Capt. Francis Drake, of Devon & Piscataway

concerns

not a son of Robert Drake and Jane Ganton - proven by DNA evidence

brief biography and family

Francis Drake, the immigrant ancestor, was born Abt. 1618 in Prob. Devon, Eng., and died September 24, 1687 in Piscataway, Middlesex Co., NJ. He married Mary Walker on Abt. 1647 in Portsmouth, Rockingham Co., NH, daughter of Joseph Walker and Hannah Philbrick.

• parents: Donald Drake noted on 28 Aug 2013: "research strongly indicates that Cpt Francis Drake was not the son of Robert Drake of NH. Descendants of Robert are R1b and descendants of Francis are R1a"
• The Y-DNA R1a (specifically R1a-L664) Drake family appears to have originated in Devon, while the Y-DNA R1b Drake family appears to have originated in southeastern England (probably Essex). Maybe this Francis is a son or nephew of John Drake of Windsor, a member of the Y-DNA R1a Drake family who migrated from Devon to colonial Connecticut.

"Francis Drake was one of the first settlers of Portsmouth, Rockingham County, New Hampshire. He was a royalist, and favored by Champerowne, one of the holders of the New Hampshire grant. In April 1646, he was one of twenty-one persons who signed an agreement to have a committee lay out land in the area. He lived in an area called Old Strawberry Bank -- a neck between two creeks that grew to become Portsmouth -- and owned land adjacent to a Nathaniel Drake."

Moved his family from Portsmouth NH to NJ probably due to religious persecution. Best estimates are that this was in 1668 or 1669.

"He was a Captain in the New Jersey Militia, which he is credited with having founded. This organization, which existed during the period 1673-1684, was known as the Jersey Blues and was the oldest uniformed militia in America. "

links

• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/32747588/francis-robert-drake
• ingleib.com/Ringleib_Info/Family_Tree/ColinR/d981.htm
• http://www.ringleib.com/ringleib_info/family_tree/colinr/d981.htm#P...
• http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/b/u/s/John-S-Bush/WEBSIT...
• http://www.dougwilson.com/family/reports/fam1059.html

content to clean up

old notes

Birth: unknown

Death: Sep. 24, 1687

Francis, my 8th great-grandfather, was the son of Robert Drake and Jane Ganton.

Robert and Jane had three other chldren: Nathaniel, Susanna, and Abraham.

Francis married Mary Walker in Rockingham, NH. They had three children: George, Elizabeth, and my 7th great-grandfather,

John.

Records indicate that he died in Piscataway, NJ.

This is not the same Elizabethan era English navigator Sir Francis Drake (1540-1595).

Burial:

Unknown

The following up to the next line of x's is quoted from Cynthia Rummel.

I. Capt. Francis Drake - born probably by about 1620-1625, birthplace unknown. He died Sept. 24, 1687, Piscataway, Middlesex Co., N.J., intestate. He came to Strawberry Bank - later Portsmouth, N.H. - by 1646; removed to Piscataway, N.J. 1668-70, apparently because of the religious freedom offered there. I think it likely that he was originally Church of England and inclined toward the Baptist idea of separation of church and state; certainly his children were ardent Baptists. He seems to have been a prominent and respected citizen.

He married Mary _____. She died July 29, 1688, Piscataway, N.J. (It has been stated that she was a Walker but I have never seen any proof that this was so). Children (probably all born in or near Portsmouth, N.H.):

a. George b. m. Mary Oliver, Nov. 13, 1677, Piscataway; his will 1709-1710, Piscataway; had 11 children.

b. Elizabeth b. m. Hugh Dunn, Dec. 19, 1670, Piscataway; his will 1691-1694, Piscataway; had 9 children.

c. John b.abt 1655 m. Rebecca Trotter

Capt. Francis' estate is abstracted in New Jersey Archives, 1st series, vol. 23, as follows:

p. 142. 1687, Sept. 29. DRAKE, CAPT FRANCES, of Piscataway. Inventory of the personal estate of (67 pounds, 7 shillings); made by Benia Hull and Edward Slater. Middlesex Wills

1687, Oct 28. Admin. of the estate granted to his son George Drake of Piscataway; N.J. Arch. XXI, p. 104.

1687, Oct 28. Bond of his son George Drake of Pisc., planter, as admin. of the estate. Benjamin Hull of same place, gentleman, fellow bondsman. Middlesex Wills

1688, Aug 20. Account of the estate, as admin. by his son George Drake, showing payments to brother Hugh Dun and brother John Drake, in all 62 pounds 14 shillings 4 pence

1692/3, Feb. 27. Account of payments from the estate, by George Drake, to his mother, sister Elesebeth Dun, brother John Drake, Samuel Walker of Boston, merchant, Benjamin Hull, Charles Follet, Walter Robeson, Hugh Stonnels and John Goning, in all 68 pounds, 3 shillings, 6 pence.

The marriage and death dates given above are from the Piscataway Town Records. Since others are intending to publish the "Piscataway Drakes" I shall only touch on them lightly here. However, I do want to say that a great deal of erroneous material has been printed about them. At this writing no one really knows who Capt. Francis' father was, or where he came from before he appeared in New Hampshire were the earliest record I have found of him is in 1646 (Portsmouth Town Records). It is, of course, great fun to speculate over what little evidence there is, but too often wishful thinking has put down speculation as truth.

xxxx End of quotation from Cynthia Rummel xxxx

There is quite a bit more about Rev. John Drake, Benjamin Drake, and Zachariah Drake, as well as their other children and grandchildren. I will submit it as I have time. It was refreshing to find the work of this obviously careful and competent genealogist after wading through so much obvious nonsense about the early New Jersey Drakes.

Other Sources:

1. Register N.J. Society of Colonial Dames of America, I (28 p. 342).

2. Drake House Museum in Plainfield

From: "Douglas Drake"

To: "DRAKE family genealogy list"

Subject: Drake House Museum

Date: Tuesday, 4 March 1997 3:37 AM

3. Bi-Centennial Piscataway Planters by Oliver B. Leonard, Esq., p.112.

4. Francis is supposed to be a

son of Robert although he is not mentioned in his will."Ref: Early Germans in N.J., Chambers, p. 337.

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Francis Drake was born in Ireland and came to America after 1653. He was a weaver and was probably among the group of residents from the Portsmouth, NH area who moved to Piscataway, NJ

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1 Notes from Barbara Denahey: The earliest Drake ancestor identified is Captain Francis D r a k e. He was born about 1618probablyinDevonshire,England. He apparently immigrated to Port s mouth,NewHampshire by 1635.He later lived in Piscataway, New Jersey. His will was dated 2 9 S e p 1667and was recorded in Middlesex County, New Jersey.

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CAPTAIN FRANCIS DRAKE - Born circa 1615, England. Died 24Sep1687, Piscataway, NJ. Married Mary Walker. Was the first Commander of the Ancient and Honorable Order of the Jersey Blues (1673- 1685).
DRAKE, Captain Francis

Born: Abt 1615, Devonshire, Devon, England Married: Abt 1650, Portsmouth, Rockingham, New Hampshire Died: 24 Sep 1687, Portsmouth, Rockingham, New Hampshire Buried: Piscataway, Middlesex, New Jersey

   General Notes:Note: from Clan McCullough Newsletter; April 1985 Robert Drake b. 1580 Eng. died Jan 14, 1668 New Hampton (New England). His wife Ann died May 1640 Epping, Essex, Eng and he immigrated from Colchester, Esses, Eng to New Hampshire in the autumn of 1640. He died Jan 14, 1668 at age 88 years. He was a selectman of Hampton and was a "searge maker." He opened a store with goods brought from England (NE Hist and Gen, Vol 101, pg 67). Robert and Anna had children: Nathaniel; Francis; Susannah; and Abraham. Captain Francis Drake, son of Robert and nephew of Sir Francis Drake, was b. 1615 Eng, died 24 Sept 1687, was a direct descendent of John Drake of Devenshire Eng settled at Portsmouth, NH about 1650. Went to Piscataway twp, Middlesex Co, NJ in 1668. His daughter, Elizabeth married Hugh Dunn (1640-1694) in Jan 1670. He went to Piscataway with the Dunns, two sons and his wife. Captain Francis Drake was a selectman; constable and justice of peace. In 1682, he was made judge of Middlesec Co Cout of Conn., which had jurisdiction over the New Jersey settlement. Therefore, if one is looking for early NJ records, you would need to look in this court in Connecticut. Drake was a tavern owner. He removed to New Jersey in 1667 after becoming estranged from his neighbors, having taken up the BAPTIST cause. 40,000 "rich" acres purchased in Middlesex Co., were named Piscataway Twp in memory of the Piscataway River settlement in New England. Francis/Mary Drake were in the second party of 14 settlers, following the original 6 families which included John Martin (334 acres); Hopewell Hull(284 acres); Charles Bibnan (340 acres); and Hugh Dunn (138 acres). This settlement proclaimed liberty of conscience in matters of religion. Hugh Dunn/Elizabeth Drake had a son, Hugh, who married Elizabeth Martin, 9 Aug 1697, probably the ancestor of Isaac Dun of Western PA.

LDS Ancestral file gives Capt Francis a birth date of 1618. Clifford and Martha Hardin quote from C.I. Kephart on page 6:

FRANCIS DRAKE, who was the founder of the family in New Jersey, was a petitioner in 1665 at Dover, N.H., for protection to his property and religious rights. But the province being settled entirely as a trading interest, all laws were disregarded and a permanent residence there by peaceful citizens became unendurable. This same year the liberal concessions by the East Jersey proprietors were proclaimed in that region and Francis Drake, with others, shortly afterwards availed themselves of the generous invitation and moved to these quiet fields, where he spent the rest of his life till 1687, the year of his death. His sons Francis, George and John, born in New England, came with him, and their posterity has materially assisted in peopling this province for generations past. Of George, it is known that he married, in 1677, Mary Oliver, of Elizabethtown, and was a useful public servant of the township and colony. He was appointed supervisor of many important local matters and served as a legislator in the General Assembly for 1684 and several successive years following. From his sons George and Andrew many useful and industrious citizens have descended who helped to make the church and community an honor and a blessing. The Rev. George Drake and Simeon J. Drake were descendants of this line.

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GEDCOM Note

no source shows a middle name of Robert.

GEDCOM Note

Notes from Barbara Denahey: The earlie

Notes from Barbara Denahey: The earliest Drake ancestor identified is Captain Francis Drake. He was born about 1618 probably in Devonshire, England. He apparently immigrated to Portsmouth, New Hampshire by 1635. He later lived in Piscataway, New Jersey. His will was dated 29 Sep 1667 and was recorded in Middlesex County, New Jersey. He married Mary Walker. New Jersey Archives Vol 21 p. 35 New Jersey Colonial Documents East Jersey Deeds, etc., Liber No 3 1673 July 15 License to keep an Ordinary at New Piscataway, granted to Francis Drake. p. 36 1674 Dec 11 Orders: Thomas Johnson to be sworn in as Constable of Newark, John Woodroff as Constable of Elizabeth town, John Blumfield for Woodbridge, Francis Drake for New Piscataway... pp. 37-38 1675 July 15. Commission for the Bergen Company vizt...for the New Piscataway Compy vizt Francis Drake Captain (discharged at his own request May 30, 1678)... New Jersey Archives Vol 21 p 46 East Jersey Deeds, etc, Liber No 3, Reversed side 1675 "Here begins the Rights of Land due according to the Concessions." Francis Drake of New Piscataway, wife and son John, George Drake and wife, each 60 acres, beside homelot and meadow. New Jersey Archives Vol 23 p 142 New Jersey Colonial Documents. Calendar of Wills 1687 Sept 29 Drake, Capt. Francis, of Piscataway. Inventory of the personal estate of (67.7-pounds); made by Benjamin Hull and Edward Slater Middlesex Wills 1687 Oct 28 Administration of the estate, granted to his son George Drake of Piscataway. N.J. Archives XXI p 104 1687 Oct 28 Bond of his son George Drake of Piscataway, planter, as administrator of the estate. Benjamin Hull of the same place, gentleman, fellow bondsman. Middlesex Wills 1688 Aug 20 Account of the estate, as administered by his son George Drake, showing payments to brother Hugh Dun and brother John Drake, in all 62.14.4 pounds 1692-3 Feb 27 Account of payments from the estate, by George Drake, to his mother, sister Elesebeth Dun, brother John Drake, Samuel Walker of Boston, merchant, Benjamin Hull, Charles Follet, Walter Robeson, Hugh Stonnels and John Goning, in all 68.3.6 pounds

GEDCOM Note

Francis Drake FRANCIS DRAKE was born about 1615. The noted colonial biographer, Savage, states that Francis Drake "is supposed to be a son of Robert Drake, although [was] not named in his will".

According to the

GEDCOM Note

Came to America prior to 1661, first ma

Came to America prior to 1661, first made his home at Portsmouth, NH,later moving to Piscataway, NJ -- probably about 1668.

GEDCOM Note

Carolyn Marvin has Francis b. 1618 Devon

Carolyn Marvin has Francis b. 1618 Devon, County Devonshire, England. "The Beginnings of Three New Jersey Family Lines" p 18 says in 1652 Francis , Mary (his wife) & probably 1 child were living in Strawberry Bank on western side of Piscataqua River (the stream that now divides New Hampshire from Maine). Strawberry Bank was changed to Portsmouth about 1653. On 17 Apr 1654, the town assigned to Francis a house lot on Noble's Island (now northern part of Portsmouth) & in July 1655 he obtained another house & lot S of Great Bay.

GEDCOM Note

Francis Drake Excepts from History of the First Baptist Church of Piscataway, Stelton, New Jersey, 1889 By Oliver B. Leonard. Esq.

The Drakes of this part of New Jersey are the direct descendants of Francis and Ma

GEDCOM Note

Martin Family of America p11.

Martin Family of America p11.

GEDCOM Note

From "Descendants of Joseph Hull"

From "Descendants of Joseph Hull"

GEDCOM Note

Note: from Clan McCullough Newsletter;

Note: from Clan McCullough Newsletter; April 1985 Robert Drake b. 1580 Eng. died Jan 14, 1668 New Hampton (Ne w England). His wife Ann died May 1640 Epping, Essex, Eng and he emigrated from Colchester, Esses, Eng to New Hampshi re in the autum of 1640. he died Jan 14, 1668 at age 88 years. He was a selectmand of Hampton and was a "searge mak er." He opened a store with goods brought from England (NE Hist and Gen, Vol 101, pg 67). Robert and Anna had children : Nathaniel; Francis; Susannah; and Abraham. Francis Drake, son of Robert and nephew of Sir Francis Drak e, b. 1615 Eng, died 24 Sept 1687, was a direct descendent of John Drake of Devenshire Eng settled at Portsmouth, NH a bout 1650. Went to Piscataway twp, Middlesex Co, NJ in 1668. His daughter, Elizabeth married Hugh Dunn (1640-1694 ) in Jan 1670. He went to Piscataway with the Dunns, two sons and his wife. Captain Francis Drake was a slectman; co nstable and justice of peace. In 1682, he was made judge of Middlesec Co Cout of Conn., whhic had jurisdiction ove r the New Jersey settlement. Therefore, if one is looking f or early NJ records, you would need to look in this court in C onnecticu. Drake was a tavern owner. he removed to New Jersey in 1667 after becoming estranged from his neighbors , having taken up the BAPTIST caue. 40,000 "rich" acres purched in Middlesex Co., were named Piscataway Twp in memb or of the Piscataway River settlement in New England. Francis/Mary Drake were in the second party of 14 settlers , following the original 6 families which included John Martin (334 acres); Hopewell Hull(284 acres); Charles Bibna n(340 acres); and Hugh Dunn (138 acres). This settlement proclaimed liberty of conscience in matters of religion. hu gh Dunn/Elizabeth Drake had a son, Hugh, who married Elizabeth Martin, 9 Aug 1697, probably the ancestor of Isaa c Dun of Western PA. LDS Ancestral file gives Capt Francis a birth date of 1618. Clifford and Martha Hardin quote from C.I. Kephart on pag e 6: Governor P hilip Cartaret, came to New Jersey in 1665 wit h a commission by the Proprietors as governor of the provin ce. In the Autumn of 1665, he published a document of "Conc essions and Agreements of the Lord Proprietors", wherein we re offered liberal inducements to populate the settlements , such as property in estates and liberty in religion. Thi s was the motiviation for the migrations to Jersey. On December 18, 1666, John Martin, Charles Gilman, Hopewel l Hull, and Hugh Dunn of Piscataqua New Hampshire, not fa r from Portsmouth, acquired for colonization 40,000 acres a nd founded the township and village of Piscataway, named af ter their New Hampshire home. Less that two years afterwar d they were joined by Francis and Mary Drake, who came fro m the vicinity of Portsmouth. By 1690, land had been survey ed for George Drake, John Drake, Capt. Francis Drake, and S amuel Walker (the brother of Mary Walker, the presumed wif e of Captain Frances Drake) "Piscataway NJ planters settle d there for relief from the severities of court justice an d the intolerance of the Established Church order found i n New Hampshire. From the first, Piscataway, NJ was a plant ation of pious people-establishing permanent homes where th ey might enjoy the liberty of the gospel and the free exerc ise of their own spiritual convictions."Drake soon became a n outstanding figure in the Piscataway colony. In additio n to being a land-owner, he conducted a tavern. The record s show that he was commissioned Captain of militia of Pisca taway Township on 15 July 1675, and was discharged at his o wn request on 30 May 1678. He was one of the first selectme n of Piscataway, was constable, justice of the peace, and i n 1682 was county judge. He is credited with the ownershi p of 245 acres of land in 1690. (Monnette, pg 69-77) Captain Francis had at least three children who were born i n New Hampshire and who moved with their parents to Piscataway, N ew Jersey in 1666. There may have been others who stayed be hind in New Hampshire. Francis was buried in Portsmouth, Ne w Hampshire, at "Olde Strawberrie Bank" (Monnette pg 326) It is said by many that the father of Captain Francis was R obert Drake of Colchester, Essex County, England. S.R. Will iams, with references to Alice Smith Thompson, makes a goo d case for this argument. They postulate that Francis and R obert were estranged because of Francis' conversion to th e Baptist religion, and this is the reason that Francis an d his family removed to New Jersey. Francis was not named i n Robert's will, apparently due to these religious differen ces. If Francis is the son of Robert Drake of Colchester, E ssex County, England, his lineage would be: Robert-bap Hals tead, Essex, England 23 July 1581, will proved 14 April 166 8 at Salisbury,Mass. Recorded in Essex County,Mass. His fat her: William Drake born 1553 at Halstead, Essex England, di ed 3 Nov 1616. Burial at Elmstead, Essex, England. Wife o f William- Joan Merrylls, born 1557 at Halstead, Essex, Eng land, died abt. 16 March 1617 at Elmstead, Essex, England . William's father was also a William Drake born abt 1518 a t Great Waltham, Halstead, Essex. England; died 23 Septembe r 1555 at White Notley, Essex, England. The father of Willi am Drake was Thomas Drake born before 19 May 1465 died in W hite Notley and buried there 27 Nov 1541, leaving widow Agn es Butler (widow of William Butler). She was buried there 3 0 September 1550. The father of Thomas Drake was William Dr ake, birth date unknown--died before 19 December 1510. Will iam's parents were Edmund Drake,who died before 17 Oct 1471 , and wife, Joan. Edmund's father was William Drake, who di ed in 1420. William's father was Robert Drake whose wife wa s Elen. Land transfers and court records seem to indicate t hat Robert died before 1392, and Elen probably died in 1376 , Nicholas Drake, the son of Nicholas and Agnes Drake was p robably born at Great Waltham, Essex, England. Probable bir th date between 1275-1290. He was married in 1302 at the ti me of his father's death. Another theory about the ancestry of Francis Drake is foun d on page 5 of the manuscript by Clifford and Martha Hardin: Mrs. Betsy Errickson of Hopewell Museum in New Jersey, wh o is also a Drake descendant, has made a considerable stud y of the Drakes. She is convinced that Francis is indeed th e son of a Robert Drake, and that he was estranged from hi s father due to differences in religious beliefs. He did re move from Hampton, N.H. in 1668 with his wife, Mary Walker . But Betsy asserts that the Robert who was the father of F rancis was from Devon and not Essex; that his parents wer e William Drake of Yardbury who died there in 1625 and Phil lippa Denys who died in 1655. William was the son of Rober t Drake of Wiscomb who died in 1602. He in turn was the so n of John Drake of Ashe who died in 1558 and his wife, Amy e Grenville, who died in 1578. John Drake was the son of Jo hn Drake of Exemouth and his wife, Margaret Cole. Their roo ts were deep in Devon, tracing finally back to John Drake , Esq. of Mount Drake. On Page 4, the Hardins publish a report taken from Monnette , "First Settlers", pg 1116: "Mr. Joseph Brown Turner, genealogist, Newark, Delaware, ha s visited and made personal researches in Devonshire re. th e ancestry of Captain Francis Drake of Piscataway. He prese nts will records, indicating an entirely new lineage. The w ill of John Drake of Wadden, part of Sowlie Co. of Devon, M arch 14, 1606, son Augustine, et al, a brother-in-law. Prob ate July 11, 1607." "Will of Augustine Drake, the Elder, of Exeter Co. of Devon , June 21, 1641. Among et al, grandson, Francis Drake. Proved July 20 , 1641." "Again, will of Augustine Drake, of Ide Co. of Devon, merch ant, Nov. 6, 1644, names sons, Augustine, William, John, Ro bert, Richard, dau. Agnes Drake, et al. and "my son, Franci s Drake" et al. Proved December 31, 1646." "This Francis Drake is possibly, or probably, the Francis w ho came to New Englan d, was at Portsmouth, N.H. in 1631, (1 641) and died in New Jersey 25 September 1687." Still another version of the ancestry of Francis is found i n Monnette's "First Settlers", pg 403. Mr. O.B. Leonard examined the records for the administratio n of the estate of a Francis DUKE of Piscataway. He concluded that t he name was transcribed incorrectly, and should be Franci s DRAKE. He entered a correction into the NJ Archives(Vol . VIII, p 82) stating that the First Series, NJ Abstracts o f Wills,( Vol XXIII pg 144) contains a typographical error . Francis (DUKE) should be DRAKE. He was the father of Capt . Francis Frake and Rev. John Drake.--O.B.Leonard.O.E. Monn ette (Page 403) personally reviewed these same records wit h a magnifying glass, and said that the will record did, in deed say Francis Duke. But he says that there are no othe r records or reports for Piscataway that mention a Franci s Duke. All the documents pertaining to this will were han d copied by the same clerk from four original pages. None o f the original pages was to be found, nor was there a signa ture for this "Francis Duke" to be found. He states that ve ry frequently there are found spelling variations such as D eake, Drack, etc, and Duke as a variation is easily possibl e. In his conclusion, he states, "All the evidence, inherent i n, and outside of this record,indicate that it was a FRANCI S DRAKE and not a FRANCIS DUKE, whose estate was administer ed upon in 1683. He was clearly an old man, weaver and clot h-maker to the community and his account books show as debt ors all the names of his neighbors and his contemporaneou s well known settlers of Piscataway. The notable DRAKE repr esentatives and their relatives were among them. He was cle arly a single man, perhaps a widower, without any childre n dependent on him, as each of the DRAKE settlers were the n FIRST SETTLERS of the community and themselves heads of f amilies. He could have easily have been the old father of C APTAIN FRANCIS

GEDCOM Note

Francis was a Captain in North New Jerse

Francis was a Captain in North New Jersey Colonial Forces, New Jersey. 1675 to 1678 Resided in Portsmouth, New Hampshire in 1661 Resided in New Jersey soon after 1663. national Gen Society Vol 32-34 Pt 1-4 page 21 & 22. Article by Franl W. Gardner. Columbus, Ohio Early Germans of New Jersey by Chambers page 335 & 336 Howell Ancestry and Dunham Genealogy.

GEDCOM Note

1. Source is from an internet posting by

1. Source is from an internet posting by Rich Houghton, July 8, 2001. Information is fromcertain petitions filed in Portsmouh as follows: Bio of Franci Drake (c. 1615-1687) NH Posted by: Rich Houghton Date: June 09, 1999 at 14:27:13 I thought it would be helpful to set out here the supportable facts about Captain Francis-1 Drake. I would be happy to supply my sources to anyone who would like them Francis Drake, the immigrant ancestor, was born around 1615 in England. The identities of his birthplace and parents are presently unknown, although it is probable that he was born in Devonshire. Some sources note that he may have been the son of Robert Drake. This Robert was baptized at Halstead on 23 July 1581, and emigrated to Exeter, New Hampshire and then to Hampton, New Hampshire in 1645. The Nathaniel Drake who owned land next to Francis was Robert's son, and Nathaniel and Francis served on the same grand juries, were elected Surveyors at the same time, and both signed the petitions of 1665. But there is absolutely NO genealogical proof that Francis was Robert's son. In fact, there is evidence to the contrary It should be noted that Robert's will fails to make any mention of Francis, although Robert mentions all his children by name. In addition, it should be noted that Francis named none of his children Robert, after his purported father, or Nathaniel, after his purported brother. Given the name Francis Drake, there have been many who have speculated as to a familial connection between our ancestor and Sir Francis Drake (1540?-1596), the great Elizabethan Admiral. Again, there is absolutely no proof to substantiate this claim. It may have been that bran as the grandson of Sir Francis' brother Thomas. Claims that he was a direct descendant are almost certainly spurious, since Sir Francis had no offspring (at least, no legitimate offspring). In any event, Francis was one of the first settlers of Portsmouth, Rockingham County, New Hampshire. He was a royalist, and fa vored by Champerowne, one of the holders of the New .. Hampshire grant. In April 1646, he was one of twenty-one persons who signed an agreement to have a committee lay out land in the area. He lived in an area called Old Strawberry Bank -- a neck between two creeks that grew to become Portsmouth -- and owned land adjacent to a Nathaniel Drake. He married MARY

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around 1650. While some sources have mentioned that her surname was WALKER, I have seen no documentary proof to support such as assertion. They had at least three, but probably four, children: i Francis b.c. 1651 m. ii Elizabeth b.c. 1652 m. Hugh Dunn iii George b.c. 1653 m. Mary Oliver + iv John b.c. 1654 m. He owned a houselot on Roger Knight's Island in 1654. He served on grand juries in 1660 and 1661, and in 1663. That same year -- 1663 -- he was chosen Surveyor of Highways. He served in the militia, and was made an Ensign in July 1661. In 1662, he was brought to court for mowing another man's meadow. In July 1665, he signed two petitions to the Commission for Affairs of New England in America -the governing body of the English colonies in America -- and to the King asking that Portsmouth be removed from the jurisdiction of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. That colony was known for its rigid Puritanism, and governed the territories to the north with a heavy hand. In addition, their assertion of jurisdiction conflicted with others, and caused a number of land boundary disputes in the area. The petition to the Commissioners read: " The Peticon of part of the inhabitants of Portesmouth and Strawberry Bank, Humbly sheweth: That whereas yor peticoners for severall years last past have bin kept under the ovrmnt of the Massachusets by an usurped power whose laws are derogatory to the laws of England under which power five or six of the ritchest men of this parish have ruled swaied and ordered all offices both civill & military at their pleasures, none of yor Honors peticonrs though Loyall subjects, & some of th em well acquainted with the Laws of England, durst make any opposition for feare of great fines or long imprisonment and for want of estates could not peticon home to his Matie for relief, which the contrary party well knoweth, have kept us under hard servitude, and denyed us in our publique meeting the Common prayer Sacramts and decent buriall of the dead contrary to the Laws of England & his Maties Ire sent by Simon Broadstreet & John Norton in the yeare 1662. And not only so but have also denied us the benefit of freemen, contrary to his Maties said letter and likewise at the election of officers the aforesaid party or the greatest part of them have always kept themselves in offices for the manageing of the gifts of lands & setting them, whereby yor peticoners are not only disabled but also descouraged for continuance in the plantation, & have engrosed the greatest part of the lands within the precincts & limits of this plantation into theire owne hands and other honest men that have been here a considerable time have no lands at all given them, and some that have had lands given & laid out to them, the said contrary party have desowned the grants, and laid it out to others. The premisses considered, we hope your Honors will take it under yor protection, and government & rectifie those miscariages, that thereby his Maties Loyall Subjects may pertake of all such priviledges & liberties, as his Maties gratious pleasure hath bin pleased to confer upon his Subjects in forraigne plantacons and that thereby we may be the more stirred up to glorifie God for his mercies towards us in releasing us out of such great servitude & tirany & your peticoners shall always pray for your Honors happiness in this life, & eternall felicitie in the life to come." The second petition to the King was similar: " The humble peticon of the inhabitants of Portesmouth and Strawberry Bank Dover: Exiter and Hampton. Humbly sheweth: That yor Maties peticoers were much transported with joy and h ope of settlemt when they heard of the care yor Matie had of these plantations in New England and had heard the power wch yor Matie had given yor Commissioer for the appointing of bounds and gourmt amongst us here. But yor Maties peticoers find to theire great greife that the Masachusetts Denying that authorytie wch yor Matie gave yor Commissionrs bath hindered us from that good wch were Expected from those Commissionrs. Wherefore yor Maties peticoers humbly desire that your Matie would be gratiously pleased to take them into yor Royall Pteccon and gournment and ioyne them to the pvince of Mayne that they may be goved by the knowne lawes of England and enjoy the use of both the sacramts wch they have bin too deprived of. And as in all duty bound, yor peticoers shall dayly pray for the increase of all earthly honor untill you arive at the heavenly kingdome." Unable to tolerate these conditions any longer, Francis began to cast his eyes elsewhere for a place to live. On 18 December 1666, four men from the Piscataqua region of New Hampshire acquired a grant of 40,000 acres on the Raritan River in New Jersey, at a place later called Piscataway, Middlesex County; Francis decided to join them. On 5 August 1668, he and Mary sold their lands in an area called Greenland; and between then and the beginning of 1669, removed to Piscataway where they were among the first settlers. He owned a considerable tract of land in the township. His name appears on the 1675 list of patent holders with 245 acres. He is listed on another compilation that same year as having a sixty-acre right "besides homelot and meadow." He was a weaver and cloth maker by profession. At his death, his account books showed that almost all of the prominent families in town owed him money for his work. In addition, on 15 July 1673, he was granted a license to keep an ordinary (tavern). On 11 December 1674, he and three others were ordered by the court to view the meadows on the other side of the Raritan River and make a peport to the court "at the request of the Piscataway men." On 15 July 1675, Francis was commissioned the Captain of the New Piscataway Militia Company. He was discharged at his own request on 30 May 1678, probably because of his advancing age. He died in Piscataway sometime in the 1680's, almost certainly in 1687. On October 28 of that year, letters of administration were granted to his son George Drake and Benjamin Hull of Piscataway. It appears that the value of his estate was £67.07.00. An account of the estate dated 20 August 1688 included payments to the doctor who attended Francis "in his sickness." Another account was dated 27 February 1692/3, and like the other is largely illegible.

GEDCOM Note

source

from Piscataway, N.J. Marriage and Death Records. Francis Drake,Sr. Sept 24, 1687 Drake

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, widow of Francis, July 29, 1688

C. I. Kephart; The Drake Family of Portsmouth N.H. and Piscataway N.J. "The Drakes owned land in County Kildare, in which county as well as in Meath the Dungan family owned large estates."(Ireland) pg. 4 "...Francis and Mary Drake emigrated from Ireland to America about about 1650. Her surname is not yet known. pg. 5. "Francis Drake was granted land near Portsmouth, N.H. on April 17, 1654 and on July 10, 1655." In 1666 a number of people from N.H. established a settlement on the Raritan river in New Jersey called Piscataway in present Middlesex county. "In the autumn of 1668, they were joined by Francis Drake and his family." pg. 6 lists the children and grandchildren of Francis and Mary Drake.

GEDCOM Note

DAC lineage book, Vol 8 page 44. He was

DAC lineage book, Vol 8 page 44. He was commissioned Captain of Piscataway Co., NJ, 1675. 17th Century Colonial Ancestor book shows him as a Founder and Surveyor. DAR magazine Jan 1930, page 561-563. He died in Piscataway, where he was one of the first selectmen, constable, justice of the peace, and in 1682 was a county judge. THE DRAKE FAMILY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, by Alice Smith Thompson, 1962.

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Life Sketch

• * DOCUMENTARY & DNA EVIDENCE SHOW FRANCIS IS NOT ROBERT'S SON. 1) Francis isn't in Robert's will. Some have argued that's because Francis became a Baptist, which led to an estrangement between father and son, which led to Robert refusing to include Francis in his will, but the only evidence of this estrangement is Francis's absence from Robert's will, which can be explained quite simply: he wasn't Robert's son. 2) DNA testing shows Francis's known descendants aren't related to Robert's known descendants, which means Robert and Francis weren't related. See extended discussion with multiple sources: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Drake-65

Francis Drake was an early inhabitant of Dover Township in the Province of New Hampshire. He and Mary married there in about 1650. Her surname is not known with any certainty, but is believed to have been Walker. Francis and his family moved to Middlesex County in the New Jersey Province and were early settlers of Piscataway Township. Drake was a Baptist, and it's likely he moved to New Jersey because it was more tolerant of religious difference than Massachusetts. From 1673 and afterward, Francis Drake appears in numerous civil records of New Jersey. In particular, he was granted a license to keep a tavern in 1673, as a surveyor in 1674, and commissioned as captain of the local militia in 1675.

Mary died in 1685. Francis Drake died September 24, 1687 in Middlesex County. No burial place is known for either of them, but the Stelton Baptist Church Cemetery would seem likely.

Francis & Mary had THREE children: George, John, and Elizabeth.

Sources & additional information: http://web.pdx.edu/~davide/gene/Drake_Francis.htm

Summary of DNA evidence disproving Robert as Francis's father: https://commonheroes3.wordpress.com/12th-generation/drake-francis-m...

Family of Francis & Mary, info about Francis's public service & property ownership (with sources): http://dougwilson.com/family/reports/fam1059.html

User AmandaAnn added the remainder of this sketch:

Many have assumed that the parents of Francis Drake were Robert Drake and Jane Blythin of New Hampshire. However, DNA evidence seems to prove that Francis and Robert were not related.[1]

It is said by many that the father of Captain Francis was Robert Drake of Colchester, Essex County, England. S.R. Williams, with references to Alice Smith Thompson, makes a good case for this argument. They postulate that Francis and Robert were estranged because of Francis' conversion to the Baptist religion, and this is the reason that Francis and his family removed to New Jersey. Francis was not named in Robert's will, apparently due to these religious differences.

If Francis is the son of Robert Drake of Colchester, Essex County, England, his lineage would be: Robert-bap Halstead, Essex, England 23 July 1581, will proved 14 April 1668 at Salisbury,Mass. Recorded in Essex County,Mass.

His father: William Drake born 1553 at Halstead, Essex England, died 3 Nov 1616. Burial at Elmstead, Essex, England. Wife of William- Joan Merrylls, born 1557 at Halstead, Essex, England, died abt. 16 March 1617 at Elmstead, Essex, England.

William's father was also a William Drake born abt 1518 at Great Waltham, Halstead, Essex. England; died 23 September 1555 at White Notley, Essex, England.

The father of William Drake was Thomas Drake born before 19 May 1465 died in White Notley and buried there 27 Nov 1541, leaving widow Agnes Butler (widow of William Butler). She was buried there 30 September 1550.

The father of Thomas Drake was William Drake, birth date unknown--died before 19 December 1510.

William's parents were Edmund Drake,who died before 17 Oct 1471, and wife, Joan.

Edmund's father was William Drake, who died in 1420.

William's father was Robert Drake whose wife was Elen. Land transfers and court records seem to indicate that Robert died before 1392, and Elen probably died in 1376, Nicholas Drake, the son of Nicholas and Agnes Drake was probably born at Great Waltham, Essex, England. Probable birth date between 1275-1290. He was married in 1302 at the time of his father's death.

-=-=- On Page 4, the Hardins publish a report taken from Monnette, "First Settlers", pg 1116: "Mr. Joseph Brown Turner, genealogist, Newark, Delaware, has visited and made personal researches in Devonshire re. the ancestry of Captain Francis Drake of Piscataway. He presents will records, indicating an entirely new lineage.

The will of John Drake of Wadden, part of Sowlie Co. of Devon, March 14, 1606, son Augustine, et al, a brother-in-law. Probate July 11, 1607." "Will of Augustine Drake, the Elder, of Exeter Co. of Devon, June 21, 1641. Among et al, grandson, Francis Drake. Proved July 20, 1641." "Again, will of Augustine Drake, of Ide Co. of Devon, merchant, Nov. 6, 1644, names sons, Augustine, William, John, Robert, Richard, dau. Agnes Drake, et al. and "my son, Francis Drake" et al. Proved December 31, 1646." "This Francis Drake is possibly, or probably, the Francis who came to New England, was at Portsmouth, N.H. in 1631, (1641) and died in New Jersey 25 September 1687."

-=-=-

Still another version of the ancestry of Francis is found in Monnette's "First Settlers", pg 403. Mr. O.B. Leonard examined the records for the administration of the estate of a Francis DUKE of Piscataway. He concluded that the name was transcribed incorrectly, and should be Francis DRAKE. He entered a correction into the NJ Archives(Vol. VIII, p 82) stating that the First Series, NJ Abstracts of Wills,( Vol XXIII pg 144) contains a typographical error. Francis (DUKE) should be DRAKE. He was the father of Capt. Francis Frake and Rev. John Drake.--

O.B.Leonard.O.E. Monnette (Page 403) personally reviewed these same records with a magnifying glass, and said that the will record did, indeed say Francis Duke. But he says that there are no other records or reports for Piscataway that mention a Francis Duke. All the documents pertaining to this will were hand copied by the same clerk from four original pages. None of the original pages was to be found, nor was there a signature for this "Francis Duke" to be found. He states that very frequently there are found spelling variations such as Deake, Drack, etc, and Duke as a variation is easily possible.

In his conclusion, he states, "All the evidence, inherent in, and outside of this record,indicate that it was a FRANCIS DRAKE and not a FRANCIS DUKE, whose estate was administered upon in 1683. He was clearly an old man, weaver and cloth-maker to the community and his account books show as debtors all the names of his neighbors and his contemporaneous well known settlers of Piscataway. The notable DRAKE representatives and their relatives were among them. He was clearly a single man, perhaps a widower, without any children dependent on him, as each of the DRAKE settlers were then FIRST SETTLERS of the community and themselves heads of families.

He could have easily have been the old father of CAPTAIN FRANCIS DRAKE, having removed with him from Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He could also, possibly, have been his uncle, a brother of ROBERT DRAKE, of Hampton, N.H. the now reputed father of said Francis Drake.

If the inherent evidence pointed to a younger man, he could have been a son of FRANCIS DRAKE....Many have followed the conclusions of Chambers, the first to assert that ROBERT DRAKE of N.H. was the probable father of CAPTAIN FRANCIS DRAKE of PISCATAWAY, a First Settler there. Chambers presents reasonable logic and authority to that end. But they must explain FRANCIS DUKE, OR DRAKE, of PISCATAWAY, of the estate of 1683."

Unable to tolerate these conditions any longer, Francis began to cast his eyes elsewhere for a place to live. On 18 December 1666, four men from the Piscataqua region of New Hampshire acquired a grant of 40,000 acres on the Raritan River in New Jersey, at a place later called Piscataway, Middlesex County; Francis decided to join them. On 5 August 1668, he and Mary sold their lands in an area called Greenland; and between then and the beginning of 1669, removed to Piscataway where they were among the first settlers.

He owned a considerable tract of land in the township. His name appears on the 1675 list of patent holders with 245 acres. He is listed on another compilation that same year as having a sixty-acre right "besides homelot and meadow."

He was a weaver and cloth maker by profession. At his death, his account books showed that almost all of the prominant families in town owed him money for his work. In addition, on 15 July 1673, he was granted a license to keep an ordinary (tavern).

On 11 December 1674, he and three others were ordered by the court to view the meadows on the other side of the Raritan River and make a peport to the court "at the request of the Piscataway men." On 15 July 1675, Francis was commissioned the Captain of the New Piscataway Militia Company. He was discharged at his own request on 30 May 1own request on 30 May 1678, probably because of his advancing age.

He died in Piscataway sometime in the 1680's, almost certainly in 1687. On October 28 of that year, letters of administration were granted to his son George Drake and Benjamin Hull of Piscataway. It appears that the value of his estate was £67.07.00. An account of the estate dated 20 August 1688 included payments to the doctor who attended Francis "in his sickness." Another account was dated 27 February 1692/3, and like the other is largely illegible.

ddrake24 ddrake24 added this to David Drake's Family Tree

28 Dec 2009

GEDCOM Note

Nephew of Sir Francis Drake. Lived in P

Nephew of Sir Francis Drake. Lived in Portsmouth NH in 1650, and Piscataway TWP, Middlesex co. NJ in 1668. Francis Drake, son of Robert and nephew of Sir Francis Drake, b.1615 Eng, died 24 Sept 1687. Married Mary Walker of Co. Meath, Ire abt 1650. Their children. George b. 1650; Elizabeth b 1653; John b 1655; Samuel b. 1658; and Susannah. George was a member of Colonial Assembly 1684/92. John was a Baptist preacher. Captain Francis Drake, about 1625 to Sept 25 1687, was a direct descendent of John Drake of Devonshire Eng. settled at Portsmouth, NH about 1650. Went to Piscataway Twp, Middlesex Co, NJ in 1668. His daughter, Elizabeth, married Hugh Dunn (1640<U+0097>1694) in Jan 1670. He went to Piscataway with the Dunns, two sons and his wife. Capt. Francis Drake was a selectman; constable and justice of Peace. In 1682, he was made judge of Middlesec Co. Court of Conn., which had jurisdiction over the New Jersey settlement. Therefore, if one is looking for early NJ records, you would need to look in this court of Connecticut!. Drake was a tavern owner. He removed to New Jersey in 1667 after becoming estranged from his neighbors, having taken up the BAPTIST cause. 40,000<U+0093>rich<U+0094> acres purchased in Middlesex Co. were named Piscataway Twp in memory of thePiscataway River settlement of New England. Francis/Mary Drake were in the second party of 14 settlers, following original six families which included John Martin (334a);Hopewell Hull (284a);Charles Bibnan (340a);and Hugh Dunn (l30acres). This settlement proclaimed liberty of conscience in matters of religion. Hugh Dunn/Elizabeth Drake, had a son Hugh, who married Elizabeth Martin 9 Aug 1697, probably the ancestor of Isaac Dunn of western Pa

GEDCOM Note

Married in Rockingham, Hew Hampshire

Married in Rockingham, Hew Hampshire

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Occupation: Captain & Town Constuble Ma

Occupation: Captain & Town Constuble Mary Walker (Wife) Marriage: ABOUT 1649 in Portsmouth, Rockingham Co., N.H. Children: George Drake John Drake, Sr. Elizabeth Drake Carolyn Marvin has Francis b. 1618 Devon, County Devonshire , England. "The Beginnings of Three New Jersey Family Lines" p 18 says in 1 652 Francis , Mary (his wife) & probably 1 child were livin g in Strawberry Bank on western side of Piscataqua River (t he stream that now divides New Hampshire from Maine). Straw berry Bank was changed to Portsmouth about 1653. On 17 Ap r 1654, the town assigned to Francis a house lot on Noble' s Island (now northern part of Portsmouth) & in July 1655 h e obtained another house & lot S of Great Bay.

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Useful summary

Site summarizes multiple sources on Drake & highlights matters still up for debate: http://web.pdx.edu/~davide/gene/Drake_Francis.htm

GEDCOM Note

! Source is from Internet file of Cecil

! Source is from Internet file of Cecil Downey at www.xroyvision.com.au/drake/researchs. These are the "notes" that I have for Francis Drake. They cover about all the theories I have found. Sandra Paser LDS Ancestral file gives Capt Francis a birth date of 1618. Clifford and Martha Hardin quote from C.I. Kephart on page 6: Governor Philip Cartaret, came to New Jersey in 1665 with a commission by the Proprietors as governor of the province. In the Autumn of 1665, he published a document of "Concessions and Agreements of the Lord Proprietors", wherein were offered liberal inducements to populate the settlements, such as property in estates and liberty in religion. This was the motiviation for the migrations to Jersey. On December 18, 1666, John Martin, Charles Gilman, Hopewell Hull, and Hugh Dunn of Piscataqua New Hampshire, not far from Portsmouth, acquired for colonization 40,000 acres and founded the township and village of Piscataway, named after their New Hampshire home. Less that two years afterward they were joined by Francis and Mary Drake, who came from the vicinity of Portsmouth. By 1690, land had been surveyed for George Drake, John Drake, Capt. Francis Drake, and Samuel Walker (the brother of Mary Walker, the presumed wife of Captain Frances Drake) "Piscataway NJ planters settled there for relief from the severities of court justice and the intolerance of the Established Church order found in New Hampshire. From the first, Piscataway, NJ was a plantation of pious people-establishing permanent homes where they might enjoy the liberty of the gospel and the free exercise of their own spiritual convictions." Drake soon became an outstanding figure in the Piscataway colony. In addition to being a land-owner, he conducted a tavern. The records show that he was commissioned Captain of militia of Piscataway Township on 15 July 1675, and was discharged at his own request on 30 May 1678. He was one of the first selectmen of Piscataway, was constable, just ice of the peace, and in 1682 was county judge. He is credited with the ownership of 245 acres of land in 1690. (Monnette, pg 69-77) Captain Francis had at least three children who were born in New Hampshire and who moved with their parents to Piscataway, New Jersey in 1666. There may have been others who stayed behind in New Hampshire. Francis was buried in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, at "Olde Strawberrie Bank" (Monnette pg 326) It is said by many that the father of Captain Francis was Robert Drake of Colchester, Essex County, England. S.R. Williams, with references to Alice Smith Thompson, makes a good case for this argument. They postulate that Francis and Robert were estranged because of Francis' conversion to the Baptist religion, and this is the reason that Francis and his family removed to New Jersey. Francis was not named in Robert's will, apparently due to these religious differences. If Francis is the son of Robert Drake of Colchester, Essex County, England, his lineage would be: Robert-bap Halstead, Essex, England 23 July 1581, will proved 14 April 1668 at Salisbury,Mass. Recorded in Essex County,Mass. His father: William Drake born 1553 at Halstead, Essex England, died 3 Nov 1616. Burial at Elmstead, Essex, England. Wife of William- Joan Merrylls, born 1557 at Halstead, Essex, England, died abt. 16 March 1617 at Elmstead, Essex, England. William's father was also a William Drake born abt 1518 at Great Waltham, Halstead, Essex. England; died 23 September 1555 at White Notley, Essex, England. The father of William Drake was Thomas Drake born before 19 May 1465 died in White Notley and buried there 27 Nov 1541, leaving widow Agnes Butler (widow of William Butler). She was buried there 30 September 1550. The father of Thomas Drake was William Drake, birth date unknown--died before 19 December 1510. William's parents were Edmund Drake, who died before 17 Oct 1471, and wife, Joan. Edmund's father was William Drake, who died in 1420. William's fa ther was Robert Drake whose wife was Elen. Land transfers and court records seem to indicate that Robert died before 1392, and Elen probably died in 1376, Nicholas Drake, the son of Nicholas and Agnes Drake was probably born at Great Waltham, Essex, England. Probable birth date between 1275-1290. He was married in 1302 at the time of his father's death. Another theory about the ancestry of Francis Drake is found on page 5 of the manuscript by Clifford and Martha Hardin: Mrs. Betsy Errickson of Hopewell Museum in New Jersey, who is also a Drake descendant, has made a considerable study of the Drakes. She is convinced that Francis is indeed the son of a Robert Drake, and that he was estranged from his father due to differences in religious beliefs. He did remove from Hampton, N.H. in 1668 with his wife, Mary Walker. But Betsy asserts that the Robert who was the father of Francis was from Devon and not Essex; that his parents were William Drake of Yardbury who died there in 1625 and Phillippa Denys who died in 1655. William was the son of Robert Drake of Wiscomb who died in 1602. He in turn was the son of John Drake of Ashe who died in 1558 and his wife, Amye Grenville, who died in 1578. John Drake was the son of John Drake of Exemouth and his wife, Margaret Cole. Their roots were deep in Devon, tracing finally back to John Drake, Esq. of Mount Drake. On Page 4, the Hardins publish a report taken from Monnette, "First Settlers", pg 1116: "Mr. Joseph Brown Turner, genealogist, Newark, Delaware, has visited and made personal researches in Devonshire re. the ancestry of Captain Francis Drake of Piscataway. He presents will records, indicating an entirely new lineage. The will of John Drake of Wadden, part of Sowlie Co. of Devon, March 14, 1606, son Augustine, et al, a brother-in-law. Probate July 11, 1607." "Will of Augustine Drake, the Elder, of Exeter Co. of Devon, June 21, 1641. Among et al, grandson, Francis Drake. Proved July 20, 1641." "Again, will of Augustine Drake, of Ide Co. of Devon, merchant, Nov. 6, 1644, names sons, Augustine, William, John, Robert, Richard, dau. Agnes Drake, et al. and "my son, Francis Drake" et al. Proved December 31, 1646." "This Francis Drake is possibly, or probably, the Francis who came to New England, was at Portsmouth, N.H. in 1631, (1641) and died in New Jersey 25 September 1687." Still another version of the ancestry of Francis is found in Monnette's "First Settlers", pg 403. Mr. O.B. Leonard examined the records for the administration of the estate of a Francis DUKE of Piscataway. He concluded that the name was transcribed incorrectly, and should be Francis DRAKE. He entered a correction into the NJ Archives(Vol. VIII, p 82) stating that the First Series, NJ Abstracts of Wills,( Vol XXIII pg 144) contains a typographical error. Francis (DUKE) should be DRAKE. He was the father of Capt. Francis Frake and Rev. John Drake.--O.B.Leonard. O.E. Monnette (Page 403) personally reviewed these same records with a magnifying glass, and said that the will record did, indeed say Francis Duke. But he says that there are no other records or reports for Piscataway that mention a Francis Duke. All the documents pertaining to this will were hand copied by the same clerk from four original pages. None of the original pages was to be found, nor was there a signature for this "Francis Duke" to be found. He states that very frequently there are found spelling variations such as Deake, Drack, etc, and Duke as a variation is easily possible. In his conclusion, he states, "All the evidence, inherent in, and outside of this record,indicate that it was a FRANCIS DRAKE and not a FRANCIS DUKE, whose estate was administered upon in 1683. He was clearly an old man, weaver and cloth-maker to the community and his account books show as debtors all the names of his neighbors and his contemporaneous well known settlers of Piscataway. The notable DRAKE representatives and their relatives were among t hem. He was clearly a single man, perhaps a widower, without any children dependent on him, as each of the DRAKE settlers were then FIRST SETTLERS of the community and themselves heads of families. He could have easily have been the old father of CAPTAIN FRANCIS DRAKE, having removed with him from Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He could also, possibly, have been his uncle, a brother of ROBERT DRAKE, of Hampton, N.H. the now reputed father of said Francis Drake. If the inherent evidence pointed to a younger man, he could have been a son of FRANCIS DRAKE....Many have followed the conclusions of Chambers, the first to assert that ROBERT DRAKE of N.H. was the probable father of CAPTAIN FRANCIS DRAKE of PISCATAWAY, a First Settler there. Chambers presents reasonable logic and authority to that end. But they must explain FRANCIS DUKE, OR DRAKE, of PISCATAWAY, of the estate of 1683."

GEDCOM Note

!"First Settlers of Ye Plantations of Pi

!"First Settlers of Ye Plantations of Piscataway and Woodbridge 1664-1717 974.941/P2 pp.111-112 K2p Pedigree Chart - Dwayne Manning Founder of the Drake family in New Jersey Moved from Dover, New Hampshire about 1665

GEDCOM Note

Francis Drake, son of Robert Drake 1580

Francis Drake, son of Robert Drake 1580-1667, moved to Piscataway with his wife Mary (Walker) and three sons in 1668. They moved in search of protection for his religious and property rights. The Drakes became a leading family in Piscataway and New Jersey. Francis Drake was a kinsman of the Great Elizabethan Admiral, Sir Francis Drake. It's likely that Francis was the grandson of Sir Francis' brother Thomas.

GEDCOM Note

Estate settled filed 02-27-1692-3 by his

Estate settled filed 02-27-1692-3 by his son George.

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notes

Date of birth might specifically be December 23, 1615.

comments

Date and place of death have also been (erroneously?) reported to be September 24, 1687 at Middlesex, Middlesex County, New Jersey <unattested, conflicts with his Find A Grave memorial>.