John Drake (abt. 1647 - 1684)

Born about 1647 in Devon, England

Ancestors

Died 1684 at about age 37 in Devon, England

Biography

Early Life

Sir John Drake, 2nd Baronet of Ashe, was born 13 January 1646/7 in Lyme County, Dorset, England.^[1][2]

His parents were Sir John Drake, K.B. of Ashe and Trill^[3] and his first wife, Jane (Young) Drake,^[1] daughter of Sir John Yonge, 1st Baronet of Culliton and Slutcombe, both in Devon, ^[4] and they had three children^[5]:

1. Elizabeth (Drake) Briscoe, birth year unknown, married Sir John Briscoe, Knight of Boughton, Northumberland, England and died without male children in 1694.^[2]
2. John Drake, his successor, born about 13 January 1646/7.^[2][3]
3. Walter Drake, born about 1650 and died unmarried 1674.^[2]

John had three half siblings from his father's second marriage to Dionysia (Strode) Drake, daughter of Sir Richard Strode, Knight of Newnham, Devon, England:^[2][3][5]

1. Bernard Drake, born about October 26, 1654, heir to his half brother^[2]
2. William Drake MP, born before 1658, heir to Bernard in the Baronetcy, and his half sister, Elizabeth, in the estates^[2]
3. George Drake, died young.^[5]

The Parish of Musberry was accrued to the family and became their place of designation. ^[2] However, their usual home was Mount Drake, a mansion built by the family in the same Parish.^[2] Mount Drake was the historical home of the Drake family since just after the conquest of Wessex by the Saxons. The Drake coat of arms were the same since that time, although the crests varied, thus providing a common origin of the Drake family."^[6]

Occupation

John inherited Ashe House in 1668 on the death of his aunt, Elinor Drake. He then spent is short tenancy beautifying Ashe, and, as Prince says, in his book "Worthies of Devon", bringing it to greater perfection than it was ever before. He enclosed the park adjoining the house with a good wall, made fish ponds, walks, and gardens well furnished with a great variety of choice fruits, so that now it may vye for beauty and delight with most other seats in those parts."^[6][7]

John also continued rebuilding the mansion house at Ashe, which had suffered from neglect^[6] and had been burnt down and demolished by the rebels in the civil wars. ^[2]

Sir John Drake succeeded his father, on his death 6 July 1669, to become the 2nd Baronet of Ashe.^[2][4]

Death & Legacy

John died unmarried, age 37 years, at Musberry, Devon, England, and was buried 13 March, 1683/4,^[1] in the Parish of Musberry, Devon, England.^[2][3]

John was not pleased with the extravagance of his half-brother, Bernard, who would inherit the Baronetcy on John’s death. In order to protect the Ashe estates from potential ruin caused by Bernard’s extravagance, John began making arrangements to have his estates left to Bernard’s younger brother, William. John died before this arrangement was completed, hence the estates went to John’s sister, Elizabeth. Elizabeth was aware of John’s intentions and with respect to his wishes, Elizabeth kept a small amount for her own use and settled the estates to William. William was later knighted, upon the death of his brother, Sir Bernard. ^[7]

Historical records in Exeter were destroyed in 1942 during World War II, however, there is a list entry for an Abstract of the Will for John Drake, 1683.^[8]

Research Note

• The birth and death dates for Sir John Drake, 2nd Baronet of Ashe, have been recorded in the New Style.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Lieutenant-Colonel J.L. Vivian, here is a link to the source in HathiTrust "The Visitations of the County of Devon, Comprising The Heralds' Visitations of 1531, 1564, & 1620, with additions by Lieutenant-Colonel J.L. Vivian." HathiTrust, Original from Yale University, Page 240 and 897. Accessed 10 July 2022.
2. ↑ ^{2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11} John Burke, here is a link to the source in Google Books "A genealogical and heraldic history of the extinct and dormant baronetcies", By John Burke Page 168: Drake of Ashe]
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3} Henry S. Eland, here is a link to a Microsoft Word document "Descendants of John Orway For twenty generations, An extraction, in Register format, taken from J. L. Vivian, Visitations of the County of Devon, comprising The Herald's Visitations of 1531, 1564, & 1620. With additions by Lieutenant-Colonel J. L. Vivian" (Exeter: For the Author by Henry S. Eland, 1895), No effort has been made to confirm or correct the information as presented in the original document. This document is simply a reconstruction of the charts presented by J. L. Vivian in a "Register" format. (accessed 12 July 2022)
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Wikipedia contributors, here is a link to the source "Sir John Drake, 1st Baronet," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, (accessed June 17, 2022).
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2} Saint-George, Henry, Sir, Lennard, Samson, Camden, William, here is a link to the Internet Archive "The visitation of the county of Devon in the year 1620", published by: London in 1872; Digitizing sponsor: Google, Book from the collections of: Harvard University; volume 6, page 95
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2} Louis Stoughton Drake, here is a link to the source in www.xroyvision.com.au "The Drake Family in England and America 1360-1895", Boston, 1896, Accessed 17 June 2022
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} John Prince, here is a link to the Google Book "The Worthies of Devon", Publisher: ‎ Rees and Curtis; Edward Upham; Longman, Hurst, Ress, and Orme, Plymouth, Exeter, London; New Edition, with notes (1 Jan. 1810), ASIN ‏ : ‎ B000L6IKOG
8. ↑ E.A. Fry, here is a link to the Devon Wills Project, "Calendar of Wills and Administrations Proved in the Court of the Principal Registry of the Bishop of Exeter (EPRE) and at the Archdeaconry Court of Exeter (EXE)", By E.A. Fry, Provided by Ian Galbraith, of the National Wills Index, and edited by Richard Grylls and Brian Randell, British Record Society Index Library, Vol. 35, 1908 (accessed 19 July 2022).

Acknowledgements

This profile has been improved by a member of the England Project's Orphan Trail.