Pocahontas star herald., 1915-01-15

body OF magnificent land in the ter
ritory between Current aud Black
rivers, known far and WIDE as Chero-
kee Bay aud the writer has seen
many Of the old citizens point to
an old fashioned large two story
log house, a mansion IN It's day, on
the banks Of Current river as the
former home OF Governor Drew.
In the year 1914, Thomas 5. Drew,
Of Pooahontas, Randolph county,
was nominated by the Democratic
party, the then dominant party of
the state, for Governor aud was
elected by q gratifying majority.
A story is current in Randolph coun.
ty or at least was once 80, that
marks a wonderful contrast between
the campaigns Of that and the eX.
psnsive campaign of candidates for
similar offices OF the present day.
When he received the nomination,
the story goes that Mr.. Drew sold
one of his slaves for $1,000. 90, in
order to have the necessary funds
at his command on which 10 prose.
cute his canvass. On his return
home after canvassing the entire
state in casting up the balance sheet
of his expense II was found that he
had spent less than ten dollars as
bis total expense.
In that day of honest simplicity,
candidate was received with open
arms everywhere and especially a
candidate for the exalted office Of
the Governorship and il was con.
sidered an insult to offer to pay the
host. In ls4s be was reelected To
the office Of Governor, an honor
conferred on but one other man
while the term Of the Governor was
four years. Little did Thomas 5.
Drew dream, while in the apex Of
his popularity, for public idol he
was, what the cruel hand of fate had
in store for hmn. The salary OF the
Governor Of Arkansas was then
slsOO.00 per.annum aud with a
large and extravagant family to
support in the capitol city, with the
attendant expense of the office of
Governor he soon found himself on
the verge of bankruptcy and fnan.
cial ruin staring him in the face.
While serving his second term, he
resigned the Office of Governor and
returned TO Randolph county, tell
log his friends that be was forced
To do so in order TO be able TO sup.
port his family. From hence tb,
hand of time bore heavily on hin
aud soon his once pleasant compel
ency had dwindled TO practlcall,
nothing and he was a poor man al
most without the actual necessitiel
of lite. HIS father In.law, his wifi,
and other members of his famil,
were torn from him by the crue
hand of death, and as the member
of his family "passed through tn,
gate ajar" younger men took bi,
place in the business world and the
accumulated weight of years, sor
row and cares bore heavily on the
now sold man." In an effort "a
retrieve his fortune he went to Cali
fornia and for a few years fought
the bait of life against fates, bu,
he was staggering beneath the aug,
mented weight of years and sorrow
and soon returned to Pocabontas
the scenes of his former success and
glory, wiser man but older and
poorer. Ere long a widowed daugh.
ter moved TO the state OF Texas and
that he might not be cast on the
charity of the world he went with
her and soon thereafter died there
among strangers, in the Lone Star
state. Pathetic as 1t may seem.
yet il is nevertheless true that his
father-ln'law, his wife, Cinderella
Drew and other members of the
family were buried here IN tho
South part of the city in their priv.
ate burYing ground and as the CITY