From: The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography, being the history of the United States as illustrated in the lives of the founders, builders, and defenders of the republic, and of the men and women who are doing the work and moulding the thought of the present time, by James Terry White, volume 6, publ. NY by J. T. White Co., 1896

Drew, Francis A., merchant, was born at Lismore, county Waterford, Ireland, June 7, 1848, the third son of William Henry and Catherine Mary Drew. He was educated by private tutors until the age of fifteen, when he was sent to the college of the Trappist monks at Mount Melleray, where he studied for two years. He was then sent to the Catholic University of Ireland, in Dublin, where he entered to study medicine; attended lectures at the University School of Medicine, and for hospital practice at the Mater Miserecordi and St. Vincent's Hospitals. During the Fenian excitement of 1867 and 1868 he, with other students, was suspected of being in sympathy with the movement, and not wishing to incur the displeasure of the the authorities, determined to leave the country…He then left for New York, and in a short time finally removed to St. Louis, where, after experiencing all the disappointments that new arrivals generally encounter, he secured employment as bookkeeper. Having learned by hard work enough of the paint, oil, and glass business to warrant him in starting independently for himself, he obtained the agency for one of the largest and oldest plate and window glass importing houses in New York, and also of a foreign encaustic tile house, laying the foundation of his present business. At the end of the first year his business having outgrown its limits, he opened a large store, where he remained for four years, then, removing to one still larger, he remained for twelve years, when, to meet the requirements of his business, he was again compelled to obtain more extensive quarters. Mr. Drew is a member of the University, Marquette, and Mercantile Clubs, a director of the Merchants' National Bank, and treasurer of the Catholic Orphans' Board. He has also been a director of the Mercantile Library Association, and has traveled extensively in Europe. Though his father was Protestant up to the time of his marriage, and never completely severed his connection with that faith, he allowed his wife, a Catholic, to bring up all the children in her faith; Mr. Drew has always adhered to the Catholic church. His political views are Republic, though in no sense extreme. He was married Sept. 2 1872, to Emma, second daughter of George Barnett by his first wife, who was a daughter of Edwin Lewis, surgeon in the royal navy of Great Britain and Ireland and, and who was at the time of his marriage in active service on board her majesty's ship Emulong.

Information supplied by Anna Jaech:

Francis established Drew Plate Glass Company in St. Louis. In 1877, he purchased American Plate Glass Company of Crystal City, Missouri; then sold it in 1895 to Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company which operated until 1990.