GEORGE DREES, one of Covington's representative business men, dealing in groceries, meats, fish and oysters, has been established on the corner of High and Spring Streets, Covington, for the past sixteen years. He was born at Covington, Ohio, February 15, 1861, and is a son of Henry and Agnes (Neth) Drees.

Henry Drees, who is at the head of the dry goods and notion house of Henry Drees & Son, is one of the old and substantial business men of Covington. He was born in the Kingdom of Prussia, in August, l833 and remained in his native land until he had almost reached his majority, in the meanwhile attending the German schools and learning the tailor's trade. On August 2, 1854, he landed at Quebec, Canada, made his way from there to Cleveland, Ohio, and then came to Covington, where he ran a tailor shop prior to establishing his present business, in 1863. In I893 he associated his son, J. Henry, with him and the present firm style was adopted. He married Agnes Neth, who was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, September 25, 1835, and she accompanied her parents to America in 1854 and came to Covington in 1855. To Mr. and Mrs. Drees were born the following children: Rose, who is the wife of William Deubner, of Greenville, Ohio; George, of Covington; J. Henry, of the firm of Henry Drees & Son, William, who operates a sawmill and coal yard at Covington; Agnes, who is the widow of George Brooks; Conrad F., who is a soap and talcum powder manufacturer at Covington; Mrs. Kate Motter; and Paul, who resides at Covington.

George Drees was reared in his native place and attended the public schools and he began to work before he had completed his education, being employed by his uncle, Casper Brinkman, on a farm near Covington, and many a vacation hour was spent in farm duties. When he was fourteen years of age he began to learn the mercantile business, first with his father and later with Drees, Neth & Company, and later went into the wholesale and retail lumber business for himself. In this enterprise he prospered and continued it for some four years and then turned his attention in the present direction, establishing a business which is one of importance at Covington. Mr. Drees was married (first) to Miss Anna Kraighbaum, who left two sons at death: Harold and Donald . His second marriage was to Miss Lulu Brown, and one daughter survives her, Helen.

Mr. Drees has been an active and useful citizen and has served as a member of the City Council for more than twelve years. He has also served as chief of the Volunteer Fire Department and for eleven years he was a member of Company E, Third Ohio National Guard, and was drum major with the rank of sergeant, of the regimental band. He is social by nature and has numerous fraternal connections, These including membership in the Masons, Knights of  Pythias, Odd Fellows and Encampment, Rebeccas, Red Men and the Order of Pocahontas.