The Drake Family of Bradford, Pennsylvania

Members of this family have been prominent at all periods of English history, many having received official recognition from the throne. The earliest record of this branch of the family is of Jacob Drake, who emigrated from England to the American colonies, settling in Morristown, New York. He attained the rank of colonel in the American army during the war of the revolution. He married, and among his children was a son Silas.

(II) Silas Drake

Silas, son of Jacob Drake, was born in Roxbury, New York, April 10, 1790, died 1858, at Degolia, Pennsylvania. He was educated for the medical profession, but was disinclined to follow the career prepared for him and became a farmer. In politics he was a Republican, and he and his wife were in belief Universalists. He married, March 13, 1814, Sarah Hamilton, born in Morris, Tioga county, Pennsylvania, April 15, 1788, died in Degolia, 1862.

Children

1. Esther. Born March 15, 1815, died in New York state; married Price, deceased; children:
   1. Charles. Died from the effects of disease contracted while in the union service during the civil war.
   2. Sarah. Deceased, married Dennis Niles, deceased, of Bradford, Pennsylvania; children: Deleven, died in Hornell, New York; Charles, lives in Arcadie, New York.
2. Sarah. Born in Roxbury, New York, May 23, 1817; married Christopher Young, deceased, a farmer; children:
   1. Christopher. Deceased.
   2. Adelaide. Married David McClure, and lives in Los Angeles, California.
3. Lorenzo Dow. Of whom further.
4. Clarissa. Born in Roxbury, New York, January 12, 1822, died in Erie, Pennsylvania; married John Rutherford, from near Binghamton, New York, died in Erie, Pennsylvania, a retired farmer.
5. Theodore E. Born in Catlin, Tioga county, New York, August 11, 1824, died in Salamanca, New York; a farmer near Great Valley, New York; married Jane, died in Salamanca, New York; children:
   1. Eva. Lives at Perry, New York.
   2. Howell. Lives near Springville.
   3. Hamlin. Deceased.
   4. Ella. Lives at Great Valley, New York.
   5. Luella. Deceased.
   6. Carrie. Lives in Nebraska.
   7. Gertrude. Lives near Great Valley, New York.
6. Joshua. Born in Catlin, New York, December 16, 1827; was a soldier during the civil war and died in a camp hospital; married Elizabeth Haiter, deceased; children:
   1. Lou.
   2. Ellet.
   3. Grant. Living in Beatrice, Nebraska.
7. Eliza. Born in Catlin, New York, March 31, 1830, died in Degolia, Pennsylvania, December 24, 1860; a teacher for several years about Bradford.

(III) Lorenzo Dow Drake

Lorenzo Dow, son of Silas and Sarah (Hamilton) Drake, was born September 20, 1819, in Roxbury, New York, died in Degolia, Pennsylvania, October 18, 1900. When he was two years old his parents moved to Degolia, Pennsylvania, where his entire education was received in the public schools. He worked on his father’s farm after leaving school, and afterward owned his own land, following the occupation of a farmer all his life. He was a strong Republican in politics, and was elected to the office of school director, which he held for thirty years. He was also elected and appointed to several other town offices, which he filled zealously and efficiently. He was an earnest public-spirited man, giving freely of his time, labor and substance for the advancement of his town. He and his wife were members and regular attendants of the Universalist church. He married, December 5, 1845, Rhoda Bassett Tuttle, born in Westfield, Tioga county, Pennsylvania, April 16, 1824, died in Degolia, August 19, 1906, daughter of Sheldon Tuttle, a farmer of Westfield, where he died (see Jewett sketch).

Children

1. Silas. Born in Westfield, Pennsylvania, November 30, 1846; now living at Kearney, Nebraska, where he has a general store, but he is also a banker and a ranch-owner in Colorado; served two years in the civil war with the Bucktail Regulars; married and has children:
   1. Elmer. Living near Sumner, Nebraska.
   2. May. Living near Sumner, Nebraska.
   3. Leroy. Living near Sumner, Nebraska.
   4. Florence.
   5. Charles. Deceased.
   6. Frank.
   7. Mabel. Living with their parents.
   8. Dewey. Living with their parents.
2. Ralph. Born in Bradford, Pennsylvania, March 13, 1848; is a farmer living in Elm Creek, Nebraska; married Cordelia Wood, of Nebraska; children:
   1. Nellie. Born in Nebraska, June 8, 1880, died July 18, 1908; married, November 20, 1900, Samuel F. Fleming (see Fleming sketch), born in Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, July 21, 1875; children, all born in Degolia: Bernice E., born September 4, 1901; Margaret D., October 12, 1906; Nellie S., July 3, 1908.
   2. Charles. Deceased.
   3. Maud. Lives in Sumner, Nebraska.
   4. Harry. Married.
   5. Anna. Lives with parents.
3. Leroy. Born in Bradford, February 25, 1850, a farmer and property owner of Ponca City, Oklahoma; married Jennie Parks, a native of Illinois; children:
   1. Guy. An electrical engineer, lives in Wyoming.
   2. Mabel. Married Raymond West, lives in Wood River, Nebraska.
   3. Edith. A nurse.
   4. Earl.
   5. William.
   6. Howard. Living with their parents.
   7. Irene. Living with their parents.
4. Russell. Born in Bradford, January 12, 1852, a farmer of Easton, Maryland; married and has children:
   1. Neva. Married and living in Easton, Maryland.
   2. Willis. Married and living in Easton, Maryland.
   3. Leona. Died young.
   4. Carl. In the United States army.
   5. Lee. Living with parents.
5. Guy. Born in Bradford, February 25, 1854, a farmer and stock raiser of Whitman, Nebraska; married Anna Schoonmaker, of Limestone.
6. Millie C. Born in Bradford, March 11, 1856; married Frank D. Smith, of Franklinville, New York, who is engaged in business in Springville, New York, where Mrs. Smith is connected with and a worker in the Universalist church.
7. Ebenezer. Born in Bradford, January 30, 1859, died in infancy.
8. Sarah Alice (twin). Born in Bradford, January 30, 1859; married Eli Sherman, of New Jersey, an editor of the Palisades Tribune, Palisades, California; child:
   1. Mildred. Born November 28, 1898.
9. Ida Eliza. Of whom further.
10. Charles. Born in Bradford, April 10, 1865; a civil engineer in the employ of the South Pennsylvania Oil Company at Mannington, West Virginia; married (first) Clara Slingerland, of South Bradford, who died December, 1910, (second) Sarah Jenks, of Mannington, West Virginia, October 11, 1911; children by first wife:
    1. Ada. Born November, 1892.
    2. Hazel. Born December, 1893, died August 12, 1908.
    3. Harold. Born January, 1904, died in infancy.
    4. Clara. Born December, 1907.
    5. Mildred. Born April, 1909.

The five younger children all attended the Franklinville Academy at the same time for three years. Charles, Sarah and Ida attended the college at Ada, Ohio.

(IV) Ida Eliza Drake

Ida Eliza, daughter of Lorenzo Dow and Rhoda Bassett (Tuttle) Drake, was born in Degolia, McKean county, Pennsylvania, October 20, 1860. She was educated in the public schools of Degolia and in the academy at Franklinville, New York, later attending the Normal School at Ada, Ohio. After her graduation she taught school for one year at Rutherford Run, Pennsylvania, but with the exception of that year has remained on the old homestead at Degolia. She is a member of the Ladies’ Aid Society of the Universalist church of Degolia, and interested in all good works.

Source

Jordan, J. W. 1840-1921. (1913). Genealogical and personal history of the Allegheny Valley, Pennsylvania. New York: Lewis Historical Pub. Co.

This genealogy is based upon the source cited above. Only the structure and formatting have been changed for clearer presentation; the genealogical and biographical content has been preserved.