The Drain/Drane family of America is very extensive and has
numerous branches that extend across the entire continent, as well
as to Canada and Latin America.
The origins of the family lie in the British Isles. It appears that
England may have been the original "homeland" but many Drains
turn up in Ireland as well and at some pretty early dates.
The spelling of the family name remains inconsistent. Although
variations such as Drayne and Draine do appear from time to time,
particularly in colonial and earlier records, the family itself has
consistently used Drain or Drane, and sometimes interchangably.
numerous branches that extend across the entire continent, as well
as to Canada and Latin America.
The origins of the family lie in the British Isles. It appears that
England may have been the original "homeland" but many Drains
turn up in Ireland as well and at some pretty early dates.
The spelling of the family name remains inconsistent. Although
variations such as Drayne and Draine do appear from time to time,
particularly in colonial and earlier records, the family itself has
consistently used Drain or Drane, and sometimes interchangably.
| Unclogging the Drains/Dranes |
| Colonial Dranes |
The arrival of the Drane family on the North American continent has been steeped in legend to the point that there
are many inconsistent stories floating about, none of which come with any documentation. I will begin with the
common threads of the legend, attempting to ferret out what is really known as fact as I go.
The story begins with one Sir James Anthony Drane, a gardener and specialist in flowers who worked for or was
related to Baron Baltimore. This man, if he existed, would have lived in the late 1500's-early 1600's and reportedly
received a land grant in the New World within Baltimore's newly received colony, named Maryland. The actual
founder of Maryland was the 2nd Baron Baltimore, Cecilius Calvert, as the 1st Baron, George, died before the
paperwork was done. The title was created in the peerage of Ireland, which may be the source of the belief that the
Dranes were an Irish family. All indications are that they were English, but some did live in Ireland during this time
period, probably having moved there during the 1500's.
Lord Baltimore delegated the governorship of Maryland to his brother, Leonard Calvert. Leonard arrived with some
150 surviving colonists in Maryland, just inside the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, in March 1634. It is said that one
or more sons of Sir James Drane was with the governor when he first arrived. Only a partial passenger list survives
from that voyage and no Dranes are mentioned in it. There is evidence that a person named James Anthony Drane
did indeed get to Maryland somehow in the 1600's but does not show up in any documentation until his death in
1687.
This "immigrant Drane" was reportedly married to one Nancy Brent (or Brandt). She herself is a woman of historical
mystery. The undocumented story goes that she was the sister of Anne Brent who was either a mistress or wife to
Gov. Calvert. It is known that Anne had a couple of children by Calvert but there is question if a marriage ever
occurred. This tenuous connection could be the basis of the claim that the Dranes and Calverts are related.
The first Dranes to have their lives somewhat documented are the brothers, Anthony (died 1723) and Thomas (died
1719). Shortly after his marriage to Elizabeth Nicholls, Anthony gave a deposition in some legal matter where he
stated his age. It placed his birth at about 1656. This places him as highly likely to be the son of James Anthony
Drane who died in 1687. Having lived to see a son turn 30 suggests that if James came to Maryland with Calvert in
1634, he would have been very young, perhaps even a child. So there may still be an older Drane who made it to
America.
While Thomas did indeed have children, the male line of that family seems to have died out pretty early on, or
perhaps they returned to England around the time of the Revolution. This was common amongst those who chose
to remain English subjects rather than become Americans.
The lines of Drane that remained in America are all descended from Anthony's seven children. The genealogies in
this site attempt to trace out all of the male lines of this descent to the present day.
There are other other "newer" line of Drains. One group emigrated to the Philadelphia area from Ireland in 1811
and another to Ohio from Scotland in the 1830's. I have only preliminarily researched this family. They both appear
to descend from an Irish family named O'Drain which does not appear to be connected to the Dranes of Maryland,
although they could be a collateral branch of the same family with the common ancestor being centuries earlier.
are many inconsistent stories floating about, none of which come with any documentation. I will begin with the
common threads of the legend, attempting to ferret out what is really known as fact as I go.
The story begins with one Sir James Anthony Drane, a gardener and specialist in flowers who worked for or was
related to Baron Baltimore. This man, if he existed, would have lived in the late 1500's-early 1600's and reportedly
received a land grant in the New World within Baltimore's newly received colony, named Maryland. The actual
founder of Maryland was the 2nd Baron Baltimore, Cecilius Calvert, as the 1st Baron, George, died before the
paperwork was done. The title was created in the peerage of Ireland, which may be the source of the belief that the
Dranes were an Irish family. All indications are that they were English, but some did live in Ireland during this time
period, probably having moved there during the 1500's.
Lord Baltimore delegated the governorship of Maryland to his brother, Leonard Calvert. Leonard arrived with some
150 surviving colonists in Maryland, just inside the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, in March 1634. It is said that one
or more sons of Sir James Drane was with the governor when he first arrived. Only a partial passenger list survives
from that voyage and no Dranes are mentioned in it. There is evidence that a person named James Anthony Drane
did indeed get to Maryland somehow in the 1600's but does not show up in any documentation until his death in
1687.
This "immigrant Drane" was reportedly married to one Nancy Brent (or Brandt). She herself is a woman of historical
mystery. The undocumented story goes that she was the sister of Anne Brent who was either a mistress or wife to
Gov. Calvert. It is known that Anne had a couple of children by Calvert but there is question if a marriage ever
occurred. This tenuous connection could be the basis of the claim that the Dranes and Calverts are related.
The first Dranes to have their lives somewhat documented are the brothers, Anthony (died 1723) and Thomas (died
1719). Shortly after his marriage to Elizabeth Nicholls, Anthony gave a deposition in some legal matter where he
stated his age. It placed his birth at about 1656. This places him as highly likely to be the son of James Anthony
Drane who died in 1687. Having lived to see a son turn 30 suggests that if James came to Maryland with Calvert in
1634, he would have been very young, perhaps even a child. So there may still be an older Drane who made it to
America.
While Thomas did indeed have children, the male line of that family seems to have died out pretty early on, or
perhaps they returned to England around the time of the Revolution. This was common amongst those who chose
to remain English subjects rather than become Americans.
The lines of Drane that remained in America are all descended from Anthony's seven children. The genealogies in
this site attempt to trace out all of the male lines of this descent to the present day.
There are other other "newer" line of Drains. One group emigrated to the Philadelphia area from Ireland in 1811
and another to Ohio from Scotland in the 1830's. I have only preliminarily researched this family. They both appear
to descend from an Irish family named O'Drain which does not appear to be connected to the Dranes of Maryland,
although they could be a collateral branch of the same family with the common ancestor being centuries earlier.
| About the website |
The list of descendants is in outline form with each younger generation being indented and listed under their
parents. Names by which the person was know are in bold text. Several footnotes exist to explain documentation of
an event or perhaps point out inconsistencies in spelling or dates.
For the members of the family currently living, their privacy is respected by simply listed them by gender with the
word "living" substituted for dates of birth/death. I do maintain an unpublished master document of Drane relatives
where I keep up with the current living members. So I am always appreciative of updates such as births, marriages,
divorces, and deaths.
This site only attempts to track male line descendants. The only female lines that are included are a few illegitimate
lines where the Drane/Drain family names was carried by the children. The first page will include the first 5
generations or so of the family to be in America, and subsequent pages will pick up on various lines where the first
page leaves off. This works out to the first page covering a time period of approx. 1624-1800 and each of the
subsequent pages will take one branch of the family from roughly 1800 to the present day.
This project is a HUGE undertaking and nearly impossible to be 100% accurate. If anyone has additional
information, corrections, or documentation that contradicts anything present here, please contact me at the email
below. Also keep in mind that this research is ever-continuing and I do have a life other that Drane research, so it
may take me a week or two to get your corrections uploaded.
As of early Oct. 2009, I have uploaded all of the information I had readily available. I will continue to go thorough
various sources such as census records, cemetery records and newspapers to keep updating info as I find it. There
are still large pockets of Drains/Dranes appearing in records that I have not accounted for and am currently trying to
find how they are connected to the family.
Enjoy!
Dan Willis
Grandson of Helen Louise Drane Ward (1923-1975)
dan@dan-willis.com
parents. Names by which the person was know are in bold text. Several footnotes exist to explain documentation of
an event or perhaps point out inconsistencies in spelling or dates.
For the members of the family currently living, their privacy is respected by simply listed them by gender with the
word "living" substituted for dates of birth/death. I do maintain an unpublished master document of Drane relatives
where I keep up with the current living members. So I am always appreciative of updates such as births, marriages,
divorces, and deaths.
This site only attempts to track male line descendants. The only female lines that are included are a few illegitimate
lines where the Drane/Drain family names was carried by the children. The first page will include the first 5
generations or so of the family to be in America, and subsequent pages will pick up on various lines where the first
page leaves off. This works out to the first page covering a time period of approx. 1624-1800 and each of the
subsequent pages will take one branch of the family from roughly 1800 to the present day.
This project is a HUGE undertaking and nearly impossible to be 100% accurate. If anyone has additional
information, corrections, or documentation that contradicts anything present here, please contact me at the email
below. Also keep in mind that this research is ever-continuing and I do have a life other that Drane research, so it
may take me a week or two to get your corrections uploaded.
As of early Oct. 2009, I have uploaded all of the information I had readily available. I will continue to go thorough
various sources such as census records, cemetery records and newspapers to keep updating info as I find it. There
are still large pockets of Drains/Dranes appearing in records that I have not accounted for and am currently trying to
find how they are connected to the family.
Enjoy!
Dan Willis
Grandson of Helen Louise Drane Ward (1923-1975)
dan@dan-willis.com
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