Dear Jaxb

Hmmm one would imagine there would be much information recorded on this personage. Just by googling I've found these two pages of interest...

Sir Francis Drake : Biography and much more from Answers.com

1st wife: married 1569 Mary Newman she died 12 years after marriage - childless
2nd wife: married 1585 young Aristrocrat Elizabeth Sydenham (20 years his junior)

Francis Drake Biography mentions no children of 2nd marriage and his Title passed to his nephew also named Francis.

This site looks interesting...

The Sir Francis Drake Family



When researching one's genealogy it is always a good idea to prove / disprove the stories we have been told. Sometimes they turn out to be completely false whilst other times they have a grain of truth to them.

To avoid going on wild goose chases - it is best to start with yourself and work backwards when researching the family tree all the while documenting your 'evidence' - Census records - Baptismal entry - marriage - death - burial etc.

Editor.

Thanks for your comments. I have looked at all those sites, and as you suggested I have begun with myself and worked my way back through the relevant family. It's because I know that Sir Francis Drake had children, and that his heir was his nephew, that I begun to wonder if the family story is incorrect. However, I have a letter written to John Letton Towning in 1851 stating that his line had been acknowleged by the Drake Trustees and added to list of descendents. Unfortunately, I have not been able to get any further in working out how John Towning can trace his line back to Drake (through the female line). I will keep on trying and thanks for your help.

My greatgrandmother was Ella Drake who was decended from Sir Francis Drake. I have her birth and marriage records. She married James Birch.

Hi BruumStyk and thanks for your message. How was your greatgrandmother descended from Sir Francis Drake as he had no children? Through a sibling? I am intrigued as this must be the same for my family. My line, if it exists which seems doubtful, was back through the Townings, then back to the Hoppings, then the Lettons and I think then probably via Ann Roe who was married to Richard Waldron. Do any of these names feature in your family tree? It was very nice to hear from you.

Jaxb -- any further developments on the Drake female line? I have a Hopping and a Drake, both female, in separate family lines (one collateral). Long shots, I know, but I can't help but wonder. What information do you have on the Hoppings?

i know that i am decended from him too and i was trying to find all this out too so if u find anything out let me know

Hi shopper082. I will let you know if ever I discover the link. With Drake having no children and quite a few siblings I think it will be very difficult to do, but fingers crossed.

My Wife of two years and seven months has in here family tree of a Jennie Drake b. November 8th 1866 in Nansfield OH., and died Feb. 22, 1955. She married Charles Carrington Nash Sept. 01, 1887, son of Sumner Lewis Nash and Cornelia Whiting (she has an 1860 first edition of a bible with front page in pen as C. Whiting). Sunmer Lewis Nash was b. Nov. 16, 1864 in Mansfield, OH., and d. Sept. 21, 1934 in Mansfield, OH. Her Mother's maiden name was Cornelia Jane Nash, b. 10/2/1908, Marion OH., My Wife can trace her Nash side back to 1640 thanks to the help of a 1853 published book called the Nash Family or Records of the Descendants of Thomas Nash of New Haven, Connecticut, 1640 by Rev. Sylvester Nash.

She was informed that she was related to Drake but I have found no prove and since he had no children will find no prove.

Dave

Hi Dave. Its amazing isn't it how many people have been told they are related to Drake and you're right it can never be direct as Drake had no children. I can only assume that it will be via one of his siblings and in my case a sister. I actually have a solicitors letter dated 1851 that agrees that John Towning has been added to the Drake list of descendents (he was my great great great grandfather or something) but so far I have been unable to work out why this was the case. However, I will not give up as somebody somewhere has the proof.

We're descended from Elizabeth Drake, Frances Drake's niece. Frances Drake had no children, so all lines are traced back to his nieces and nephews (he had siblings). We still have Elizabeth Drake's sampler hanging on my parents' wall at home.

Hello FredaDrake

How exciting that you are able to trace your line back to Drake's neice. I realise that this will have to be the case for me too and I know its through a female line. Can you help me with this? Do you know the names of Elizabeth's sisters or aunts?

Would be great to hear from you again.

Hey Jaxb, could you PM me any results you find? I'm also Drake descendant, although he was on my Grandfathers side from what I'm told.

Hello Aegis

Of course if I find anything I will let you know, but its a very hard search.

Thanks a bunch. Yeah I know how difficult it is, it's too bad DNA is obviously out of the question.

If I find anything out myself I'll PM you too.

Thanks Aegis.

I am a female relation to SFD. Contrary to popular beief, SFD did have at least one child OUT OF WEDLOCK. My fathers family in Florida tell of SFD spending the night with a woman from their clan, getting her pregnant and leaving his leather vest at her dwelling...of which still is passed down in out family. My grandfather has it right now. Naturally our surname was never Drake, but the name Drake has always been a part of someones name all down the generations until just recently. My fathers surname is Price as is mine, but I paln to change it to Drake. If you think SFD had no children, you are DEAD WRONG. PLease refer to my profile and see my new tattoo; the royal Coat of Arms given to SFD by Queen Elizabeth. Feel free to contact me ravendrake2009@yahoo.com

Hello RavenDrake. Great to know you exist. When I say that SFD had no children I am only going on historical fact that he had no children from his two marriages. I have never come across any records of any children born out of wedlock, but I'm certainly not surprised. If you have proof that he had a child out of wedlock you should make sure the Drake Trust have that info as I would imagine that would be a brilliant historical coup for them and wonderful for you.

Hello. I am an 8th great neice of SFD, through my maternal grandmother. This was traced through a female who married into his immediate family. I have the lineage in storage... When I was a child, my grandmother always mentioned this with pride (along with being a DD of the first practicing attorney in Boston...) It took her many years to combine info with other relatives, and send/receive letters between uncounted groups. About twenty years ago she sent me a copy. Having moved many, many times - it would take quite a bit to find it, but, it might help other folks looking into it. I didn't know there was much interest in this. I found this link through the Wiki page about SFD, that my husband pulled up ('don't know what inspired that, but, it was a fun read). I guess being an 8th great neice never seemed "important", just interesting - maybe I get a cookie? LOL
E-mail if you really, really, REALLY need me to dig through the catacombs of my storage...

Hello FemaleDraker. How exciting. I would love to see the info you have of course, but I'd feel bad if you had to spend hours searching for it!! However, I think I'd be one of many who would appreciate seeing a copy of it. Who knows I may be able to trace my own line, although at the moment I am clueless as to where the link is. So if ever you do dig it up I'd love to know.

And yes you certainly deserve a cookie!

Hi, my family were also told that we were descended from Sir Francis Drake through the female line and for at least 4 generations have carried the name Drake as part of our names.My Grandmothers family certainly came from near Exeter but I've drawn a blank on investigating any further back that 1850s. Has anyone heard of the Drake'Bounty'?

Hello rowingrose689. My family are also from that area. I denthave gone back further than 1850 but no luck in finding that 'link'. However, I think Drake's Bounty might be the Charity funds that were advertise about 1850 and were available to descendents from Sir Francis Drake through the male line (I guess his brothers). My great great great grandfather John Towning applied to the fund and I have a letter from the Exeter solicitor who dealt with his application. Unfortunately we were descended through the female line and received nothing although his name was added to the Drake Register. Also the documentation that John sent off as proof appears to be lost.

My Mother-in-law is a female descendent of Sir Francis Drake she is 82 and is in poor health but is a direct descendent

sir francis drake is my 10th great grandfather.

Hi johnnyk777. How is your mother-n-law a direct descendent of Sir Francis Drake? Can she trace her line to one of Drake's siblings?

Hi jaynealison - great to hear from you. How is Sir Francis Drake your 10th great grandfather. I am very interested because as far as history is concerned Drake had no children by either of his marriages. Please let me know as very interested.

Hi I am also a related to sir d francis drake through marriage. my father in law was edwin willie drake his father was robert thorp drake his mother was agnes mary ann barton, that is all i can find. i do have robert and agnes marriage certificet and edwins birth certificet. all have past away.francis drake was married tWo times first mary newman 2 elizabeth sydenham sir francis did not have any children, but when he died in 1596 his title past down to his nephew who happend to be named francis also. that is where the related familys come from when it is said we are descendents to sir francis drake, I do have a list of drakes from as early as c1275. it would take to long to put them all up. I do wish you all the best it is hard, i am still looking for all the drak family.

I am told I am also related to Sir Francis Drake. My great great grandpa Eddie Clausen's mother's name was Jenny Drake, born in 1885, and she was supposed to be his great great niece or something.

My mom told me that we are related to Sir Francis Drake. We dont know how can we related, but his bloodline is in my family. My great-grandma, Olive Drake. Her siblings - Charles "Chuck" Drake and Gladys Drake.

My nana told me that i am a distant relate of sir francis drake i am trying to find as much evidence as i can to surport that and my nana also knows that i have other distat relative, that are also in link with sir fransic drake so if ypu no of any website that can help mehh please can yhoo.

Hi. My name is Laurie. I'm adopted and found my biological family about 15 years ago when i was a teen ager. My father told me the only famous person we had in our line was Sir francis drake. My father died about two months ago and lived clear across the country but now i'm trying to find out how that's possible. Starting with yourself is a whole lot harder when you are adopted and everyone is dead.

We have been told that my husbands side is linked to SFD. I am trying to trace the parents of a Martha Drake b abt 1796-1798 who was born in Norfolk. Does anyone know if the Norfolk Drakes are linked with the Devon Drakes.
Any help anyone could give i would really appreciate it.

Back in the early 1900's there was a conman named Gustav Anjou who preyed on people interested in their past. He made up genealogies and charged a lot of money for them. If your name was Drake, you can bet you ended up related to SFD. If your name was Scott, Sir Walter definitely was included in your genealogy. And everyone's family genealogy could be traced back to the kings of England and the knights who came over with Wm. the Conquerer. Sadly, the hundreds of books he "created" are in libraries all over the U.S. including the FHL in Salt Lake City. Unsuspecting people read this tripe and get taken in. Everyone's genealogy has been corrupted by this man. Go to Familyhistory.org and do a search of his name in their library. If you find your name, watch out. His work is infamous among genealogists.

Thank you Ojaisandy for your warning re Gustav Anjou. I have never heard from him and found it interesting research looking him up. However, he seems to have mainly tricked wealthy New England Americans and I can't find any record of him getting involved with the Drake family in Devon, England. Still, worth keeping in mind and again thanks.

I too was told we are related to SFD. My grandmother was Dorthy Drake whose father was Charles Drake who also had a son Charles Drake and daughter Elizabeth. My grandmother also had a sister Thelma.