Robert Drake, of Hampton

Summary

• Robert Drake bp 23 Jul 1581 son of William Drake (1553-1616) and Joan Merrylls (1557-1617) Halstead, Essex
• Robert died in Rockingham, NH 14 Jan. 1667/8 [HampVR] .
• He had one sister Isabell and a brother Nathaniel.
• Children: Nathaniel, Susanna, Abraham
• His wife is unrecorded
• An excellent treatment of this family can be downloaded here

Biography

Robert DRAKE was born in 1580 in Halstead, County Essex, England. He died on Jan 14 1667/68 in Hampton, Rockingham, New Hampshire. He was the son of William Drake (1553-1616) and Joan Webb Merrylls (1557-1617).

Robert was a sergemaker. He first settled in Exeter, and he moved to Hampton about 1650 or 1651. He was a selectman of Hampton in 1653 and 1664; jury 1653; grand jury 1662; was a freeman April 1663.

While Robert died at Hampton, his will was proved at Salisbury. source: Noyes/Libby/Davis, "Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire," (1939), p. 205; Thompson, Alice Smith, "The Drake Fami ly of New Hampshire," (1962), pp. 25-32; Wagner, Sir Anthony, "Drake in En gland," (1970, Revised Ed.), p. 88.

• from http://www.ringleib.com/ringleib_info/family_tree/colinr/d892.htm#P...

According to the original entry upon the records of Hampton, New Hampshire, Robert Drake died there on January 14, 1668, aged 88 years; therefore, he was born in 1580. The earliest record we have for him is his baptism at Halstead, County Essex, England, on July 23, 1581, and that is probably the place of his birth. When he was still a young man (1584-1592), his family moved to Elmstead, County Essex, England. It is believed that after he became of age and left his father's house, he moved to Colchester, County Essex, England, where he learned the trade of sergemaking.

Since no mention of the wife of Robert Drake is found in New England records, it is believed that she died before he immigrated. Their three children were most likely born at Colchester and, tradition has it, that Robert Drake's sons first emigrated to New England and that he later went out to join them. The great depression which struck the old broadcloth and the "new drapery" industries of Essex in 1619 and lasted until the Restoration in 1669, was probably one of the reasons for their emigration. The exact date they arrived in New England is not known, but it must have been between 1638 and 1643.

Robert Drake was the first of the name in New England and, although the exact date and place where he first landed is not known, he came to Exeter, New Hampshire. As Exeter was first settled in 1638, he may have been among the first Founders of that town. He subseqently settled at Hampton, New Hampshire, where he was granted cow common rights February 23, 1645/46. On March 25, 1650, he bought his home in Hampton, a "dwelling house and house lott and 6 acres of fresh meadow" for which he paid Sam'l or Frances (?) Peabody 75 pounds 13 s. In Hampton he was assigned one of the seventy-eight shares in the Great Ox Common in 1651, was a selectman in 163 and 1664, and on October 4, 1653, he took an oath of allegiance. Robert died January 14, 1668, at Hampton. Although in his will he describes himself as a sergemaker, there is no mention of any weaving machinery or equipment in the inventory of his effects, so he probably had not engaged in that occupation for some time. In Hampton records, he has been referred to as yeoman or farmer.

Apparently Robert was a very unhappy man. In England his family was persecuted for being Quakers, his wife died young, and a great depression made it impossible for him to earn a living at his trade of sergemaking. He emigrated to America where he either could not or did not practice his preferred trade of sergemaking and his son, Francis, became a Baptist, which he abhorred. (see note)

Robert was a sergemaker. Dow reported that he was from County Devon. Lat er research, however, has corrected this information. He first settl ed in Exeter, and he moved to Hampton about 1650 or 1651. He was a selectm an of Hampton in 1653 and 1664; jury 1653; grand jury 1662. GDMNH shows the birth order of his children as Nathaniel, Abraham, Susannah. However, Thompson agrees with Dow. While Robert died at Hampton, his will was proved at Salisbury.

Will

New Hampshire, United States. New Hampshire provincial and state papers. (Concord, New Hampshire), 31:58. Proved 14 Apr 1668; recorded Essex County, Mass. Probate Files and Norfolk County, Mass.Court Files, 1:106; quoted from State Papers 31:58.

Robert’s will:

IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN: the fifth of May, in the year of our lord one thousand six hundred and sixty three; I Robert Drake in the town of Hampton in New England in Norfolk, searge maker, being of good and perfect memory, do ordaine, and make my last Will & Testament, being in manner and form as followeth first, I do bequeath my soul into ye hands of almighty god, trusting assuredly to be saved only by ye merits of Jesus Christ, my alone saviour and redeemer, and my body to the earth: item: my goods I give and bequeath as followeth: to my son Nathaniell Drake I will & Bequeath six pound; SCto my son Abraham Drakes eldest son Abraham Drake I give twelve pounds To my Daughter Susanna Drake twelve pounds to my Grandchild Rachell Drake twelve pound; to Jean Drake twelve pounds ye which are my son Nathaniels two Daughters; to my Grandchildren Susanna Drake, Sarah Drake, Mary Drake, Elizabeth & Hannah, to each of them twelve pounds, being ye Children of my son Abraham Drake; &to my son Abraham Drake I will & bequeath the remainder of my estate being my house & house lot with my Meadowes salt marsh & fresh with six shares, fewer of Cow Commons & two of ox Commons with all rights previleges & appertenances therunto belonging my upland whatsoever lands: as also my Cattell; three steres two of seaven Yeares of age & one of fouer; two Cows, one yearling, Item, my household stuff bed & bedding Brass & puter Iron & Lead whatsoever; all which my mentioned estate I will bequeath to my son Abraham Drake: my sayd son to pay ye afore spesified legacies to the severall parties as before given; at one & twenty years of age; none to make any demand till a year after my decease; Item if any of my Grandchildren dye before they be of age, there portion to be devided equally amongst my Grandchildren yet living; It: I Will & give to my son Abraham Drake all Debts, Dues, bills; bonds whatsoever belonging to me. Item I ordain & Constitute my son Abram Drake my sole executour to this my last will & testiment revoking all other former wills by me made; in witnesse whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal the eighteenth of May one thousand six hundred sixty three Testes (seal)

Robert (X) Drake

Testes
John Barsham Giles Fuller

notes

1. Thompson, Alice Smith, and Anthony Richard Wagner. The Drake family of New Hampshire: Robert, of Hampton, and some of his descendants ; a genealogy. (Concord, New Hampshire: Historical Society, 1962), 19-27, 1985. Robert1 Drake, sergemaker, baptized at Halstead 23 July 1581,emigrated before 1643 to Exeter, NH, subsequently settled in Hampton,NH, and had a grant ofpasture there 23 February 1645/46, appointed a selectman there 1654, died there 14.January 1667/68 aged 88. His will, dated 5 May 1663, was proved at Salisbury, Mass. 14 May 1668. The family appears to have come from Colchester in Essex, England, as by a deposition recently (1867) discovered; in which Nathaniel and Abraham, sons of Robert Drake, made oath (27 April, 1691) that they had known certain persons "ever since wee were children;" that said parties were of Colchester, and their ancestors had always lived there. ROBERT DRAKE is first found at Exeter, with his family, and in 1651 purchased an estate in Hampton. Robert died 14 January 1667/68 at Hampton. Children,named in Robert’s will; no others known: 1 NATHANIEL b. 1612? England; 2 SUSANNA; 3 ABRAHAM b. 1621? England.
2. Robert Charles Anderson, FASG "John Smith of Watertown, Massachusetts, in The American Genealogist (TAG). (Donald Lines Jacobus, et.al.), 61:22. Richard Drake son of William and Joan Drake of Halstead, Essex, England not far from Colchester. William Drake and Joan Merrylls were married in Halstead 12 Oct 1578, first child Robert, the immigrant to Hampton bp 23 Jul 1581. Joan (Merrylls) Drake left a will dated 16 Mar 1616/7 in which she mentions along with Robert and other children, "my dawter Esbell Drake the wife of John Smith." Nathaniel and Abraham Drake (sons of Robert) made a deposition in 1691 in favor of Isabell (Bland) Leavitt... etc. [The author explains that Isabella Drake of Watertown wife of John Bland Smith of Watertown and Martha's Vineyard was sister to Robert Drake (this profile).
3. The Ancestry of Helen Marion (Locke) Wright ed.Aaron Goodwin, Paricia Hatcher, FASG, Michael Leclerc. (Boston, Massachusetts: Newbury Street Press, 2011), 82 # 716. Robert1 Drake of Hampton, NH was son of William and Joan Drake of Halstead, Essex, England not far from Colchester. William Drake and Joan Merrylls were married in Halstead 12 Oct 1578 and their first child Robert, the immigrant to Hampton was bp 23 Jul 1581 there. Joan (Merrylls) Drake left a will dated 16 Mar 1616/7 in which she mentions along with Robert and other children, "my dawter Esbell Drake the wife of John Smith." Nathaniel and Abraham Drake (sons of Robert) made a deposition in 1691 in favor of Isabell (Bland) Leavitt... etc. [The author explains that Isabella Drake of Watertown wife of John Bland Smith of Watertown and Martha's Vineyard was sister to Robert Drake.
4. Noyes, Sybil; Charles Thornton Libby; and Walter Goodwin Davis. Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire. (Portland, Maine: Southworth Press, 1928-1939). ROBERT DAKE, b. ab. 1580, serge maker, had liv. in Colchester, Essex; followed younger s. to N. E. shortly bef. 15 Mar. 1649-50, when he bot a house in Hampt. and 4 cow common rights. He took O. F. 4 Oct. 1653, freeman Apr. 1663. Jury 1653, gr.j 1662 List 393b. Will 18 May 1663, d. 14 Jan. 1667-8. Ch: Nathaniel, b. ab. 1613. Abraham, b. 1620. Susannah, in father’s will.
5. Savage, James. A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England: Showing Three Generations of Those Who Came Before May, 1692, on the Basis of Farmer's Register. (Boston: Little, Brown, and Co, 1860-1862), 2:70. ROBERT, Hampton, s. of Abraham, m. 19 Oct. 1662, rem. to East Chester 1665, had John, Samuel, and Joseph, and four ds. all nam. beside w. Ann, in his will, made 30 May 1686, pro. next mo. when all the ds. exc. Mary were m. Joseph had s. Joseph. S 1716, Sarah Knowles, both of sober yrs. had Robert, bapt. 2 Aug. 1719; and Hannah, 28 Apr. 1723; and d. 6 Feb. 1743. His w. d. 8 June 1742, aged 64
6. 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"

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(arriv 1620) (Immigrant) (Eng to NH)