From: Beatrice McManis
Date: Tuesday, 22 June 1999 9:30 AM
If you were anywhere near me, at this particular moment, I would be
smothering you with hugs and kisses.
In the span of a brief few days I have received numerous bits of
information regarding Drakes from all over creation.
This noon hour, when I came home for lunch, this email was waiting for
me.
I guess you can say I have more to add, I am just trying to figure out
how to do it!!!
By the way, go to Michaels URL and click on Michael's Gallery. There is
a portrait of John Drake (my John Drake and come to find out Michael's
too). Thanks again for making this happen. Bea
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Message From: mboleary@MIT.EDU (Michael Boyer O'Leary) Date:
Mon, Jun 21, 1999, 10:36am To: DRAKE-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [DRAKE-L]
DRAKE of NYS: Bingo on Wm, John, Clarissa, et al. Reply to:
DRAKE-L@rootsweb.com
This message is in reply to DRAKE-D Digest Volume 99 : Issue 235 which
carried an exchange of messages by Sandra Burgen, Bea
McManis, and Shirley Maynard regarding the Drake family of Dutchess, Broome,
Genesee, etc. Counties in NY.
For Bea, I'm pleased to report that I can extend your Drake line by a
generation. Our common ancestor, John Drake (who md. Clarissa Worth) was
son of William Drake and Eunice Helme. Of William's birth or ancestry, I
still know nothing and welcome correspondence from anyone with info or
advice. Of Eunice's ancestry, I know quite a bit -- back to both humble
and honorable immigrants and Englishmen/women (more on her later). But
1st, William Drake ...
WILLIAM DRAKE:
b. ? (late 1750s, early 1760s; prob in CT or NY),
d. aft 1798 [mentioned in the December 01, 1798 will of Mary (Williams)
Helme, his mother-in-law] in Green Co., NY [F.W. Beers (ed.), Gazeteer
and Biographical Records of Genesee County, 1788-1890, (Syracuse, NY: JW
Vose & Co., 1890), p.576]
m. ca1776-1780 to Eunice Helme, d/o Samuel Helme and Mary Williams [date
est. based on her probable birth date and birth date of her son John]
EUNICE HELME:
b. ca1761-63 [based on age 89 in 1750 census and est. age from article
by Dudley W. Bennett and Mrs. William R. White "The Identity of Two Mary
Helmes," NY Geneal. & Biographical Record (NYGBR) 102(4):193-202 (Oct
1971)] to Samuel Helme and Mary Williams
d. 1850-60, Cairo, Greene Co., NY, [based on listing as 89 year old with
son Claudius in 1850 Census but not in 1860]
CHILDREN OF WILLIAM AND EUNICE:
William Drake and his wife Eunice (Helme) Drake had 10 children (last 5
shown here not necess in order):
1. John Drake, b: August 03, 1781 Dutchess County, NY, d: April 1857
Elba, Genesee, NY aged 75, md. Clarissa/Clara Worth, b: March 12, 1791
Of Dutchess County, NY, d: May 1832 Elba, Genesee, NY aged 41
2. Samuel Drake b: 1783 Greene Co., NY, d: April 28, 1873 Elba, Genesee,
NY (on his farm) age 90
md. Sylvia Thorn, b: Abt. 1791 Of Greene Co., NY, d: May 31,
1868 Elba,
Genesee, NY age 77
3. Jessamine Drake, b: Abt. 1785 NY, d: September 20, 1866 Plover,
Portage County, Wisconsin, md. Mary ?
4. James Drake, b: Abt. March 27, 1786 Greene Co., NY, d: October 02,
1864 Elba, Genesee, NY age 78:6:6,
md. Hannah Blackmore, b: June 23, 1789, d: December 25, 1863 Elba,
Genesee, NY age 74:6:2
5. Claudius Drake, b: Abt. 1799, md. Lydia ?, b: Abt. 1795
6. Catherine Drake
7. Joseph Drake
8. Polly Drake
9. Ransom Drake
10. Susan Drake
I have been working on this Drake line for the last six+ months with
Ruthe White or CA. Her family is descended from Jessamine and mine from
John. Bea adds yet another line of descent from John, but I know little
of the descent from Samuel, James and the other children.
THE ORIGIN OF WILLIAM DRAKE OF DUTCHESS & GREENE COUNTIES?? Ruthe White
and have been struggling to pin down William's ancestry. Frank
J. Doherty's "Settlers of the Beekman Patent, Dutchess County, NY"
(Pleasant Valley, NY: 1997, p.459ff) sketches various Drake settlers,
but notes that "our" William is still "unplaced." Similarly, the 1971
NYGBR article on the "Identity of Two Mary Helmes" notes that nothing is
known of William and Eunice's family -- or William's ancestry for that
matter. The article notes that here were five William Drakes in the 1790
Census and suggests that further research might begin with them. As far
as I can tell, only two of those five are possibilities: 1. Willi[am]
Drake or Sharon Town, MA and 2. William Drake of Catskill, Albany Co,
NY. Given the proximity of Catskill to Dutchess and Greene Counties, I
believe William, husband of Eunice, is probably the William listed in
Catskill in 1790. There are also at least three separate William Drakes
listed in the NJ Tax records for 1741-1790 and it's possible that "our"
William hailed from NJ, but, according to Beers' "Gazateer" (p.576),
William Drake "Lived and died in Greene Co., NY" and was "A native of
Dutchess County, N.Y., married Eunice Holmes, and removed to Greene
County, where they both died." There is a William and Abigail Drake in
Goshen, NY who seem to be the most likely candidates for "our" William's
parents, but Ruthe and I are still trying to prove the connection with
land or probate records.
EUNICE HELME's ANCESTRY
Eunice Helme is descended from Anne Hutchinson and Roger Williams, to
name only two of her most-well-known colonial ancestors. Through Anne
Hutchinson, she's also descended from many of the Plantagenet kings and
nobles. This ancestral info is presented in many places, but several of
those I've used include:
-- Joseph L. Chester, "Hutchinson Family of England and New England, and
Its Connection with the Marburys and Drydens," NEHGR 20[Oct 1866]:35567.
-- F.N. Craig, "Well Beloved Mother-in-Law of Robert Marbury," TAG
67[Oct 1992]:201-210.
-- Richard LeBaron Bowen, "Mother of Christopher Helme," NEHGR 98:11-25
(Jan 1944)
-- Wayne H.M. Wilcox, "Hamby Ancestry," NEHGR 145:99ff (Jan 1944). --
Champlin, John Denison, "Ancestry of Anne Hutchinson," NYGBR
45(Jan+April 1914):17-26, 165-169.
SOOOO ...
I am thrilled to find another descendant of John and Clarissa (Worth)
Drake -- and have a picture of John posted in the photo gallery at
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Woods/6456/ancestors.html -- but
would greatly appreciate corresponding with anyone else descended from
the Drakes or with information that might shed light on them and their
origins.
I look forward to trading more information with Bea and others directly
and am happy to share additional info with list members who are
interested.
Regards,
Michael
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Michael Boyer O'Leary
MIT Sloan School of Management
Organization Studies PhD Program
2 Elm Court, Somerville, MA 02144-2542, 617/776-7352 [Home] e-mail:
mboleary@mit.edu, michael.oleary@alumni.duke.edu [lifetime]
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