Do you have a favorite ancestor?
Ira Dillingham Draper (1814 -1891) is my favorite great great grandfather. The story of his life and family are what Hollywood movies are made of! He was a pioneer who settled in Iowa next to Wyatt Earp’s father and hid runaway slaves on his farm. He was a station master on the Underground Railroad. The Missouri slave owners put a bounty out to have the whole family killed! They escaped by abandoning their farm and traveling 200 miles to Nebraska. In Nebraska, he signed a contract with the Pony Express and his son Ira (Draper-4306) carried the mail on a sub route between Falls City and Pawnee City, Nebraska.
His son William founded the town of Noraville, now called Dawson, and went on to lay out the streets of Sundance, Wyoming. These incredible stories were almost lost! The biggest ranchers in Wyoming descend from his daughter Ruth “Draper” Barlow.
What interesting discoveries have you made?
In 1983 I lettered the office windows of a businessman who had two employees. That world wide business today employees over 10,000. He was married to my first cousin, from another Draper branch, and I had no clue! Not knowing my family cost me a lucrative place in that business as it grew. I would have asked the guy for a job had I known that!
At my great “retirement job”, a co-worker asked me to find how she was related to Daniel Boone. I made over 200 profiles on her family and did not find Daniel Boone! I FOUND ME! Yes, her and I share a grandfather!
What is your toughest brick wall currently?
Thomas Draper (1690 – 1735) Richmond County Virginia, The passage of time and lost records has made it impossible to verify his forefathers.
What is your favorite feature or function on WikiTree?
Connection Finder is my favorite function. I have discovered I am related or connected to just about everybody on WT! Well, it seems that way!
What could we do to inspire more people to participate in our mission?
Testimonials and referrals! When I was the owner of Draper the Signmaker, my business grew from testimonials and referrals. My wife, who resisted at first to become a WT member, saw first hand how I benefited. When she discovered her roots, she was hooked! It is hard to see the personal benefits from advertisements unless there is an appealing “hook".
What are your thoughts looking back over the last two years?
WikiTree has changed my life. It brought my extended family together. I have a heritage I never knew and wonderful cousins to talk to, and amazing WT members ready to help and associate with. I found incredible stories to pass on to my children and grandchildren. I can’t thank WikiTree staff and all the members enough! Thank you all for an amazing ride on the rollercoaster of genealogy!
