Frank W. Drake Biography

	This biography appears on pages 1035-1036 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	FRANK W. DRAKE, one of the prosperous and honored farmers of Moody 
county, claims, the old Granite state as the place of his nativity, 
since he was born in Merrimack county, New Hampshire, on the 30th of 
December, 1841. He is a son of W. H. and Betsy (Glines) Drake, both of 
whom were born and reared in New Hampshire, where the father was a 
prosperous farmer. In his family were eleven children, and nine of the 
number are still living. He died in 1892, when well advanced in years, 
and his wife is still living, both having been zealous and active 
members of the Methodist Episcopal church, while in politics he was 
originally a Whig and later a Republican.  

	In 1856, at the age of fifteen years, the subject of this sketch 
accompanied his parents on their removal to the state of Iowa, the 
family thus becoming numbered with the pioneers of that commonwealth, 
where he was reared to maturity under the sturdy discipline of the home 
farm, while his educational advantages were those afforded by the common 
schools. On the 16th of August, 1862, Mr. Drake tendered his services in 
defense of the Union, enlisting as a private in Company K, Twenty-
seventh Iowa Volunteer Infantry, with which he rendered valiant and 
faithful service until the close of the war, when he received his 
honorable discharge. His command became a part of the Army of the West 
and he thus was an active participant in the battles of Nashville, 
Mobile and Pleasant Hill, besides others of importance, and also took 
part in the Red river campaign under General Banks.  

	After the close of his military service Mr. Drake returned to his 
home in Mitchell county, Iowa, where he continued to be actively engaged 
in agricultural pursuits until 1880, when he disposed of his interests 
there and came to Moody county, South Dakota, where he filed on 
homestead and timber claims and forthwith inaugurated the improvement 
and cultivation of the land, which had never been furrowed by the 
plowshare at the time he secured the property from the government. He 
now has a fine estate of three hundred and twenty acres, two-thirds of 
which are under a high state of cultivation and productivity, while the 
improvements are such as indicate the progressive ideas and good 
judgment of the owner. In addition to diversified agriculture, in the 
propagation of the various cereals best adapted to the soil and climate, 
Mr. Drake also gives not a little attention to the raising of an 
excellent grade of live stock. His political allegiance is given to the 
Republican party, and he has been called upon to fill various offices of 
local trust, having served for six years as justice of the peace and for 
twelve years as an officer of his school district.  

	On the 30th of December, 1873, Mr. Drake was united in marriage to 
Miss Sarah Monholland, who was born and reared in Wisconsin, being a 
daughter of John and Lucind (Burrington) Monholland. Her father was a 
painter by trade and vocation and was employed in this line in Wisconsin 
and later in California, where both he and his wife died. Mr. and Mrs. 
Drake have four children: Carrie is the wife of Frederick Bergstresser, 
of Wentworth, Lake county, this state; Jennie is the wife of Grant 
Dockstader, a farmer near Dell Rapids; Hilord H. has the general charge 
of the homestead farm; and Fair also remains beneath the parental roof, 
the children having been given good educational advantages.