Francis Drake (1615 - 1687)

Born 23 Dec 1615 in Colchester Castle, Essex, England

Ancestors

Husband of Mary Ann (Walker) Drake — married about 1644 in Portsmouth, Rockingham, New Hampshire, British Crown Colony

Descendants

Died 24 Sep 1687 at age 71 in Piscataway, Middlesex, New Jersey

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Biography

Francis was born about 1618. He was the son of Robert Drake and Jane Gawton. He passed away about 1689. LDS Piscataway Marriages and Deaths.pdf

https://www.familysearch.org/photos/artifacts/10908511

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."

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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."

General Notes:

Note: from Clan McCullough Newsletter; April 1985 Francis Drake... 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 Middlesex 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 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.

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." Monnette

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, justice 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)

Individual: Great Bay is now Greenland. Francis Drake served on grand jury of Norfolk Co.in 1663 & he & Nathaniel Drake were sureyors of highways in 1663. In 1668 Francis & Mary dispose of their Greenland property & within 2 yr. the family (5 in all) moved to Piscataway. Their only daughter was married there in Dec of 1670. In 1675, 300 acres were allotted to the family of 5. On 15 July 1675, Francis was made Captain of Twp Militia. In March 1677/8 200 acres were surveyed for him. Francis was also Justice of Peace & Judge of Co. in 1682

Probate Information

1687 Sept. 29. Drake, Capt. Francis, of Piscataway. Inventory of the personal estate of (£67.7.-): made by Benia: Hull and Edward Slater.

1687 Oct. 28. Administration on the estate, granted to his son George Drake of Piscataway.

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.

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.

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^[1]

This Francis Drake was created in error as a son of Robert Drake and Jane Knopp, who was created in error as a wife of that Robert Drake.

Disputed Parents

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.^[2]

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.

Sources

1. ↑ Calendar of New Jersey Wills, Vol. I 1670-1730 Part I, p. 142:
2. ↑ See message posted on this profile by Don Drake of the Drake DNA project.

* https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/32747588/francis-drake

• https://www.familysearch.org/photos/artifacts/10908511

• Calendar of New Jersey Wills, Vol. I 1670-1730 Part I, p. 142 has probate information for Francis Drake.

• https://www.werelate.org/wiki/Person:Francis_Drake_%2814%29

*https://www.werelate.org/wiki/Source:Christensen%2C_Anthony_J._Branch_of_the_Piscataway_Dunn_Family

• https://www.werelate.org/wiki/Source:New_Hampshire%2C_United_States._New_Hampshire_Provincial_and_State_Papers

• https://www.werelate.org/wiki/Source:Thompson%2C_Alice_Smith._Drake_Family_of_New_Hampshire

• Note: from Clan McCullough Newsletter; April 1985 Francis Drake.

• manuscript by Clifford and Martha Hardin: