Harry Laverne Drew was born in Meridian, MS on November 29, 1922. His parents, John Grady Drew (January 6, 1891- July 1973) and Agnes May Barefield (~1895 -?), had two children, Harry L. Drew and Evelyn D. Tucker (~1918 -?).
According to the 1940 United States Federal Census, John G. Drew was a car repairman for the Southern R.R. Co. John was born on January 6, 1891, in Battlefield, Mississippi. Like himself, John’s parents were born in Mississippi. According to the 1930 and 1940 Census, he lived in 618 52nd Avenue in Meridian, Mississippi. He was the homeowner. His ward was Oakland Heights. John went to school through the eighth grade.
At age twenty-three, John married May Barefield, age eighteen. May was born to Amon and Allice Barefield in about 1895. Also like her husband, May only attended school through the eighth grade.
Unlike his parents, Harry made it to high school. He attended Meridian High School in 1942. Harry stood at 5 feet and eleven and a half inches tall, weighed at 172 pounds, and had blue eyes, brown hair, a ruddy complexion, and a small scar on his left index finger.
Sibling Evelyn D. Tucker was born in 1918 and was Harry Drew’s older sister. By age 22, Evelyn had married Charles R. Tucker and lived at 531 52nd Avenue Meridian, MS. According to the 1940 Census, Evelyn had not been attending any school at the time, though she had completed two years of college.