W.J. [William] Drake is a native of Pike County, Pennsylvania, and was born July 8, 1841. He lived at home until he was ten years old, attending school. He then started for himself and first worked on the New York and Erie railroad as a water boy; remained there three years, when he came to Wisconsin where he found employment in the lumber regions where he remained one season and then went to Portage City; was engaged in a hotel. He remained here one season and then was engaged in the meat market, but remained only a short time, and then went to Randolph where he followed farming for four years.

In February 1862 he enlisted in Company A, Seventeenth Wisconsin Volunteers Infantry and served until the close of the war. He was wounded at the battle of Atlanta Georgia. After the war he returned to Randolph, Wisconsin, and in the same fall came to Mower County and settled on Yankee Ridge in Olmsted County; was engaged in farming there until 1872 when he came to Mower County and bought the north half of the northeast quarter of section 18 in the town of Pleasant Valley; he erected a good frame house. He now resides on this place.

He was married to Miss Catherine L. King, the only daughter of Samuel and Caroline King. They are the parents of five children; Samuel W., Charles A., Lewis F., Maggie L., and Musaetta A.

In politics Mr. Drake is a Democrat. He has been prominent in town affairs and has held the office of supervisor for several terms, also constable. He is now school director of school district No. 51.

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History of Mower County 1884

Submitted to MnGenWeb by Kathy Pike, Jan. 10, 2007