Ephraim Knowles Drew (1839 - 1906)

Born 5 Jul 1839 in Wellington, Piscataquis, Maine, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Martha J (Bryant) Drew — married 30 Aug 1862 in Penobscot, Maine, United States

Descendants

Died 31 Oct 1906 at age 67 in Levant, Penobscot, Maine, United States

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Biography

Pvt Ephraim Drew served in the United States Civil War.
Enlisted: Jul 26,1862
Mustered out: June 6, 1865
Side: USA
Regiment(s): Company F

Youth

Ephraim was born on the 5th of July 1839 in Wellington, Piscataquis, Maine ^[1][2][3]. His parents were the farmers Reuben Drew and Mary Knowles ^[4][5]. While not much is known about the first years of his life, we do know that he and his parents lived in Piscataquis county during the 1840 census, along with 5 older brothers and 1 sister ^[6].

Sometime in the following ten years, the family moved to the town of Hermon in Penobscot county. The 1850 census reveals that three of the older brothers of Reuben were R., Sylvester and Reuben Drew, and that he had another younger sister, Mary, and two younger brothers: William and Uriah ^[4]. This means that he had at least nine siblings.

Civil War

While no 1860 census entry for the family has yet been found, we can assume that Ephraim lived in Hermon at the time, as that is where he was living when he signed up for the civil war on the July 26th, 1862 ^[1]. At the beginning of his service, he served in Company F of the 18th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment. The name and function of his regiment were changed a few months later ^[7] - which means that he served in Company F of the Maine 1st Heavy Artillery Regiment starting December 19th, 1862 ^{[8] [9]}.

On August 24th, 1862 the company left Maine for Washington, and after two days of marching, Ephraim was stationed at Fort Alexandria ^[10]. The regiment didn't stay in the garrisons, however. In 1864 it was reassigned to the Army of the Potomac during the Overland Campaign ^[7].

On May 19th, 1864 the regiment saw its first Major losses: at the Battle of Harris Fram, near the Spotsylvania Court House, 6 officers and 76 men were killed and 6 officers and 388 men wounded ^[11]

On June 18th, 1864 the 1st Maine Heavy Artillery Regiment was present at the Assault on Petersburg. At 4:30 pm the regiment of former garrison troops charged across an open field towards the Confederate lines. The veteran regiment that was with them sought cover, knowing that attacking an entrenched position was foolish. Left alone, the regiment faced enormous losses: out of 900 soldiers, 7 officers and 108 men were killed, and 25 officers and 464 men were wounded ^[7]. Ephraim was one of those wounded soldiers ^[12].

All in all, Ephraim was very lucky to survive the war: out of the 4714 soldiers who served in this regiment ^[13], 423 were killed during the war and 260 died of disease ^[7]. Those are extreme numbers - especially if we consider that Ephraim served in this unit throughout the entire war. He was eventually honorably discharged on June 6th, 1865, when the war had ended ^[8].

Marriage

He married Martha Bryant on August 30, 1862, in his home town of Penobscot ^[14]. Together they had one son, Sylvester Drew (1864), with whom they kept living within the same community ^[15]

Life After the War

In 1882 Ephraim was a minister in the church of West Hampden in Penboscot. ^[16][5]

In 1890 Ephraim lived in Hodgdon, Aroostook, Maine. He was a Baptist Clergyman in that town. ^[17][18]  

Reverend E.K. Drew officiated at the marriage of his son Reverend Sylvester Drew who married Sadie Hunter on June 7, 1893, in Bangor, Maine, United States^[19][20][21].

In 1900 we find Ephraim and his wife living together in Penboscot ^[22].

Death

Ephraim died on the 31st of October 1906 in Levant, Maine, United States at the age of 67 of anemia due to malaria^[2].^[23][5]. He was buried at Snows' Corner Cemetery ^[3].

His wife Martha (Bryant) Drew died on August 29th, 1919 in Harrington, Washington, Maine at the age of 72. ^[24]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} "Maine, Civil War Enlistment Papers, 1862-1865," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2QB-KMMP : accessed 25 October 2019), Ephraim K Drew, 26 Jul 1862; citing Hermon, Hermon, Penobscot, Maine, United States, Maine State Archives, Augusta; FHL microfilm .
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} "Maine, Faylene Hutton Cemetery Collection, ca. 1780-1990," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKM1-7QR3 : 16 March 2018), Ephraim K Drew, 1906; citing Burial, Hermon, Penobscot, Maine, United States, Maine State Library, Augusta; FHL microfilm 1,769,576.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} "Maine, Veterans Cemetery Records, 1676-1918," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KXQC-5SC : 13 March 2018), Ephraim K Drew, 31 Oct 1906; citing Death, , State Archives, Augusta; FHL microfilm 1,001,828.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M6V3-32X : 12 April 2016), Ephraim Drew in household of Reuben Drew, Hermon, Penobscot, Maine, United States; citing family 32, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2}
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1840," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHYS-DFD : 15 August 2017), Reuben Drew, Piscataquis, Maine, United States; citing p. 38, NARA microfilm publication M704, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 150; FHL microfilm 9,708.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3} https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1st_Maine_Heavy_Artillery_Regiment
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} "Maine, State Archive Collections, 1718-1957," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:246N-F2Y : 11 March 2018), Ephraim K Drew, 26 Jul 1862; citing Military Service, , State Archives, Augusta.
9. ↑ "U.S., Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934", The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; Record Group Title: Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, 1773 - 2007; Record Group Number: 15; Series Title: U.S., Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934; Series Number: T288 Ancestry Record 4654 #481977
10. ↑ http://civilwarintheeast.com/us-regiments-batteries/maine/1st-maine-heavy-artillery/
11. ↑ http://stonesentinels.com/less-known/harris-farm/
12. ↑ http://www.cwoodcock.com/firstmaine/mainesrch3.cgi?Query=company+f
13. ↑ https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/1st_Regiment,_Maine_Heavy_Artillery
14. ↑ "Maine Marriages, 1771-1907," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F4XG-XQD : 10 February 2018), Ephraim Drew and Martha Bryant, 30 Aug 1862; citing ,Penobscot,Maine, reference ; FHL microfilm 11,949.
15. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M6DT-SGY : 12 June 2019), Ephram K Drew, 1870.
16. ↑ https://books.google.nl/books?id=19IKAwAAQBAJ&lpg=PA373&dq=Reverend+Ephraim+Drew&hl=nl&pg=PA373&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Reverend%20Ephraim%20Drew&f=false
17. ↑ "1890 Veterans Schedules", The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; Special Schedules of the Eleventh Census (1890) Enumerating Union Veterans and Widows of Union Veterans of the Civil War; Series Number: M123; Record Group Title: Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs; Record Group Number: 15; Census Year: 1890 Ancestry Record 8667 #610574
18. ↑ https://books.google.com/books?id=oLolAQAAIAAJ&pg=RA1-PA256&lpg=RA1-PA256&dq=bangor+ephraim+k+drew&source=bl&ots=HR-BsntOZ5&sig=ACfU3U3upOYW_alvHSVJyYEjeAFIUMvBBA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjikvXt7bvlAhWBsJ4KHd2OAzoQ6AEwAXoECAkQAQ#v=onepage&q=bangor%20ephraim%20k%20drew&f=false
19. ↑ "Maine Vital Records, 1670-1921," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VZ31-9M2 : 6 November 2017), Drew in entry for Ephraim S Drew and Sadie W Hunter, 07 Jun 1893; citing Bangor, , Maine, United States, Division of Vital Statistics, State Board of Health, Augusta; FHL microfilm.
20. ↑ "Maine Vital Records, 1670-1921," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VZ31-9MX : 6 November 2017), Ephraim K in entry for MM9.1.1/VZ31-9MN: and MM9.1.1/VZ31-9MK:, ; citing , , Maine, United States, Division of Vital Statistics, State Board of Health, Augusta; FHL microfilm.
21. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFQM-TRD : 15 August 2017), Ephraim K Drew, Hampden, Penobscot, Maine, United States; citing enumeration district ED 35, sheet 322B, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,254,486.
22. ↑ "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MMLV-ZZZ : accessed 25 October 2019), Ephraim K Drew, Penobscot town, Hancock, Maine, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 63, sheet 7B, family 170, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,593.
23. ↑ "Maine Vital Records, 1670-1921," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VZ31-789 : 6 November 2017), Ephriam K Drew, 31 Oct 1906; citing Levant, , Maine, United States, Division of Vital Statistics, State Board of Health, Augusta; FHL microfilm.
24. ↑ "Maine Vital Records, 1670-1921," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24F-L844 : 13 March 2018), Ephriam K Drew in entry for Martha J Drew, 29 Aug 1919; citing Harrington, Washington, Maine, United States, Division of Vital Statistics, State Board of Health, Augusta; FHL microfilm.

See Also

Find A Grave: Memorial #73251461

History of Penobscot County, Maine

First Maine Heavy Artillery

Second Battle of Petersburg