REBECCA LEACH DRAKE

LEACH, DRAKE, HUNT, POOLE, MORGAN, LESLIE, WIMP, MCDANIEL, WAND, MCDANIEL, FULK

Posted By: H.Vargus (email)
Date: 10/3/2010 at 17:51:16

MRS. J.C. DRAKE DIED WEDNESDAY, AGED 88
From Memphis Democrat (MO), March 15, 1928, page 1, col 3

Mrs. Rebecca Drake, widow of the late James C. Drake, and one of the oldest citizens of the county, died at her home in Memphis, Wednesday, March 7, 1928. She was over 88 years of age at the time of her death.

Her maiden name was Rebecca Leach. She was the daughter of Thomas and Mary Leach, and was born in West Virginia, November 13, 1839. She moved with her parents to near Keosauqua, Iowa when about ten years of age.

She and Mr. Drake were married December 20, 1860, five children being born to this union.

Funeral servies were conducted from the Presbyterian church in Memphis, Friday afternoon at 2:30 by the pastor Dr. I.C. Hunt. The Presbyterian choir rendered three selections.

The pall bearers were three grandsons, Crawford, Ernest, and Leo Drake, and Ewing Poole, J.H. Morgan, and Hillis R. Leslie. Burial was in the Memphis cemetery.

Among the out of town attendants at the funeral were Crawford Drake of Kansas City, Ernest Drake of Columbia, and Jet Wimp of Chicago.

In preaching the funeral, Dr. Hunt said in part,

"In early life she made a profession of faith in Christ and united with the Methodist Church, transferring her membership shortly thereafter to the Presbyterian Church with her husband, in which she remained a most consistent and devoted member.

Mrs. Drake moved to Scotland county in 1860, coming to Memphis in 1895. She is survived by four children, Chas. Drake, of Bloomfield, Iowa; Alfred H. Drake, of Memphis; Mrs. Vinnie McDaniel, of Memphis; and Harvie T. Drake, of Scotland county. Her youngest daughter, Mrs. Della Wand of Denver, Colorado, died February 10. Besides her children, Mrs. Drake leaves one sister, Mrs. Sarah Fulk of Kansas, one full brother, William Leach of Memphis, and one half-brother, Martin Leach of California; twelve grandchildren and sixteen great-grandchildren.

In her very early life heavy responsibilities came to her in the death of her mother and the care of rearing the youngest brothers, and sisters; these were assumed and discharged with the same spirit and sweet willingness and success which characterized her entire life.

Her Christian faith was very simple and strong. She ordered her life and that of her family by the plain precepts of the Old Book.

Perhaps the most striking characteristic in her life was the outstanding beauty and strenght of the love of the Christian mother-heart, which bound the affection of her children to her in an unusually tender, strong, and beautiful way. Down to the closing day there were three "boys" and "girls."

Mrs. Drake will be missed and mourned."