| INTRODUCTIONIn the past, I have run into a great number of difficulties with my Drake
lines due to a most fascinating historical event that took place in the
late 1800's and coming to a head in the early 1920's. Many Drake lines
became bewildered and confused because hundreds and perhaps thousands of
letters went out to members of Drake families and their descendents in both
the US and Canada, and perhaps further, encouraging them to trace back
their lines to the marriage of Magdalena Bogardus Brouwers bap. 1704 and
one John Drake, b 1687, d ca 1780, supposedly married in 1718. Magdalena
Bogardus Brouwers was the daughter of Annetjie (Bogardus) Brouwer, daughter
of William Bogardus, son of Anneke Jans and her second husband Domeni
Everardus Bogardus.
Some of you may have heard of the story, while others of you may have had
your lines directly influenced by the scramble of ancestors to 'prove'
their direct lines back to this John Drake and thus become heirs to the
Anneke Jans fortune. I have several items and documents that many Drake
descendents might not have a chance to get their hands on so, with the
indulgence of the rest, I will put them in a series of articles posted to
the group.
Karen M Boland |