Nicholas Butt Drewry, M.D.
December 15, 1834 - June 30, 1920
Biography
The Spalding County GAGenWeb Project |
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Author: Unknown
Drewry, Nicholas Butt, M.D., [
photo
] has been engaged in active
practice as a physician and surgeon of Griffin, Spalding county,
for the past forty years and is one of the leading members of his
profession in this part of the state. He was also engaged in the
drug business in Griffin for many years, and during the Civil War
was able to render valuable service to the Confederacy through his
faithful labors as a surgeon in field and hospital. Dr. Drewry was
born in that portion of Pike county, Ga., which is now included in
Spalding county, Dec. 15, 1834, a son of Edwin and Eliza Jones
(Williams) Drewry, the former born at Drewryville, Southampton
county, Va., April 6, 1798, and the latter in Hancock county,
Georgia. The father of Edwin Drewry was a valiant soldier
of the Continental forces during the war of the Revolution, and
was a man of influence in his community, the town of Drewryville,
Va., having been named in honor of the family.
Doctor Drewry
secured his early education in the common schools of his native
county, and in October, 1854, was matriculated in Jefferson
medical college, of Philadelphia, Pa., later entering the Atlanta
medical college, in
which he was graduated as a member of the class of 1855.
Thereafter he was engaged in the practice of his profession in
Fayette county, Ga., until December, 1859, when he removed to
Jonesboro, Clayton county. In December, 1860, he entered Charity
hospital and the New Orleans medical college, where he was engaged
in post-graduate work until March, 1861. In September of that year
he enlisted as a private in Company E, Thirtieth Georgia volunteer
infantry, and soon afterward was appointed surgeon, entering
service in the field. He was commissioned surgeon, with rank of
assistant surgeon, in January, 1863, and was then assigned to
hospital duty, in which capacity he served until after the close
of the war, at the Medical college hospital, in Atlanta, until
June, 1864, and then to February, 1865, was in charge of the
distributing hospital at Columbus, Miss. He then returned to the
Atlanta medical college hospital where he remained in charge of
the wards to care for the soldiery returning from the war until
May, 1865, having thus been detained for some time after the final
surrender of Generals Lee and Johnson. After the close of the war,
in 1865, Doctor Drewry opened a drug store in Griffin, where he
entered actively upon the practice of his profession, conducting
his drug store until Sept. 1, 1899, when he disposed of the
business, and has since devoted his attention entirely to the work
of his profession, controlling a large and representative
practice. He has served continuously as president of the board of
education since 1880; and was a member of the city council in
1869-70; was again a member in 1875, and served also as mayor pro
tem. He represented Spalding county in the state legislature in
1882-3. In 1902 he was appointed a member of the board of
directors of the Georgia experimental station by Gov. Allen D.
Candler, and on Dec. 6, 1904, he was elected Mayor Griffin, in
which he gave a most progressive and satisfactory administration.
In 1849, Doctor Drewry became a member of the Baptist church at
Whitewater, Fayette county, and in 1857 he was ordained a deacon
in the same church. In 1891 he was elected moderator of the Flint
River Baptist association and served in this office seven years in
terms of two years at the two first incumbencies as that was the
limit of a member’s service by the rule of the association, but in
1902 was again elected to the position as moderator and at the end
of the term of two years, the association abandoned the rule of
limiting the term of service to two years and was again elected
and is at this time filing the position. The Doctor has been a
Mason since 1856; is identified with the lodge, chapter and
council of this time-honored fraternity, and is past worshipful
master of Meridian Sun Lodge, No. 26, of Griffin. He is a member
of the Spalding county medical association and the Georgia medical
association, and the United Confederate Veterans. On Sept. 10,
1857, Doctor Drewry was united in marriage to Miss Marie
Louise Ellis, daughter of Dr. James T. and Nancy (Dunn)
Ellis, of Spalding county, and her death occurred on Aug. 4,
1864. Following is a brief record concerning the children of their
union: Blanche graduated in Richmond college, Richmond, Va., and
is now the wife of Charles H. Westbrook, of Griffin; Dr.
T. Ellis Drewry likewise attended Richmond college, after
which he was graduated in medicine in the Atlanta medical college
and Jefferson medical college, now being engaged in practice in
Griffin; Nicholas B., Jr., died, at the parental home, Oct. 6,
1881, having been at the time a student in the University of
Georgia. On Jan. 8, 1868, Doctor Drewry contracted a second
marriage, being then united to Miss Mary Minor Herndon,
daughter of Reuben Herndon, and the only child of this
union is Joseph Herndon, who was graduated in Mercer university in
1889 in the law department of the University of Georgia in 1890,
and is now engaged in the mercantile business in Atlanta, Ga. Mrs. Mary M. Drewry
was summoned to the life eternal on July
23, 1891, and on Oct. 5, 1893, Doctor Drewry married his present
wife, whose maiden name was Julia McGown McWilliams and who
is a daughter of Robert Patrick McWilliams, of Griffin.
Dr.
Drewry is buried at Oak Hill Cemetery, Griffin, Spalding County,
Georgia. His first wife, Mary Louise (b. 10 Sept 1839, d. 4
Aug 1864) died shortly after giving birth to a son (b. 17 July
1864, d. Nov. 1864). She and the infant are also buried there.
Second wife, Minor Herndon Drewry (b. 11 Apr. 1845, d. 23
July 1891), and their son Joseph Herndon Drewry (b. 3 Apr
1869, d. 7 May 1937) are buried there as well other family
members.
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Additional Comments:
Copy obtained from Old Jail
Museum and Archives, Barnesville, Georgia. Compiled by Shanna
English
File contributed by:
Lynn
Cunningham,
December 30, 2004
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