Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography/Drake, Samuel Gardner

DRAKE, Samuel Gardner, antiquarian, b. in Pittsfield, N. H., 11 Oct., 1798; d. in Boston, Mass., 14 June, 1875. He was brought up on a farm, educated in the common schools of his neighborhood, and in 1818-'25 was a teacher. He early showed a fondness for literary pursuits, and in 1828 established in Boston, whither he had removed, the first antiquarian book-store in the United States, devoting special attention to the collection of books relating to the early history of this country. He continued to do business as a bookseller and publisher during his life, and the most noted writers of his day availed themselves of the store of information that he had collected. Mr. Drake was one of the founders of the New England historic genealogical society in 1847, its president in 1858, and for many years edited its quarterly “Register,” contributing many articles to its pages. In 1858-'60 he resided in London, England. He published Church's “Entertaining History of King Philip's War,” with additions (Boston, 1825); “Indian Biography” (1832); “Book of the Indians,” a standard authority (1833; 11th ed., enlarged, 1851); “Old Indian Chronicle” (1836; new series, 1867); “Indian Captivities” (1839): “Account of the Family of Drake” (1845); “Review of Savage's Edition of Winthrop's Journal” (1854); “History and Antiquities of Boston” (1856); “Result of Searches among the British Archives” (1860); “Memoir of Sir Walter Raleigh” (1862); editions, with introduction and notes, of Mather's “Indian War of 1675-'6” (1862); “Early History of New England” (1864): and Hubbard's “Indian Wars” (1865); “The Witchcraft Delusion in New England,” being reprints of Mather's “Wonders of the Invisible World,” and Robert Calef's “More Wonders of the Invisible World,” with introduction and notes (3 vols., 1866); “Annals of Witchcraft in the United States” (1869); and “History of the French and Indian War” (1870).—

His son, Francis Samuel, b. in Northwood, N. H., 22 Feb., 1828; d. in Washington, D. C., 22 Feb., 1885, was educated in the public schools of Boston. After aiding his father in his Boston book-store he entered a counting-house in that city, but went to Leavenworth, Kan., in 1862, and engaged in bookselling there till 1867, when he returned to Boston. Mr. Drake inherited his father's taste for historical work, and was an eager collector long before he wrote anything for publication. He prepared without aid a “Dictionary of American Biography,” the materials for which he was twenty years in collecting (Boston, 1872). He also published a “Memorial of the Massachusetts Society of the Cincinnati” (1873); “Life of Gen. Henry Knox” (1873); “The Town of Roxbury” (1873); “Tea-Leaves” (1884); and “Indian History for Young Folks” (1885). He edited Schoolcraft's “History of the Indians,” and contributed articles on Brighton, Watertown, and Roxbury to the “Memorial History of Boston.” His “Dictionary of American Biography,” with his latest corrections and all the materials that he had gathered for a new edition, is incorporated in “Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography.”—Another son, Samuel Adams, b. in Boston, Mass., 20 Dec., 1833, was educated in the public schools of his native city. He went to Kansas in 1858 as telegraphic agent of the New York associated press, became the regular correspondent of the St. Louis “Republican” and the Louisville “Journal,” and for a while edited the Leavenworth “Times.” On the organization of the state militia at the beginning of the civil war he became adjutant-general of the northern division, and in 1861 was a captain of militia in the service of the United States. He had risen to the rank of brigadier-general of militia in 1863, and in 1864 was colonel of the 17th Kansas volunteers, commanding the post of Paola, Kan., during Price's invasion of Missouri in that year. In 1871 Gen. Drake returned to Massachusetts. His first publication was “Hints for Emigrants to Pike's Peak” (a pamphlet, 1860). He has since written “Old Landmarks of Boston” (1872); “Old Landmarks of Middlesex” (1873); “Nooks and Corners of the New England Coast” (1875); “Bunker Hill” (1875); “Captain Nelson” (1879); “History of Middlesex County, Mass.” (1880); “Heart of the White Mountains” (1881); “Around the Hub” (1881); “New England Legends” (1883): “Our Great Benefactors” (1885); and “The Making of New England” (1886).