Drake, Experience

Experience married Richards, William Jr. on 23 Jan 1796 in Boston, Suffolk Co., MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Baptised: 13 Sep 1635, Colyton, Devon, England

Notes:

From Willis Elmer Tulare's notes (insert in Genealogical Record p.27): "Thomas came to America about 1653-4. He was accompanied by his sisters Joan and Elizabeth. His name first appeared on the Weymouth records in a list of property owners in 1663. He owned Lot 70, containing 6 acres in 1st Division and 18 acres, Lot 33 in 2nd Division. He settled in Weymouth after 1651 and before 1663. In 1667 he was a member of the Suffolk Troopers. He took an active part in King Philip's War, and June 24, 1676 was a member of the garrison at Punckapouge where he saw at least 2 months' service. Plymouth Colony Deede record large purchases of land by him on July 29, 1682 near the Taunton River in Freetown. His estate was settled in 1692 and was valued at L237 2s 2d, a large sum of money at that time." -------------------- Thomas DRAKE (1635-1692), b. 13 September 1635 at Colyton, Devonshire, England, m. Mellicent Ford, 9 March 1681, d. 23 September 1692 at Weymouth, Norfolk, MA
Father: William DRAKE (1596-1640), b. 1596 at Musbury, Devon, England, d. 29 February 1640 at Temple Church, London, England Mother: Margaret WESTOVER (1599-1635), b. 1599 at Colyton, Devon, England, d. April 1635/6 at Colyton, Devon, England "...he, his parents being dead, followed his relative, John Drake of Taunton, MA and Windsor, CT, to America about 1653/4...accompanied by his sisters, Joanne and Elizabeth...soon settled in Waymouth, MA, his name first appearing on the records of that town in a list of propery owners in 1663, in which he is described as owning "Lot 70 containing six acres in 1st Division...prior to that, the latest list of land owners noted was that of 11/26/1651, in which his name does not appear; hence he settled in Weymouth after 1651, and before 1663...the frequency with which his name appears on the land deeds and war records of the times shows that Thomas Drake took an active part in the affairs of the town...his name occurs as witness on deeds 12/15/1664 and three years later he was a member of the Suffolk Troopers...took an active part in King Philip's War and 6/24/1676, was member of the garrison at Punckapouge where he saw at least two months' service...Plymouth Colony Deeds record large purchases of land by him on 7/29/1682, near the Taunton River in Freetown, half of which land he sold 6/12/1688, to Ralph Paine of RI...his estate settled in 1692 and was valued at 237 pounds, 2 shillings, 2 pence, a considerable sum at that time..." MORE 1234. Thomas Drake was born on 13 Sep 1635 in Colyton, Devon, England. He died on 23 Sep 1692 in Weymouth, Norfolk, Massachusetts. [In120797.ftw] THOMAS DRAKE [#178, #190], maybe bap. Coylton, Devonshire, England Sept. 13, 1635, d. Weymouth, MA 1692, m(1) JANE HOLBROOK (dau. of Thomas Holbrook and Jane Powys), b. abt. 1636, m(2) March 9, 1681 Mellicent Carver, dau. of William Ford.

Thomas Drake first appears in the Weymouth town records of 1663 where he is listed in the inventory of property owners. He owned lot 70 of the first division, which consisted of six acres on the "Brauntry lyne", and lot 33 of the second division, which contained eighteen acres. The previous list of land owners was made Nov. 26, 1651. Some authorities state that since his name does not appear on the list, that he was not yet in town and that he arrived in this country around 1653, but that appears to be mere speculation. In fact, he could have been in this country and even in Weymouth at the time, but, as we will see shortly, may have been too young to own land. He must have definitely been here by about 1656 to have married a Weymouth girl and had a child born about 1657.

Thomas was a soldier in King Phillip's War. On June 24, 1676 he was a member of the garrison at Punkapouge where he saw at least two month's service.[1/1] He died between July 20, 1692, when he was chosen to be on a grand jury, and Aug. 30, 1692, when the appraisal of his estate was made and he was referred to as "lately deceased". His estate was valued at 237.02.02.[1/2]

A claim has been made that Thomas Drake of Weymouth was the son of William and Margaret (Westover) Drake, born in Coylton, Devon, England and baptized at St. Andrew's Church there Sept. 13, 1635. While no conclusive proof for this assertion seems to exist, there is some circumstantial evidence. One of the nine children of William and Margaret was Elizabeth, baptized Dec. 10, 1632. Thomas of Weymouth most likely had a sister named Elizabeth based on the statement by Ezekiel Hamlin in his will dated July 21, 1690, "My will is yt my brother Thomas Drak of Weymouth & My friend Mr. Thos. Walker and James Ingles be my over seers". Ezekiel Hamlin and Elizabeth Drake were married in Boston on June 8 [Aug. 8?], 1654. On the other hand, Thomas Drake of Weymouth appears to have been born in 1628 based on a document dated March 7, 1677-8 that begins, "Thomas Drake aged 49 years ...". As seen elsewhere in this work, documents are not guaranteed to give the correct age of a person, although it's probably more of a rarity when they reflect a wrong age. Therefore we are left with a viable, though unprovable, possibility of Thomas' origin in Coylton.

The 1896 Drake genealogy claims Thomas came to this country with his relative John Drake of Taunton, MA and Windsor, CT and his sister Joan as well as sister Elizabeth. Unfortunately no proof is given for any of these relationships. John may have been his oldest brother (bap. Coylton March 24, 1621-2). While there was a sister Joan, no record of her is found in America nor is any documentation given in the book for the claim. The parents, William and Margaret, both died about 1636. It is not inconceivable that the care of the younger children fell to the oldest child, John, once he reached maturity. Furthermore, he may have brought the family with him to America, but more proof would need to be found before this hypothesis could be taken for fact.[3]

Thomas married Ford, Mellicent on 09 Mar 1681. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

William married Westover, Margaret on 14 Nov 1620 in Yardbury, Colyton, England. Margaret (daughter of Westofer, William) died on 16 Apr 1635 in Colyton, Devon, England; was buried on 16 Apr 1635 in Colyton, Devon, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

John married Button, Dorothy. Dorothy (daughter of Button, William) died about Dec 1631. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]