A History of Sullivan County, Indiana
Thomas J. Wolfe, Editor. New York, Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1909.
pages 41-42.

Manning E. Drake, of the Sullivan Monument Company, workers in marble
and stone for monumental purposes, was born October 19, 1854, in
Fairbanks township, Sullivan county, Indiana, a son of Manning and
Margaret (Armstrong) Drake.  The father was born in Butler county,
Ohio, June 17, 1813, and the mother was a native of Kentucky; she died
October 24, 1860.  Manning Drake, Sr., was of English descent, while
his wife descended from the Scotch lines of Great Britain.  The
grandfather, James Drake, came to Sullivan county in 1817, locating in
Fairbanks township, where he followed farm life until his death.  He
claimed a large tract of land and was highly respected and prosperous.
Politically, he was an avowed Democrat.

Manning Drake, the father of Manning E., lived in Fairbanks township
from the age of four years.  He possessed a remarkable memory and his
mind was clear and active up to the time of his death, which occurred
June 6, 1908.  At one time he owned about twelve hundred acres of land
in Fairbanks township.  He became forehanded and loaned much money out
to those about him.  In his political views he was a Democrat.  Both
he and his good wife were members of the Baptist church.  To them were
born twelve children: Elizabeth, deceased; Mary J.; Amanda; Malinda;
James; Benjamin, deceased; Sarah, deceased; Ira; Manning E.; Margaret;
William; and one who died in infancy.

Manning E. Drake was reared on the farm and obtained a good
common-school education in the district schools of his neighborhood.
When he became twenty-one years of age, he commenced to farm
independently, in Curry township, Sullivan county.  He continued there
until April 12, 1898, when he removed to Sullivan and engaged in the
livery business and in the shipment of horses of all kinds.  In 1900,
he sold out this business and embarked in the marble and monument
business, under the firm name of Cummins & Drake.  This co-partnership
continued until 1906, when W. F. Wagner bought Mr. Cummins out, and
the firm was changed to Drake & Wagner.  This enterprising and
thoroughly reliable firm sell the product of their works in Sullivan,
Vigo, Parke, Greene, Clay, and other territory within Indiana and also
in Illinois.  It is among the most extensive works for fitting up
monuments within this portion of the state of Indiana.  Either one
member or the other of this firm remains on the road selling, while
the other superintends the work at home.

While Mr. Drake was yet on the farm, he made a reputation as a
specialist in raising Poland-China swine, all registered.  He shipped
about one hundred and fifty head annually to all parts of the United
States.  He also handled registered Holstein cattle, though not on so
extensive a scale as he did the hogs mentioned.  He still owns land of
much value --- eighty acres within Curry township and two hundred and
twenty acres one mile west of Sullivan.  Politically, Mr. Drake
affiliates with the Democrats. He is a member of the Odd Fellows order
at Sullivan.

One of the important events of Mr. Drake's life was his marriage, May
4, 1878, to Elma Gaskins, who was born in Curry township, and died
April 4, 1882.  Two children were the result of this union: Perry,
born March 14, 1879, married and resides on a farm; Olive, born August
3, 1881, is unmarried and at home.  Both attended the schools in
Sullivan. For his second wife, Mr. Drake married, March 1, 1883, Julia
Denney, born in Curry township, Sullivan county, a daughter of William
Denney, now of Sullivan.  The date of her birth was July 29, 1863.
Her mother died when the daughter was but a mere child.  By
Mr. Drake's second marriage, four children were born: LeRoy, born May
14, 1885, a graduate of the Bennett Medical College in Chicago, with
the class of 1906; he also attended one of the medical colleges at
Indianapolis, and then began practicing medicine at Middletown, Vigo
county, Indiana, but removed to Palatine, Illinois, in January, 1908;
Goldie, born November 30, 1887, unmarried, a graduate of the high
school in 1905; she is now attending Franklin College, from which she
expects to graduate in 1909; Claudie, born in September, 1891,
attending high school; Lola, born August 22, 1894, also in the high
school. Mr. Drake and his family are members of the Baptist church.