Obituary Record

Elijah Steele Drake, resident of Bay St. Louis for more than half a century, died suddenly at 1 A. M. Wednesday at his home on Ulman Avenue. He was 82.

Services are at 3:45 P. M. today at Fahey-Whitfield Funeral Home. Religious services will be conducted by the Rev. A. M. Ellison, Jr., at Main Street Methodist Church.

Religious services are scheduled for noon Friday at the home of Mr. Drake's brother, W. Magruder Drake, at Church Hill followed by interment in the family cemetery there.

The son of the late Rev. Perry Drake and Mrs. Clara Wailes Drake, he was born at the family home, Magnolia Springs, in Jefferson County. Mr. Drake was married to the late Lida Smith Drake in 1905 at Edwards.

He was employed by Hancock County for many years as surveyor and civil engineer. His business interests were many and most recently he had been instrumental in the development of oil reserves in the Ansley area. He was a member of the Bay St. Louis Lodge No. 429, F. and A. M., and of the Coast Commandery No. 19, Knights Templar. He was one of the five surviving Bay St. Louis Spanish-American War veterans. The son and grandson of Methodist ministers, he was an active member of Main Street Methodist Church.

Besides his brother, Mr. Drake is survived by two sisters, Mrs. Janie Drake Cooper and Miss Claribel Drake, all of Church Hill.

Pallbearers are Jesse Gray, P. E. Porter, Sr., Sam Favre, Jr., Rene de Montluzin, Sam Whitfield, Dan M. Russell, A. C. Mitchell, and J. W. Watts, Jr.

Honorary pallbearers include John McDonald, Dr. J. A. Evans, Louis Norman, Dr. A. P. Smith, Jesse Cowand, Capt. Charles Traub, George Schilling, Capt. H. J. Thompson, Com. J. B. Goldman, Walter Fox of Jacksonville, Fla., and a nephew, Edwin Lea of Poplarville.

Source: unknown newspaper