Samuel Drew

  General Notes:

Samuel Drew, M.A., was the son of Joseph Drew, by Thomasin, his second wife, and was born near S. Austell town, March 3, 1765. At about eleven years of age, he was apprenticed to a shoemaker: a trade however, in which he never excelled. For some time after the expiration of his apprenticeship, he could scarcely read or write. He joined the Methodists while yet a journeymen shoemaker, in 1785, at the age of 20; and from this time his self-education may be said to have commenced. In 1787 Samuel began business as a shoemaker on his own account and worked in his trade until 1805 when he entered into an engagement with the Dr Thomas Coke, a prominent Wesleyan official, which enabled him to devote himself entirely to literature. In 1791 he married Honour Halls, with whom he had a fortune of ten pounds at once, and three years after, fifty pounds more. At this period he prosecuted his studies with untiring perseverance. In 1799 he published his "Remarks on Paine's Age of Reason," which he reprinted three years later. In 1800, Mr Drew published an elegy on the death of Mr. Patterson, a merchant of S. Austell, who was drowned at Wadebridge. That same year he published "Observations on a pamphlet lately published by the Rev. R. Polwhele." Entitled "Anecdotes of Methodism." In 1802 he published his best known work, the "Essay on the Immateriality and Immortality of the Soul;" the copyright of which he sold to Mr. Edwards, of Bristol, for 20 pounds, and thirty copies of the new edition. Twenty-eight years after the copyright again became his, when, after a careful revision he sold it for 250 pounds. His treatise "On the Identity and Resurrection of the Human Body," was published in 1809. In 1815 appeared the first portion of his most extensive work, the "History of Cornwall;" the eighth part appeared in 1817, when the printing of the residue was deferred for seven years, on account of the bank-ruptey of the publisher. It finally appeared in two volumes, quarto. In 1817 he published the life of Dr. Coke, written by him at the doctor's own request. In 1820 he published his competition essay on the "Being and Attributes of the Deity." This was one of his most elaborate works. In 1819 he became editor of the Imperial Magazine, about that time started in Liverpool, by Mr Fisher. In May, 1824, the degree of M.A.. was conferred on Mr. Drew, by Marischal College, Aberdeen. Mr D. Continued his literary labours almost to the day of his death. He died at the house of his son-in-law, Mr. Read, at Helston, and was interred in the church-yard of that town, by the side of his wife. A tomb, bearing the following inscription marks their graves:--

- Beneath this stone repose the mortal remains of Samuel Drew, A.M., of S Austell, (author of several esteemed metaphysical treatises), who, undaunted by difficulties, persevered in the pursuit of knowledge, and raised himself from an humble station to literary eminence. Possossing, with lofty intellect, the feelings of a philanthropist, and the mild graces of a Christian, he lived equally beloved and admired, and , in steadfast hope of a blissful immortality, through the merits of his Savior, he died in the town, deeply lamented, March 29th, 1833; aged 68 years. This stone also covers the relics of his beloved wife, Honour, who, after a short illness, was removed to a happier world, Aug. 19, 1828; aged 57. "So glides the stream of human life away."

Samuel married Honour. (Honour was born in 1771 and died on 19 Aug 1828 in Helston, Cornwall.)