For
THE DRAKE FAMILY
Of Ottawa, LaSalle County, Illinois
© By: Don Wright

Among the early settlers in LaSalle county, Illinois, was Jesse R. Drake, who with his family came from Bradford Co, PA, to Coles Co, Illinois in 1839 and to LaSalle Co in 1844.   Jesse R. Drake was a son of Burgess Drake, and was born in New York and reared and edudcated there.

When he reached manhood he went to Bradford county, Pennsylvania, where he married Miss Jemima Ferguson, daughter of William Ferguson, of English descent, who came to America to fight for the colonists in the Revolutionary war.   Some years after their marriage they removed with their family along with the Franklin Family to Coles county, Illinois, [arriving there on 15 Oct 1839] and five years later to LaSalle county, settling in South Ottawa.

Their family consisted of nine children, whose names in order of birth were as follows:

• 1. Ruthenne who married John Wright;
• 2. Benjamin, who died young, on 24 Mar 1828;
• 3. William who married Elizabeth Leitch,
• 4. Elizabeth "Delia" who married (1st) Edmond Warden and (2nd) William Brooker
• 5. Jesse W. who married Thankful Gilbert;
• 6. Mary, who married Aaron Bardwell, of Erie, Neosho county, Kansas;
• 7. Isaac who died in 1866;
• 8. An unnamed daughter who died as an infant between 1840 and 1844;
• 9. James Henry who married Mercy Turner.

Jesse R. Drake was a prosperous farmer and stood high in the esteem of his fellow-citizens.   He was a soldier in the war of 1812.   Politically he was a Republican.   His good wife was a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal church.

Both parents lived to venerable age.   The mother Jemima at age seventy-five died in 1872 and Jesse at seventy-three followed just six months later in 1873.

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We are putting together a history of the Drake family of Ottawa, LaSalle Co, IL, as we have it recorded on the database at this time.   We hope to be able to provide census records, wills, individual histories, military records, cemetery records and even photos.   We will begin with the information that I have available, but am in need of any information you may have on the family, their descendants or ancestors.

If you would like, we will add your name to the list of researchers of this family.   We will also provide a link to, all other web sites researching this name.   If you have knowledge of any, please submit them for this list.

This page is always under Construction