Phillip Denver Drake ~ 1915-1988
All of these interesting facts are from family members closest to Denver & Hazel.
1. Denver was the third oldest child of 12 children born to John Clinton and Eula Mae Drake.
2. Denver helped farm and did chores as a child.
3. When Denver was old enough to do "man's work," he would work on farms and do odd jobs for other farmers.
4. Denver made about 50 cents a day and was told that when he got married he would make 10 cents more a day.
6. Denver enjoyed attending "tent meetings" where preachers held revivals. It was at a tent meeting where he met Hazel, his wife.
7. Denver was a farmer most of his life.
8. Denver also worked at Fort Knox, Kentucky, where he would haul employees back and forth. He charged 50 cents a person.
9. Hazel and Denver had 6 children.
10. Denver and Hazel raised pigs, cattle, horses and chickens during their farming years.
11. Denver and Hazel lived on the farm on Highway 18 in Benton County, Indiana for over 25 years.
12. Denver and Hazel would often travel to the Smokey Mountains. They would take a small camp stove and make their own food.
13. Denver and Hazel loved horses and would trail ride with other friends.
14. One of Denver & Hazel's the favorite places to trail ride with their horses was Summerset, Kentucky.
15. Denver and Hazel were founding members of the Benton County Horse and Pony Club.
16. Denver and Hazel loved to play cards and spent many weekends having a competitive Euchre game with friends.
17. Denver and Hazel bought their first home in Otterbein, Indiana in 1974.
18. Denver and Hazel bought a second home in Florida, but sold it shortly after Denver's passing.
19. Denver loved to go fishing in Florida and could be seen out in a john boat throwing his line.
20. After retiring from farming, Denver and Hazel would always put out a large garden and share whatever they had with family and friends.
21. Denver loved raising horses, and one of everyone's favorite pictures of Denver is when he has a white horse reared back on his back legs with Denver sitting proudly on top. This picture has been found recently on an Ancestry.com site by another family member, possibly a cousin of Denver's.
21. Denver loved raising horses, and one of everyone's favorite pictures of Denver is when he has a white horse reared back on his back legs with Denver sitting proudly on top. This picture has been found recently on an Ancestry.com site by another family member, possibly a cousin of Denver's.
Hazel Mae Brown Drake ~ 1915-2008
1. There were 8 children born to Green and Martha Brown. Hazel was the youngest of 8 children.
2. Hazel's earliest memory was when she was 3 years old, when her brother Jim brought her a doll after he returned from service - WW1.
3. Hazel referred to herself as a tomboy, and loved helping her dad work on the farm.
4. Hazel helped her mom and dad smoke ham with hickory wood in a smokehouse.
5. Hazel did chores like chopping wood, milking cows and taking care of baby lambs.
6. Hazel loved to play checkers, hide-n-seek and marbles /jacks.
7. The Browns all went to The Smith Chapel Methodist Church in Kentucky.
8. Hazel attended Ford School. She was very tall and played basketball.
9. Hazel would sing duets with her classmate, Julie Mae Aubrey at school functions.
10. Hazel also played the guitar and loved to sing at church.
10. Hazel also played the guitar and loved to sing at church.
11. Hazel rode a horse 1 1/2 miles to school or walked with her sister Angie.
12. Hazel worked full time in a country store earning 50 cents a day.
13. Hazel met her husband, Denver, who lived close to the church that the Brown family attended, during a tent meeting.
14. Hazel learned to cook by watching her own mother, and everything was fresh and always made with butter.
15. One of Hazel's special treats for anyone who came to visit was her "butter rolls."
16. Hazel and Denver had 6 children.
17. Hazel would spend her time helping out with anything related to the farm after she was married to Denver.
18. Hazel churned her own butter and sold butter, milk and eggs, from the chickens they raised.
19. Hazel would always make a pie or take something to any church member whose family member had passed, or any other function.
20. At age 90, Hazel was still driving the car, and would pick up other ladies for church each Sunday when the weather was good.
21. A few of Hazel's favorite songs were "Beyond the Sunset," and "Amazing Grace."
22. Hazel loved "Minnie Pearl" and would often entertain others with her impression of "Minnie" at different functions.
22. Hazel loved "Minnie Pearl" and would often entertain others with her impression of "Minnie" at different functions.
23. Hazel enjoyed making quilts and made quilts for all her kids and grandkids through the years.
24. Hazel always had a beautiful flower garden, no matter where she lived.
