Carl V. Drake
Carl V. Drake, junior member of the firm of W. F. Drake & Son, building contractors and dealers in building supplies, stoves, electric-lighting fixtures and the like at Yellow Springs, was born in the neighboring county of Clark on December 30, 1888, son of William F. and Melissa (Collier) Drake, the latter of whom was born in that same county, March 3, 1852, and both of whom are still living, for thirty years residents of Yellow Springs.
William F. Drake was born on a farm south of Xenia, in this county, December 14, 1848, and was married to Melissa Collier on March 3, 1870. He had been early trained to the carpenter trade and presently became a building contractor on his own account, eventually establishing his headquarters at Yellow Springs. In 1910 he admitted his younger son, Carl V. Drake, into a partnership in the business, which since has been carried on under the firm name of W. F. Drake & Son. To William F. Drake and wife have been born five children, of whom the subject of this sketch is the last-born, the others being Grace May, born on July 25, 1871; Edith Pearl (deceased), January 18. 1873; James Earl, March 3, 1875, and Franklin C, September 18, 1877, who died on August 14, 1907.
Reared at Yellow Springs, for he was but an infant when his parents made their home in that village, Carl V. Drake received his schooling in the schools of that place. He early became familiar with the details of house building under the direction of his father and in 1910 became associated with his father as a partner in the business, junior member of the firm of W. F. Drake & Son, and has since been thus engaged, the firm also conducting a mercantile business at Yellow Springs.
On October 26. 1911, Carl V. Drake was united in marriage to Bertha G. Weiss, who was born at Goes, in this county, December 9, 1888, daughter of Paul and Josephine (Schury) Weiss, the latter of whom is still living, now a resident of Springfield, and further mention of whom is made elsewhere in this volume, in a biographical sketch relating to Paul W. Weiss, a merchant at Yellow Springs and a brother of Mrs. Drake. To Carl V. and Bertlia G. (Weiss) Drake three children have been born, namely: Martha Elizabeth, born on December 22, 1912; Irma Josephine, born on December 7, 1913, who died on January 29, 1914, and William Eugene, born on July 6, 1915. Mr. and Mrs. Drake are members of the Presbyterian church and Mr. Drake is a member of the local lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
From History of Greene County, Ohio, by George F. Robinson (S. J. Clarke Publishing Co, 1902)