Professor William F. Drake
is principal of the public schools of Mound City. In order that a country, city or town may advance and become known as an enlightened community, nothing is more essential than
the educational advantages
which it affords, and to have good schools, it is very necessary that the
educators should be competent to fill the position for which they are employed; but to do this energy and enterprise must exist. The citizens of Mound City may well feel proud of
the man who now so ably fills the position of principal of their schools, for he is a man admirably adapted to that calling. The grandfather of the subject of this sketch,
Stout Drake, was a native of New Jersey, and when sixteen years of age emigrated with his father (who was a native of England) to Kentucky.
He was married in the latter State to Miss Huldah Pangbern. They emigrated from Kentucky to Ohio in 1810, and located in Brown County, where Jonathan S. Drake, the father of
William was born. He was there married to Miss Eleanor Martin, a daughter of Joel Martin, who was a native of West Virginia. Her mother's maiden name was Jennie Brown, a
native of Virginia. Eleanor Drake was born in Brown County, Ohio. She and her husband now live in Ohio.
Professor William F. Drake was the second child in a family of eighteen children. He was born in Brown County, Ohio, November 16, 1840, and was there reared, receiving the
advantages of the common schools. He afterwards attended Holbrook's National Normal of Lebanon, Ohio, and while not in school passed his time on alarm. October 21, 1862
he enlisted in Company K., Fifty-ninth Ohio Infantry, and remained in service till the close of the war, after which time he came to Missouri and located in Sheridan County.
There he was engaged in teaching till 1870, when he entered the State Normal School at Kirksville as a student, and from that institution he was graduated in 1872, being a
member of the first class graduating in the
institution.
In 1872 he was elected principal of the public schools of Oregon, Holt County, Missouri, and continued to occupy that position for two years, when he was
elected principal of the public schools of Rock Port, Atchison County. These schools he conducted with great satisfaction to the community till 1880, when he was called to his present
position. During the last four years of his stay in Atchison County, he was school commissioner of the county. Since coming to Mound City, Professor Drake has not only been interested
in his school, but in various improvements of the town, having erected a fine resicence.
He was married February 5, 1874, to Amelia C. Kreek, a daughter of T. I. Kreek, now of Oregon,
Missouri, and who was a native of Maryland. Her mother's maiden name was Elizabeth Jackson, a native of Pennsylvania. Mrs. Drake was the second child in a family of ten children,
and was born in Oregon, Holt County, Missouri, August 5, 1855. She was there reared, educated and married. Prof. D. is a member of the Christian
Church, and Mrs. D. of the M. E. Church.
Source:"History of Holt and Atchison Counties, 1882"
Transcribed by Karyn
