Simeon R. Drake Biography


	This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated
 	compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography,
	including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and 
	representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & 
	Co., Chicago, 1899. Pages 345-346

	Scan, OCR and editing by Maurice Krueger,mkrueger@iw.net, 1998. 

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SIMEON R. DRAKE, an ex-soldier of the Civil war and one of South 
Dakota's prominent men, who has been closely identified with the growth 
of the state, was a descendant of Sir Francis Drake of England. Two 
brothers of Sir Francis settled in New Jersey, and to one of them our 
subject traces his ancestry. He was the only son of a family of five 
born to Randolph and Jane (Fitz Randolph) Drake. He is now living in 
Plankinton, Aurora county, South Dakota. 
In an old colonial house in Washington Valley, Somerset county, New 
Jersey, our subject was born, September 6, 1841. The house was one of 
the oldest in that section of the country and was erected by his 
grandfather, who served in the Revolutionary war. 

In 1858 Mr. Drake moved with his parents to Tazewell county, Illinois, 
and in 1861 enlisted in Company E, Forty-seventh Illinois Volunteer 
Infantry. At Iuka and Corinth and Vicksburg he was in the thickest of 
the battle and on the general assault in the rear of Vicksburg May 22, 
1863, his right arm was shattered. His arm was so badly shattered that 
amputation was necessary and he passed several weeks in a hospital. He 
was honorably discharged October 9, 1863, at St. Louis, Missouri. In 
1868 Mr. Drake entered the Soldiers' College at Fulton, Illinois, and 
completed a two years' course. In 1877 Mr. Drake was elected clerk of 
the circuit court, Tazewell county, Illinois, which position he held 
for four years. Subsequently he was appointed United States 
storekeeper, at Pekin, Illinois. In 1882 he located in Fire Steel 
township, Aurora county, South Dakota, and moved his family in the fall 
of the year to the new home. Mr. Drake spent his summers in Dakota and 
during the winter months attended to his duties in Illinois, while his 
wife and sons conducted the farm. They soon had a comfortable home 
erected, and cultivated their land, but for three successive years hail 
storms destroyed the crops. Mr. Drake was appointed, under the 
territorial law, clerk of district court of Aurora county He served in 
this capacity two years, at the end of which time he was elected 
registrar of deeds and was continued in the same office for six years. 
He is a member of the South Dakota G. A. R. and in 1895 was chosen 
department commander. 

June 29, 1865, Mr. Drake was married to Miss Martha M. Cheever, a 
native of Rhode Island, born December 8, 1835. She was a daughter of 
Daniel and Alice E. (Henry) Cheever, natives respectively of 
Massachusetts and Rhode Island, but at the time of Mrs. Drake's 
marriage residents of Tazewell county, Illinois. Their home has been 
blessed with four sons and two daughters: Randolph C.; Oliver A.; 
Lucius F.; Walter C.; Mattie C. and Nellie A. Their children have been 
given the best of educational advantages and are well located in their 
respective positions. Randolph C. is a dentist, residing in Plankinton, 
and Walter C. follows the same profession. Oliver A. has chosen 
agriculture. Lucius F. is cashier of the bank of White Lake, South 
Dakota. Mattie C. married A. E. Williams, editor and proprietor of the 
"Downers Grove Reporter" and located in Illinois, and Nellie A., who 
resides at home. 

Mr. Drake is one of the patriotic, public-spirited men of our country. 
Politically he is a Republican.