Drake

   "Drake" is English, Dutch and German in origin, from the Old English byname Draca, meaning ‘snake’ or ‘dragon’, the Middle English Drake, or sometimes from the Old Norse cognate Draki. Both the Old English and the Old Norse forms are from Latin draco (‘snake’, ‘monster’). The English and Dutch lines are also derived from the Middle English drake, Middle Dutch drake ‘male duck’ (from Middle Low German andrake), hence it was a nickname for someone with some fancied resemblance to a drake, or perhaps a habitational name for someone who lived at a house distinguished by the sign of a drake (hopefully the latter). In Northern Germany, where our line probably descends from, it was the nickname from the Low German drake (‘dragon’).
   The Coat of Arms is a silver shield with a red Wyvern, wings displayed. The Wyvern is a dragon-like beasts or monster of heraldry. It has only two legs and a body that tapers into a tail. The Crest over the helmet features a right arm couped at elbow holding a black battle axe. The Family Motto, "Aquila non captat muscas," translates to: "The eagle is no fly-catcher."
   The family name was first found in Hampshire, England, where they were seated from ancient times. (A seat or family seat was the principal manor of a medieval lord, which was normally an elegant country mansion and usually denoted that the family held political and economic influences in the area.)
   The first known Drake in America was Thomas Drake, who landed in Massachusetts in 1620, then settled at Hingham Massachusetts in 1635. His family spread out through most of the New England states by the late 17th century.
   The lineage of our family traces back to a woman named POLLY DRAKE (1753 - 11 Sep 1839), who was born in Warwick, Rockland County, New York.
   We have no record of Polly's particular ancestors. There were at least seven different Drake families in the Goshen census of 1790.¹ Many years later, a brother named JOSHUA DRAKE was with her when she applied for a military pension.²
   On the 28th of May, 1773, she married NATHANIEL KETCHAM (1750 - 1827), in Goshen, Orange County, New York. Nathaniel was a carpenter and an officer in the militia during the Revolutionary War, while his brothers ran a mill nearby. They are mentioned here:

"To begin with the Village of Warwick consisted of only a few houses . . . Next was Nathan Reed, who came in 1804 from Darien, Conn. This was the stone house built by Francis Baird. Next was a store kept by Edmund Raymond. Next was a small house standing where John Cowdrey now lives. On the opposite of where Mrs. Pierson is; was Lewis Randolph who kept a tavern. Next was the house where June's Hotel is, occupied by Thomas Geraghty as a store and tavern. Next was NATHANIEL KETCHUM, a carpenter. Next was John Mabee a black-smith. Next was Rev. Lebbeuns Lathrop in the old stone house lately demolished by Mr. Bradner. Next was Wlm. Benedict the father of William L. Bendedict. Next was James Benedict, Esq. Next was Capt. James Benedict, his son, where John Blain now lives. Next was the TWO KETCHUM BROTHERS--SAMUEL AND PHILIP; they had a little mill and a pond from the spring on the west side of the road. —From "PELTON FAMILY OF WARWICK" by Henry Pelton, Warwick Historical Papers, 1933.

   Meanwhile, Nathaniel and Polly had five children, listed here:

CHILDREN OF NATHANIEL KETCHAM AND POLLY DRAKE

TEMPERENCE KETCHAM was born in 1774 in Warwick, Orange, New York. She married George Dill, Jr. (1770-1844), and they had the following children: Robert (1814-1873), Norman Leslie Dill (b. 1838). Temperance died in 1874 in Florida, Orange, New York. See them listed in the SAR application at right (SAR Membership: 91635; Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970. Louisville, Kentucky: National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. Microfilm, 508 rolls.)

ABNER KETCHAM was born on 24 Mar 1778 in Warwick, Orange County, New York. He married Hannah Sayre (1782-1848) and had the following children: Ann Eliza, Nancy, Mariah Ketcham (b. 1794). He was in the Seneca County Militia in 1805 (see record at right from Military minutes of the Council of Appointment of the State of New York, 1783-1821, compiled and edited by Hugh Hastings, State Historian, and Henry Harmon Noble, Chief Clerk. N.Y.: State of New York, 1901-1902, p. 769), and died on 2 May 1823 in Ovid, Seneca County, New York. Abner is buried at Ovid Cemetary, Ovid, Seneca County, New York.

ESTHER KETCHAM was born on 05 Sep 1779, in Warwick. She married JOHN HAUSE, whose family is on the next page of the 1790 census, on 06 Nov 1796. They had thirteen children, listed below. She died on 21 Sep 1853 in Fayette, Seneca County, New York.

ABIJAH KETCHAM was born between 1774 and 1784 in Warwick. (Age estimated by 1790 census.)

AZUBAH KETCHAM was born on 28 Feb 1790 in Warwick, Orange County, New York, and was baptized in 1845 at the Old School Baptist Church in Warwick. Azubah died on 14 Aug 1850 ("Burials at Warwick, NY, lists, Ketchum, Azubah, 14 Aug 1840 Source: "Early Settlers of New York State," by Janet Wehty Folet, Vol. ll, reprinted by Genealogical Publ. Co. 1993.) She is buried at the Saint Stephens Cemetery in Warwick, Orange County, New York.

Personal Information Pensioner Name: Polly Ketcham (widow) Pensioner: Nathl Ketcham Office: New York City State: New York Year Range: 1848-1868 View image SOURCE INFORMATION: Ledgers of Payments, 1818-1872, to U.S. Pensioners Under Acts of 1818 Through 1858 From Records of the Office of the Third Auditor of the Treasury, 1818-1872; (National Archives Microfilm Publication T718, 23 rolls)..

   Polly died on the 11th of September in 1839, in Warwick, according to War Dept. Rev. Claim dated 13 Jan 1843) stating at that time that she was Nathaniel's widow and the date of her decease. Debts to Polly were payable to "Temperance Dill Ketcham, Esther (Ketcham is crossed out) Haize (Ketcham is crossed out) and Abijah Ketcham, only surviving children of Polly Ketcham, deceased." She is buried at the Saint Stephens Cemetery in Warwick, Orange County, New York, near her daughter Azubah.
   Meanwhile, her elder daughter, ESTHER KETCHAM (1779-1853), married JOHN HAUSE and moved west to the fingerlakes in Fayette, Seneca County, New York, where they prospered and raised a large family on the shores of Lake Cayuga at Hause Point. She and her husband (and many of their children) are buried at the Hause Point (Canoga) Cemetery. You can read their story here.

GENEALOGY POLLY DRAKE (1753 - 1839) married NATHANIEL KETCHAM (1750 - 1827) and begat... ESTHER KETCHAM (1779 - 1853) who married JOHN HAUSE (1773 - 1844) and begat... AUGUSTUS HAUSE (1804 - 1875) who married JANE JONES (1802 - 1850) and begat... LABAN HAUSE (1831 - 1906) who married MELISSA SANDERSON (1839 - 1921) and begat... FRANK HAUSE (1867 - 1951) who married FLADELLA RAYMOND (1869 - 1961) and begat... CARLISLE HAUSE (1891 - 1972) who married MARJORIE MARCHANT (1892 - 1939) who begat... CARLETON MARCHANT HAUSE, SR. (1917 - 1983) who married JEANNE BRUNNER (1918 - 2000) and begat... CARLETON MARCHANT HAUSE, JR. (b. 1939) who married MARTHA WENK (b. 1940) and begat... JEFF (who married LORI ANN DOTSON), KATHY (who married HAL LARSEN), ERIC (who married MARY MOONSAMMY), and MICHELE HAUSE (who married JOHN SCOTT HOUSTON).

TOP PHOTO: The grave of Polly Drake Ketcham (8 Oct 1762 - 11 Sep 1839) at Saint Stephens Cemetery in Warwick, Orange County, New York. Inscription: "Wife of Nathaniel Ketchum. Age 76.10.27." She is buried near her daughter, Azubah.

NOTES:

¹—Drakes of Orange County, New York and Related Families is a manuscript collection of notes compiled by Imogene H. Lane in 1970. It is available on microfilm from the Family History Library (FHL film #872801, item 4). Although relatively small in geographical area, Orange County, New York was populated, from the mid 1700s on, by a number of unrelated families named Drake. Whether or not Imogene H. Lane realized this is not clear. When common given names, especially John, William and Samuel, are factored in, it can be appreciated how the Drakes of Orange County have been confused by researchers over the years. More details can be found at the Rootsweb Drake Genealogy Database website (although it's no longer updated). A fantastic analysis of the various genealogical works on the Drake families of Orange County by family historian Chris Chester can be found here.

²—In the book An outline history of Orange County : with an enumeration of the names of its towns, villages, rivers, creeks, lakes, ponds, mountains, hills and other known localities and their etymologies or historical reasons therefor ; together with local traditions and short biographical sketches of early settlers, etc. (1846) by Samuel W.Eager, four men by the name of Drake signed the pledge in Orange County in 1775: Joseph Drake (p. 499), and Ensign Daniel Drake, Zepheniah Drake (p. 500), and Joshua Drake (p. 501). William and James Drake were listed as exempt. If this Joshua is Polly's brother, it pinpoints him at Goshen on June 8, 1775. A Joshua Drake was enlisted in the Fourth Regiment in Orange County during the Revolution, according to New York in the Revolution as Colony and State, Vol. II, (1897). A Joshua Drake was still living in Goshen in 1790 and 1801, according to tax and census lists (1790: Goshen, Orange, New York; Series: M637; Roll: 6; Page: 375; Image: 335; Family History Library Film: 0568146; 1800: 1800; Census Place: Goshen, Orange, New York; Series: M32; Roll: 21; Page: 363; Image: 370; Family History Library Film: 193709). Goshen is about 11 miles from Warwick.

LITERATURE ON THE DRAKE FAMILY