Drake, William Winans Jr., 1871-1933
Biography
William Winans Drake, Jr. (1871-1933) was born at Magnolia Springs near Natchez, Mississippi. He is the son of Rev. William Winans Drake, Sr. and Alice Gorton Drake, and the grandson of Rev. Benjamin M. Drake. Drake graduated from Centenary College of Louisiana in 1888, and he enrolled in Vanderbilt University in 1889. He was licensed to preach in January 1888. In December of 1888, he was admitted on trial in the Mississippi Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. His ministerial appointments included Springfield charge of the Woodville District (1888), Bentonia charge of the Jackson District (1889), and Raymond. Drake was ordained deacon in December 1890. In December 1892, he was re-admitted into the traveling connection in the Louisiana Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. He was ordained elder in December 1893. Drake was assigned to congregations at Crowley (1893-1896), Franklin Station (1897-1900), Felicity Street in New Orleans (1901-1904), presiding elder of the Crowley District (1905), Crowley (1906-1908), Lake Charles (1909-1911), First Church in Baton Rouge (1912-1914), Carrollton Avenue in New Orleans (1915), Minden (1916), Noel Memorial in Shreveport (1917-1922), presiding elder of the New Orleans District (1923-1925), Ruston Station (1926-1929), First Church in Monroe (1930-1931), and presiding elder of the Lake Charles District (1932-1933). Drake served as a member and as the president of the Louisiana Conference Board of Education. He also served as trustee of Centenary College of Louisiana and Southern Methodist University. In addition, he served as a member of the Publishing Committee of the New Orleans Christian Advocate. Centenary College of Louisiana awarded him an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree. Drake married Nora Collier in 1895; their sons were Marlin W. and Walton C. Drake.