Drake, Nathan

Other Events and Attributes:

• DAR Ancestor Number: A033422
• Military: Revolutionary War Veteran
• Tombstone Photo: Stoughton, Norfolk Co., MA; Pearl Street Cemetery

Notes:

From Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in the War of the Revolution, Vol. 4, Page 951
Revolutionary War Service: Private, Massachusetts
Drake, Nathan, Stoughton. Private, Capt. Peter Talbot's co., Col. Lemuel Robinson's regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 5 days; also, Capt. Simeon Leach's co., Col. Benjamin Gill's regt.; service, 5 days; company marched from Stoughton to assist in fortifying Dorchester Heights March 4, 1776.

Nathan married Gay, Jemima on 17 May 1753. Jemima was born on 24 Apr 1733 in Stoughton, Norfolk Co., MA; died on 02 Oct 1780 in Stoughton, Norfolk Co., MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Drake, Nathan was born on 30 Nov 1760 in Sharon, Norfolk Co., MA; died on 26 Apr 1846 in Stoughton, Norfolk Co., MA; was buried in Stoughton, Norfolk Co., MA.
2. Drake, Enoch was born on 31 Dec 1767 in Stoughton, Norfolk Co., MA; died on 18 May 1826 in Stoughton, Norfolk Co., MA.
3. Drake, Stephen was born on 12 May 1775 in Stoughton, Norfolk Co., MA; died on 04 May 1818 in Stoughton, Norfolk Co., MA.
4. Drake, Asa was born on 13 Dec 1765; died on 28 Jan 1849.

Other Events and Attributes:

• DAR Ancestor Number: A033395
• Military: Revolutionary War Veteran

Notes:

In the " Sabbath Book" of Nathan Selle is found the following:- " June ye 9th, 1791, Uncle Joseph Drake interred in the first burial place in Easton at 4 P.M." Suffolk Deeds report him as having bought one hundred and one-fourth acres of land in Stoughton, October 11, 1744. One of the selectmen of Easton in 1782. The family lived at Easton Centre,a little east of his brother Thomas, and about where Charles Reed now lives. He married Bethiah_________; Born1714; died in Easton, August 20, 1805, at aged 91.

Joseph married Brett, Bethiah in 1729 in Easton, Bristol Co., MA. Bethiah was born on 31 Mar 1714 in Bridgewater, Plymouth Co., MA; died on 20 Aug 1805 in Easton, Bristol Co., MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Benjamin married Pool, Sarah. Sarah was born about 1678; died on 24 Dec 1775 in Bristol 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 Holbrook, Jane in 1656 in Weymouth, Norfolk Co., MA. Jane (daughter of Holbrook, Thomas and Leland, Experience) was born about 1637 in Weymouth, Plymouth Co., MA; died in 1679. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]