William Montgomery Drake

BIGLER, DRAKE, HART, MORSE, VERRILL

Posted By: Judy Wight Branson (email)
Date: 10/12/2005 at 21:03:33

“History of Madison County Iowa and Its People”
Herman A. Mueller, Supervising Editor
Chicago, The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1915

William M. Drake, who is engaged in farming and stock-raising in Jackson township, is a native son of Madison county, born on the 10th of April, 1858, his parents being John R. and Amanda (Bigler) Drake. The former was born in New Jersey in 1826, and died in 1868, while the mother, who was born in Pennsylvania, June 29, 1828, passed away November 23, 1907, when she had reached the very advanced age of seventy-nine years. John R. Drake was employed as a drover in the eastern states until 1854, which year marked his arrival in the then "far west." He settled on a farm in Webster township, this county, when but few families had preceded him to this section and engaged in general farming and stock-raising, eventually becoming the owner of six hundred and forty acres. At the time of his death he owned four hundred and forty acres of this tract, comprising a part of the first land on which he located when he came to Madison county. He engaged quite extensively in the raising of cattle and was one of the first to bring Durham cattle to this county. He was a very active and busy man, devoting his entire time and attention to his farming and stock-raising interests. In politics he was a republican and was a member of the Methodist church.

William M. Drake, who is one of a family of seven children, acquired his education in the district schools of Webster township. At the age of eighteen years he began work as a farm laborer and when twenty years old took charge of the homestead, being thus engaged for two years. In 1880 he removed to Norton county, Kansas, where he took up a homestead, but because of the drought in that state he returned to Madison county and for three years engaged in blacksmithing in Webster. In 1883 he made his way to Montana but only spent one year in that state, when he returned once more to Madison county, where he spent his time until 1886. In the latter year he again went to Norton county, Kansas, and there engaged in farming until 1900, when he once more came to Madison county, and has since been engaged in farming and stock-raising here. He has been successful in his chosen calling and is today the owner of two hundred and eighty-five acres of well improved land, on which good buildings are found.

Mr. Drake chose as a companion and helpmate for the journey of life, Miss Mary M. Morse, who he wedded on the 9th day of July, 1881. She is a native of Maine and a daughter of William H. and Maria (Verrill) Morse, who were pioneer settlers of the Pine Tree state and are now deceased, the father having passed away in 1901, at the age of sixty-eight years, while the mother, who was born in 1839, died in 1899. William H. Morse was a carpenter by trade. While still a resident of Maine, he enlisted for service in the Civil war, becoming a , member of the Fifth Maine Infantry. He was promoted to the rank of corporal and served his country three and a half years. Following his service in the army, in 1865, he located in Henry county, Illinois, and for three years followed his trade in Geneseo, during which time he aided in the construction of several churches and many other buildings which stand as monuments to his skill and enterprise. From 1868 until 1873, he followed his trade in Adair, county, Iowa, after which he located in Stuart, Iowa, and from that place removed to Des Moines, where he lived retired for many years. However, at the time of his death he was a resident of Florida. He was of a retiring manner but made friends wherever he went.

The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Drake has been blessed with two sons and two daughters, as follows: Nina, the wife of Ora C. Hart, a farmer of Webster township, by whom she has two sons, Floyd and George; Warren E., who was born July 27, 1888, and is engaged in farming and stock-raising in South Dakota; Cora B., who is a nurse employed in Indianola, Iowa; and Edgar W., who was born June 1, 1896. Mrs. Drake is an active worker in the Methodist Episcopal church of Webster. Mr. Drake, following in the political footsteps of his father, has always supported the principles of the Republican party. He is prominent and influential in the district where he now makes his home and his success has placed him among the well-to-do citizens of Madison county.

Madison Biographies maintained by Linda Griffith Smith.
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