My Genealogy Hound

Ephraim Drake, father of John S. Drake and David Drake, traveled through Lawrence and Barry Counties in the summer of 1830, settled at Fayetteville, Ark., that year, and about 1832 David Drake and John Turner established the first store there. In July, 1861, the family were driven out of Arkansas, as they were Union men with or without slavery. In the summer of 1866 they settled near Verona, but in 1869 Ephraim Drake moved into Barry County, where his wife died in 1875. John S. Drake was born near Fayetteville, Ark., November 9, 1836. In July, 1861, he fled to Kansas with the family. He entered the military service at once, and was mustered into the Ninth Kansas Cavalry, but served on special and clerical work until the spring of 1863. On August 17, 1863, he entered Lawrence (Kas.) Republican office, and was staying at the hotel there when Quantrill’s raid was made on that point. At this time Mr. Drake was twice desperately wounded, and escaped death by feigning death. Of the fifteen men left wounded there that morning Mr. Drake, Livingstone, of Joplin, and one man now residing in Kansas, are the only survivors. In May, 1864, he entered the office of the Kansas Jefferson at Grasshopper (Valley) Falls, and purchased the office. In the summer of 1865 he published the Falls City (Neb.) Broadaxe. In May, 1866, he arrived at Mount Vernon, and as related in the history of the Journal he entered that office in January, 1867. In April, 1868, he worked on the Cassville Banner, and purchased the office in December, 1869. In 1870 he resumed work at Mount Vernon on the Spring River Fountain. In 1878 he published the Verona Republican, but early in the seventies had an interest in the Peirce City Democrat, and subsequently with other papers, as told in the Press Chapter. With the exception of A. M. Sevier and Joseph Cravens, Mr. Drake is the senior newspaper writer today in the four counties. On September 1, 1867, he married Amanda F., daughter of Robert Ryan. Of their four children three are living and residents of the county.