county poor farm. Later on he had entire charge of that institution. The farm was located four miles south of Minneapolis and contained one hundred and sixty acres of land. On August 1, 1888, at the age of 28, Francis Drake was united in marriage to Miss Laura Smith, a native of Ohio. She was the daughter of Clark Smith, an ex-soldier of the Civil War and a resident of Bennington Township, Ottawa County. Mrs. Laura Drake died June 17, 1957. To this union were born: Harry C. Drake; Mary M Drake; William S. Drakes: Nancy E. Drake; L. Helen Drake; Clara L. Drake; M. Marguerite Drake Harry C. Drake married Lillian M Jordan, both now deceased. The children were: Francis M Drake, who married Bonnie Bishop and are now living in Salina , Donald Drake, single, and living in Redlands, California; Thelma Drake married to Les Crawford, and now living in Redlands, California, with three children; Helen Drake, married to Jack Gray, and now living in Salina, with two children. Mary M Drake married Rolland C. Chidester and now living in Colorado Springs, Colorado; William S. Drake married Tillie Reh, June 16,1918. He was called to service in World War I in July and was stationed at Camp Funston. He left for France in November and returned next April, receiving his discharge at Camp Merritt, New Jersey. After his return, he and Mrs. Drake moved to the farm north of Bennington where they still reside. The children: Lela M. Drake, married John W. Boggs, of Ellsworth, September 30,1951, and now lives west of Bennington on the farm where Lela's mother was born and raised. There is one daughter, Janelle Renee Boggs she being the fifth generation to have lived on this farm; Loren D. Drake, married Delma J. McGerary, November 11, 1951, and now live east of Minneapolis. There is one son, Lawrence Dale Drake, the only descendant carrying the Drake name in the fifth generation. Nancy E. Drake married Harry Smith, both now deceased. The children: Wayne Smith, Audrey Smith Petrie; L. Helen Drake married Glen Karstadt, now living in Assaria, Kansas. The children: Philip Karstadt, married and living in San Antonio, Texas with three children. Steven Karstadt, married, and living in Lindsborg, Kansas, with three children. Glen Kartstadt, Jr., now living in Wichita, Kansas; Clara L. Drake married Russell J. Orr and now lives in Laurel, Montana; M. Marguerite Drake married Henry Hanson and now lives near Assaria. The children: Richard D. Willis, married, one daughter: Carrie J. Hanson, married Gary Melander, lives in Assaria, Kansas, one son: Margaret A. Hanson, now living near Assaria; John H. Hanson, now living near Assaria James W. Hanson, now living near Assaria. EISENHAUER FAMItY HISTORY By Nina Eisenhauer Valentine and Katherine Eisenhauer and three children migrated to America in 1878, from Studerheim, Germany. They encountered much trouble on the stormy seas on their voyage over, which took a total of six weeks. The Eisenhauers spent their first winter in Leavenworth, Kansas. In 1879, they homesteaded a farm four and a half miles southeast of Bennington. Lumber was hauled from Abilene, Kansas, to build their house In 1883, they purchased 160 acres, from the Union Pacific Railroad, two and a half miles east of Bennington. Here they established their home and built a two-room house. To this union six children were born. Many hardships were endured during their early years in Kansas. There were grasshopper invasions, severe dust storms, prairie fires, drought and crop failures. The Eisenhauer children all attended school District Number 76. This school was given the name ''Germany" because all the settlers in this area were of German ancestry. A son, George Eisenhauer who married Miss Della Knox in 1901, lived on this same farm until 1927, when he and his wife, Della retired and moved to Bennington. In 1927, Herman, son of George Eisenhauer and wife, and Miss Nina Horn were united in marriage and are continuing to occupy the farm Herman's grandfather purchased from the Railroad Company in 1883. THE ESSIG FAMILY HISTORY Written by a qranddaughter, Zenobia Kissinger The Essig family migrated from Germany to America in the year, 1883. Little did they think that RETURN NEXT