- JOHN F. DRAKE, of Janesville, is one of the pioneers of Rock
County, and first entered this city
- on the 3d day of July, 1845. He is a native of the Empire
State, having been born in Genesee County, N.Y., on the 10th
day of August, 1823, and his father James DRAKE, was a native
of Greene County. He belonged to one of the early families of
the State, and was of English ancestry. He was a soldier in the
War of 1812 and took part in the battle at Black Rock during
that struggle. His occupation was that of farming, which he carried
on in Genesee County, N.Y., where he cleared and improved a heavily
timbered farm during the early days of that county. His wife,
whose maiden name was Hannah BLACKMARR, was born in Greene County,
and was also a representative of one of the early New York families.
Seven children grace their union, four sons and three daughters.
Norman resides in Careyville, Genesee County, N.Y.; Elisha B.,
deceased; John F. is the next in order of birth; Frank, the youngest
of the family, is living in Chicago; Lucinda, who became Mrs.
YEOMAN, died in Janesville in 1858; Adeline married Chester WHITE,
and resided in Michigan at the time of her death; Octavia became
the wife of Origin M. COLMAN, and died at Bloomington, Ill.
- The subject of this sketch was reared to farm life, and in
the spring of 1845, accompanied by his
- brother, Elisha B. DRAKE, he came to Janesville. The following
year he began the planting of an extensive nursery, the first
of any importance ever planted in Wisconsin. The brothers were
extensively engaged in this business, and at one time had about
forty acres of nursery stock, comprising about 800,000 tress,
and great body of which was apple trees, but also included about
20,000 peach trees, all varieties of cherries and other fruits.
They also cultivated a large number of ornamental trees, many
of which they imported from Europe, and Mr. DRAKE now has several
fine Norway fir spruce trees, grown to stately dimensions, which
he imported from Norway many years ago. This enterprise proved
eminently successful until the sever winter of 1856-7, which
killed a large number of trees and caused a severe loss of valuable
nursery stock, but the business was continued on a small scale
until about 1865. Elisha B. DRAKE, who for many years was associated
with our subject in business, died at Janesville in 1873. He
left a wife and three children; the former was in her maidenhood
Miss Electa M. SMITH, a native of Geneva, N.Y.
- Since retiring from the nursery business, Mr. DRAKE has been
engaged principally in farming, but
- has also filled the office of under sheriff for four years,
and is now engaged in the grocery trade with Charles A SANBORN.
- Mr. DRAKE has been twice married; his first wife was Miss
Helen A. DICKEY, a daughter of
- Phineas W. DICKEY, a native of Livingston County, N.Y. In
1873 his wife died, and he was subsequently united in marriage
with Miss Lydia FOLSOM, who belongs to an old Vermont family.
Her family are relatives of that of the wife of ex-President
Cleveland. Mr. DRAKE has two daughters by his first marriage:
Nellie, wife of Charles A. SANBORN, who is associated with Mr.
DRAKE in business, and Clara, a teacher in the public schools
of Minneapolis, Minn.; three children died in early infancy.
Mr. DRAKE is one of the well known and highly esteemed citizens
of Janesville. Cordial and genial in disposition, fair and honorable
in his dealing, he is numbered among the enterprising and progressive
business men of this city. In politics he affiliates with the
Republican party, and for the long period of thirty-five years
has been a voter in the ward in which he now lives.
-
- Taken from "The Portrait and Biographical Album of
Rock County, Wis." (c)1889, pp. 418-419.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
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