Son of Jacob Dragoo and his
wife Isabella Jones, of
Monongalia County Virginia,
and later, of Buchanan,
Berrien County Michigan.
--------------------------
-------------------------
Michael was born near Barrackville,
in Monongalia County Virginia.
Note: This area is "now" part of
Marion County West Virginia.
-----------------------------
Michael first moved with his parents
and his siblings from Monongalia
County Virginia, to "McCoy's Creek"
(now known as Buchanan, Berrien
County) Michigan, in 1834.
-------------------------------
m. April 5, 1846, in Buchanan,
Berrien County Michigan, to
Mary C. Cathcart, the
daughter of Robert C. Cathcart
and his wife Polly Peck, of
Buchanan, Berrien County Michigan.
-----------------------------
Their marriage record reads as follows:
---
"Married by me on the fifth day of
April, 1846, at the residence of Polly
Cathcart in Buchanan, Berrien County
Michigan, Mr. Michael Dragoo, aged 21,
to wife Mary C. Cathcart, age 18,
both partners of the Township of
Buchanan, County of Berrien, and
State of Michigan, in presence of
William Cathcart and Julius Cathcart,
both of the County and State of foresaid.
David Fink, Justice of the Peace".
------------------------------
Note: Michael's wife Mary C. Cathcart
had three brothers, William, Julius,
and Thomas Cathcart. At least two of
them also moved to California.
-----------------------------
The 1850 census of Berrien County
Michigan, lists Michael Dragoo,
age 26, as a physician.
------------------------------
Note: Michael is listed as
"Dr. Dragoo", in "A Twentieth Century
History of Berrien County Michigan,
by Orville W. Coolidge, 1906",
page 491.
He was also listed as "Dr. Dragoo"
in his death notice in the Sacramento,
California newspaper.
-----------------------------
Michael and Mary had eight children:
(the first three born in Buchanan,
Berrien County Michigan, and the
rest born in California).
Note: Their youngest son John,
was the only one of their six
sons to marry.
----------------------------
1. Neil Jorthy Dragoo.
b. 1850, in Buchanan, Berrien Co. MI.
(He possibly died before 1860).
-----------------------------
2. Frank John Dragoo.
b. 1852, in Buchanan, Berrien Co. MI.
-----------------------------
3. Jacob Robert ("Jake") Dragoo.
b. 1855, in Buchanan, Berrien Co. MI.
-----------------------------
4. Michael Jacob Dragoo [Jr.]
b. about 1857, in California.
---------------------------
5. Mary ("May") Dragoo.
b. about 1858, in California.
--------------------------
6. Susan Ann ("Susie") Dragoo.
b. Dec. 18, 1862, in San Ramon,
Contra Costa County California.
m. Charles Eugene Day, aka John Tucker.
[He changed his hame from John Tucker
to Charles Eugene Day after he was in
the war, and later moved to California].
d. "Susy Ann Day" died on Feb. 2, 1945,
in Kern, California.
--------------------------
7. Thomas Dragoo.
b. about 1863, in California.
--------------------------
8. John Arthur Dragoo.
b. about 1865-1866, in California.
m. Belle Zora Patterson, on
Feb. 15, 1893, in Hollister,
San Benito County California.
d. May 14, 1936, in Stockton,
San Joaquin County California.
John was always called "Papa Johnny"
(per his granddaughter Norma Zeller).
Buried: Rural Cemetery,
in Stockton,
San Joaquin County California.
John and Belle had five children:
(1.) Verne Thomas Dragoo.
(2.) Howard Leon Dragoo.
(3.) Holly Carl Dragoo.
(4.) Dorothy Mae Dragoo.
(5.) Marjorie Ellen Dragoo.
_________________________

In 1853, Michael, along with his
brother Ewell ("Uel") Dragoo,
Mary's brother Julius Cathcart, and
several other men, traveled from
McCoy's Creek (Buchanan, Berrien
County) Michigan, to California,
for the "Gold Rush".
They arrived at Diamond Springs,
about 1 and a half miles from
Placerville, California
(East of Sacramento, CA).
------------------------------
After Michael returned from the
Gold Rush, he moved his wife Mary,
and their first three children,
to California (about 1855 to 1857).
-------------------------------
The 1860 census shows M. J. [Michael S.]
Dragoo, age 37, born about 1823 [1824],
with his wife M. C. [Mary C.] Dragoo and
their children, living in Georgetown,
El Dorado County California.
----------------------------
In Dec. of 1862, their daughter
Susan Ann "Susie", was born in
San Ramon, Contra Costa Co. California.
-----------------------------
Michael died on Feb. 15, 1866.
The "Sacramento Daily Union" newspaper,
in Sacramento, California, published
the following in Volume 30, Number 4665,
on March 7, 1866:
---
"Died - Near Bruensville, Contra Costa
County [CA], Feb. 25, [1866],
Dr. M. J. [or M. S.] Dragoo,
aged about 43 years".
----------------------------
The 1870 census shows Michael's
wife Mary living (without Michael),
with seven children, in
Contra Costa County California.
---------------------------
The 1880 census shows Mary, as a
widow, still living with seven
children, in San Ramon, Contra
Costa County California.
------------------------------
Michael's burial site is unknown.
------------------------------
Michael's wife Mary died in 1896,
and is buried in the Alamo Cemetery,
in Contra Costa County California.
------------------------------
For additional information, see the
memorials for his father Jacob Dragoo,
and his father-in-law Robert C. Cathcart,
both of Buchanan, Berrien County Michigan.
------------------------------