"The colonist John Drake, who settled in Windsor, Conn., and whose children married into the families of passengers on the Mary and John, was identified well over 30 years ago as son of William Drake of Wiscombe Park, co. Devon, England, who is believed to have come to New England (see TAG 41:239-444). This identification has been under attack for many reasons for many years (see particularly Robert Anderson's article TAG 63:193-206 and correction 64:87-88). No firm evidence had been provided until late 1991 that there were two different John Drakes in New England about the same time. The editor has now been advised by Douglas Richardson of Tucson, Arizona, that he has located in the parish of Hampton in Arden, co. Warwick, England, another John Drake, shown in the local parish registers to have, by a first wife, children of the same names and ages as John Drake of Windsor and at the time of his appearance in the New England records a wife of the same given name as that of John of Windsor. Moreover, this other John Drake was a tradesman, not of the gentry, who would have been described as "goodman". He believes that this John Drake came to New England with the Rev. Ephraim Hewett of the adjacent parish of Wroxall, co. Warwick, along with the Griswold and Bissell families. Mr. Richardson is preparing for publication an article complete with full evidences on this matter and the identity of his first wife. This would appear to prove that John of Windsor (No. 41) is not the son of William (No. 40)."
"41. JOHN DRAKE, b. at Wiscombe 1585, mentioned in Vivian, Visit of Devonshire, 293, as "emigrated to New England", identified by Francis Drake's will dtd. 13 Mar. 1633, pr. 11 May 1634, as son of his "cousin" William Drake, and given £20 "to be sent untohim in New England". The will also left £30 to "Joanna Hooker now in New England at the time of her marriage". This Joanna was dau. of Rev. Thomas Hooker who had lived for a time with the family of Francis Drake. John Drake is believed to have come to New England on the Mary and John, 1630, and applied for freeman status, but never received it, and apparently disappears from the records about this time. A John Drake does appear in New England about the same time, is seen in the list of settlers in Dorchester & Taunton, Mass., and Windsor, Conn., and in the earlier pedigree identified as identical with the above John Drake. This other John Drake died at Windsor leaving five children, all b. in England" |
John Drake Sr