Introduction:
James Drake's ancestry and date/place of birth is one of those great debate topics in genealogy; or at least in Drake genealogy. I am satisfied (at this point at least) that he is the son of John Drake and Sarah Bryant of Bertie Co., NC. This John Drake in his will names his son James who is not of age (21) and his wife Sarah and father-in-law James Bryant. A James Drake later sells land that belonged to this John Drake which connects the James Drake selling the land to John Drake. Jo White Linn makes a very good argument with proofs for this James Drake son of John & Sarah in her book Drake-Arrington (etc.) Having followed up with my own research, I agree with this reasoning. Perhaps future research will inconvertibly prove this right or wrong. Or perhaps we James Drake descendants will just have to agree to disagree. This Drake site has a very well done paper The Origin of the Drake Family of Isle of Wight County, Virginia by Charles Drake researches the ancestry of the Drakes of VA, including John and son James.

Place of birth and parents aside, the date of birth is still unsupported except as before the death of his father. John Drake wrote his will January 5, 1728, certified May Court 1729. James is identified in the will as not yet 21 years of age. James could be born anytime between 1706 and 1727. Ms. Linn gives his birthdate as August 5, 1725. Though normally quite meticulous about citing sources, she does not do so in this case. There could be a baptismal record somewhere. Some say that James Drake is buried at Saint John's Episcopal Church, Richmond, Henrico Co.,VA. Barb Marshall shared a find from Abstract of Graves of Revolutionary Patriots listing: DRAKE, James Old St John's Church Cemetery Richmond VA However, I have not been able to confirm either as his burial place.

Another interesting bit of well-known and accepted "fact" is that his first marriage was to Sophia Valentine. While descendant naming supports a Sophia Valentine, I have not yet found a specific source. It is supported that the James Drake who married widow Hartwell Davis (thought by most to have been Hodges) had a previous family. Hartwell's will supports her having only two children by James and a previously family by (Thomas) Davis.

So here is my work in progress on James Drake. Let me know if you have questions or comments. Enjoy
CindyHMB

1  James Drake; b: Bef 1725 in Bertie Co., NC; d: Aft. July 09, 1791 in Richmond, Henrico, VA (lived in Nash Co, NC)
.. +Sophia Valentine; b: Abt. 1729 in Unknown; m: Abt. 1752 in Edgecombe Co., NC; d: Bef. 1766 in Halifax Co., (Nash Co.), NC
... 2  Lydia Drake; b: Abt. 1755 in Edgecombe Co, NC; d: Aft. February 06, 1813 in Halifax Co, NC
....... +Joseph Hadley; b: Bef. 1745 in probably Edgecombe Co., NC; m: Abt. 1775 in Halifax Co, NC?; d: Bef. October 28, 1793 in Halifax Co, NC
........ 3  Sarah Hadley; b: Bef. 1775 in Halifax Co, NC (1770-1780); d: Aft. 1830 in Warren Co, GA?
............ +Wylie/Wilie Grizzle, Sr; b: Bef. 1763 in NC; m: April 27, 1797 in Warren Co, GA; d: Bef. May 05, 1823 in Warren Co, GA
........ 3  Mildred Hadley; b: Abt. 1777
............ +David Broome; b: Abt. 1777
........ 3  Henry Hadley; b: Abt. 1778
........ 3  William Drake Hadley; b: Abt. 1779 in Halifax Co, NC; d: July 02, 1801 in Halifax Co, NC
........ 3  Martha Hadley; b: Abt. 1780
............ +Cyrus Rosser; b: Abt. 1789
........ 3  Mary Valentine Hadley; b: Abt. 1782
............ +Willie Thornton
........ *2nd Husband of Mary Valentine Hadley:
............ +John Fletcher
........ 3  Joseph James Hadley; b: Abt. 1785 in NC
... 2  Albritton Drake; b: 1753 in Nash Co, NC; d: November 14, 1835 in Muhlenberg Co, KY
....... +Ruth Collins; b: November 12, 1765 in Nash Co, NC; m: April 10, 1785 in Nash Co., NC; d: March 04, 1847 in Muhlenberg Co, KY
........ 3  James Perry Drake; b: Abt. 1788; d: Abt. 1868
............ +Priscilla Buell; m: in Indiana
........ 3  Silas Drake; b: November 04, 1791 in Edgecombe Co., NC; d: October 07, 1858 in Long Creek, Muhlenberg Co., Kentucky
............ +Martha Wells; m: February 01, 1811 in Muhlenburg Co., Kentucky
... 2  Sarah DRAKE; b: 1757 in Edgecombe Co, NC; d: March 13, 1833
....... +Sampson BRIDGERS; m: January 05, 1785
... 2  James DRAKE; b: 1758 in Edgecombe Co, NC; d: October 29, 1820 in Oglethorpe Co., GA
....... +Mary Green?; b: Abt. 1758 in Edgecombe Co., NC; d: in Oglethorpe Co., GA
........ 3  Archibald Drake; b: 1776 in Virginia; d: January 01, 1853 in Vinton Co., Ohio
............ +Rhoda Lacy; b: 1783 in Virginia; m: 1804 in Virginia; d: 1862 in Missouri
............. 4  James V Drake
................. +Unknown Boswell
............. *2nd Wife of James V Drake:
................. +Sarah (Mrs. Callaway) Unknown
............. 4  Betsy Ann Drake
........ 3  Etheldred "Dred" Drake, Sr; b: Abt. 1778 in VA; d: 1800 in Edgecombe Co., NC
............ +Susan Averet; b: Abt. 1778; m: Abt. 1800; d: 1801 in Oglethorpe Co., GA
............. 4  Etheldred (Dred) Drake, Jr; b: Abt. 1801 in Oglethorpe Co., GA
................. +Elizabeth Finch; m: February 03, 1820 in Oglethorpe Co., GA
... 2  Milbrey Drake; b: Abt. 1762 in Edgecombe Co., NC; d: Aft. 1809 in Nash Co., NC
....... +Amos Wheless; d: Bef. January 18, 1800 in Nash Co., NC
... *2nd Husband of Milbrey Drake:
....... +Amos Wheeler; b: Abt. 1762; d: 1800 in Nash Co., NC
........ 3  Sophia Wheeler; b: Abt. 1785 in Nash Co., NC
........ 3  Archibald Wheeler; b: Abt. 1787 in Nash Co., NC
........ 3  Dolphin Wheeler; b: Abt. 1789 in Nash Co., NC
........ 3  Patsy Wheeler; b: Abt. 1791 in Nash Co., NC
........ 3  Charlotte Wheeler; b: Abt. 1793 in Nash Co., NC
... 2  Elizabeth DRAKE; b: Abt. 1763 in Edgecombe Co, NC; d: in Nash Co., NC
....... +Michael Collins II; b: Abt. 1765; m: June 10, 1773 in Bute Co., NC
........ 3  Elizabeth Collins
........ 3  Michael Collins III
... 2  Silas DRAKE; b: 1765 in Edgecombe Co, NC; d: April 21, 1839 in Marion, MS
....... +Asenath ROWLAND; b: 1783 in Robeson Co., NC; d: October 24, 1851 in Marion Co., MS
... *2nd Wife of Silas DRAKE:
....... +Sally/Sarah Atkins HILLSON; m: 1797; d: in Marion Co., MS
*2nd Wife of James Drake, *:
.. +Hartwell (wd Davis) Hodges; b: 1727 in Isle Of Wight Co., VA; m: Bef. 1767; d: 1796 in Nash Co., NC
... 2  John Hodges Drake; b: July 29, 1767 in Nash Co., NC; d: December 11, 1859 in Auburn, Lee Co., AL (in Warren Co., GA c 1820?)
....... +Frances Williams; b: March 1776 in Halifax Co., NC; m: Abt. 1835; d: February 1840 in Nash Co., NC
........ 3  Martha Joanna Williams Drake; b: December 26, 1795 in Nash Co., NC
............ +John Arrington; b: Abt. 1795; m: January 28, 1812; d: in Y
........ 3  Nicholas John Drake; b: July 10, 1798 in Georgia
............ +Elizabeth Armstrong; b: Abt. 1798; m: October 21, 1828
........ 3  John Hodges Drake; b: January 19, 1801 in Georgia Or Alabama
............ +Mary R. Williams; m: May 27, 1828
........ 3  Frances Maria Drake; b: October 29, 1803 in Georgia Or Alabama; d: October 21, 1861 in Smith Co., TX
............ +Thomas Flewellen; b: March 29, 1799 in Warren Co., GA; m: September 15, 1823 in Warren Co, GA; d: November 13, 1889 in Smith Co., TX
........ 3  Eliza Hodges Drake; b: December 21, 1805
........ 3  Hartwell Caroline Drake; b: January 20, 1808
............ +Robert Williams; b: Abt. 1805
........ 3  Louisa Ann Drake; b: February 21, 1811
............ +James F. White; m: July 17, 1839
........ 3  Johngeorge Franklin Drake; b: December 03, 1816 in Nash Co., NC; d: December 19, 1886
............ +Mary Ann Harrison; b: Abt. 1820; m: October 24, 1843 in Nash Co., NC; d: Abt. 1886
........ 3  Johnwilliam Wallace Drake; b: March 25, 1819; d: October 1866 in Auburn, Lee Co., Alabama
............ +Vanlencia Mitchell
........ 3  John Calvin Drake; b: April 03, 1819; d: 1898
............ +Mary Ann Flewellen; b: November 28, 1820; m: April 03, 1839 in Upson Co., GA; d: March 27, 1902 in Thomaston, Upson Co., Georgia
... 2  Benjamin D Drake; b: 1769 in Edgecombe Co.., NC; d: March 20, 1815 in Nash Co., NC
....... +Cecelia Taylor; b: 1780 in Nash Co., NC; m: 1794 in Nash Co., NC; d: 1823 in Nash Co., NC
........ 3  John Adams Drake; b: October 21, 1796 in Nash Co., NC; d: in Iowa
............ +Harriet Jane O' Neal; m: June 12, 1827 in Franklin Co., NC
........ 3  Elizabeth Taylor Drake; b: March 02, 1798 in Nash Co., NC; d: 1851
............ +James Harrison; b: 1799; d: in Nash Co., NC
........ 3  Nancy Ann Boykin Drake; b: September 24, 1799 in Nash Co., NC; d: November 11, 1862 in Plum Bayou, Jefferson Co/. AR
............ +William Henry Mann; b: 1796 in Nash Co., NC; m: February 07, 1816 in Nash Co., NC; d: September 1846 in Franklin Co., NC
............. 4  Henrietta Jane Mann; b: June 02, 1827; d: June 16, 1901 in Calhoun Co., AR
................. +Fielding Eason Samuel
............. 4  Sarah Ann (Sallie) Mann
................. +Simon Joseph Jones
........ 3  James Henry Drake; b: 1800 in Edgecombe Co., NC; d: Bef. February 10, 1846 in Nash Co., NC
............ +Temperance Harrison; b: 1802 in Edgecombe Co., NC; m: 1823 in Nash Co., NC; d: in Nash Co., NC
........ 3  Hartwell Hodges Drake; b: 1802 in Nash Co., NC
............ +Sally; b: Abt. 1802; m: Abt. 1825; d: Bef. 1848 in Nash Co., NC
........ *2nd Wife of Hartwell Hodges Drake:
............ +Emaline Lewis; b: Abt. 1820; m: 1848; d: in Y
........ 3  Benjamin Drake; b: Abt. 1806 in Nash Co., NC; d: Bef. November 1827
........ 3  John Quincy Adams Drake; b: Bet. 1809 - 1810 in Nash Co., NC
............ +Martha E. Anderson; b: 1815; m: May 15, 1832 in Nash Co., NC
........ 3  Henrietta Taylor Drake; b: Bet. 1811 - 1812 in Nash Co., NC
............ +William Coppedge