (Herman Dewenter) who was a true pioneer in camera technology. Herman, blessed with the resources of the very successful Kruse & Dewenter Furnace Company [His wife was a Kruse] and their connections in Germany, was able to afford the very best cameras and lenses... and had his lenses shipped over from Germany. Both men also had the passion to learn how to use their cameras. [Both Herman and Charlie had the same kind of passion for cars... which they shared with James "Harry" Drew.] A few of us "luckier cousins" have seen the fabulous CD-ROM collection of Herman Dewenter photos from the very early 1900s... scanned by Jim Greenen... and they are truly magnificent. [They are available on a CD courtesy of Jim Greenen]
A few of the Herman Dewenter & Charles P. Greenen photos show up elsewhere in the Greenen and Drew story; as you've probably seen already. But the Dewenter - Greenen Camera-lust and Car-lust story is really a tangent... so back to our James H. Drew story:
Note that a collection of photos taken by Herman Dewenter & Charles P. Greenen are in the keeping of the Indiana State Historical Society and are worth a trip to the museum to view them. At present only the negatives are available to view; but a generous donation by someone could probably entice the Society to convert them to hard copy photos. CLICK HERE to see more pictures of the Drew family during the Cleveland years.
SHADES OF BEETHOVEN
INFLUENZA LEAVES BLANCHE DEAF BUT NOT DEVOID OF MUSICXXX
DANNY IS RUN OVER BY A GROCERY TRUCK: 1920
SCARRED FOR LIFE BUT NOT HANDICAPPEDXXX
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THE MANSFIELD YEARS: 1925 - 1931
PROSPEROUS "GOLDEN YEARS" FOR THE FAMILY
Click on the photo to see in full size
Above is the large house in Mansfield that was home to the James H. Drew Family from 1925 to 31. The home was in a very "mainstream" affluent part of town about 6 blocks from downtown and St. Peter's Church and Grade School where the family attended Church and school.
Click on the photo to see in full sizeThe photo above was taken much later, probably with a poloroid camera. The blacktop on the driveway was not there in the 20's but was added much later. It is believed that this photo was taken by William K. Drew during a "nostalgia visit" to his old homestead in the 1980's
MARION AVENUE IN 2001 
Click on the photo to see it full size
The photo above shows Mansfield's Marion Avenue as it appeared in 2001. The photo is taken from very near the Drew family home.
Click on the photo to see it full size
Although the "north neighbors'" home still stands (center of above photo) the site of the Drew home is a Pizza Shop in 2001.CLICK HERE to see more pictures of the family during the Mansfield years.
OF JAMES H. DREW & BLANCHE GREENENTo view the available baptismal documents, click on the thumbnails at left.
. JAMES JOSEPH . DANIEL GREENEN . BLANCHE CECELIA NO DOCUMENT WILLIAM KEVIN NO DOCUMENT MARY LOUISE NO DOCUMENT EDWARD VINCENT RICHARD FRANCIS
CLICK HERE to see more photodocumentation of Richard F. Drew's Cleveland Baptism
THE FINAL YEARS ~~ BACK IN INDY: 1931-1944
MAKING THE BEST OF VERY HARD TIMESXXX
THE CHILDREN IN THEIR AUTUMN YEARS: 1970's & 80's
ENJOYING THE FRUITS OF A GOOD LIFEXXX
