Republican Observer, Richland Center, Wisconsin Thursday, August 9, 1923, Page 8

Sophia Drake was born near Monroeville, in Carroll county, Ohio, on May 6, 1842. She was one of a family of eleven children, and was ten years of age when her parents died. Sophia made her home with an older married sister, Eliza, the wife of D.N. Withrow.

Early in the year 1860 she came with the Withrows to Richland county and they settled near the present site of the village of Bloom City.

Upon their arrival at Richland Center she met Thomas Gillingham, who had now been a resident of Richland county for eight years, and on January 31st, 1861, they were married. They had both come from Ohio, their residences being only a few miles apart, but they had never met until they met in Wisconson. After their marriage they located in the dense wilderness in a log cabin, where they began the battle of pioneer life in the township of Marshall. The planned and worked together for fifty-three years, until April 23, 1914, when the husband and father was taken by death.

Since the death of her husband, she has remained in the old home, which made a continuous residence at this place of 62 years. Since November, 1921, on account of failing health, she has made her home with her daughter, Mrs. Lulu Hoskins, where she passed away on the 25th of July at the age of 81 years, 2 months and 29 days.

She was the mother of twelve children, six boys and six girls, William E. and Mrs. Ella Benton, of Richland Center, Ervin, Harley, John, Virgil, Mrs. Lulu Hoskins and Mrs. Vangie Doudna, all of Gillingham, and Mrs. Jay Shaffer, of Boaz, who survive her, and Charles H., Mrs. John D. Fogo, and Mrs. John McNelly, who have preceded her to the Beyond. She was the only survivor of her father's family, all her brothers and sisters preceding her in death.

In early life she with her husband became members of the United Brethren church, shortly after it was organized in the first church in section two, of the township of Marshall, located near the Fishel farm. Later this church was removed to Spring Hill, and in 1883, a new church building was erected near Gillingham. She remained an active member of this class until death. She was a great worker, a real mother, a lover of her home, and to this she clung to the last.
Funeral services were held on Saturday at two p.m., July 28th, 1923, at the Presbyterian church on Fancy Creek, conducted by Rev. R. Hilton, pastor of the United Brethren church of Gillingham, assisted by J. Hart Truesdale, of Reedsburg.

Her remains were laid to rest by those of her husband in the family lot in the Fancy Creek cemetery near Gillingham. In attendance from a distance was a nephew from East Liverpool, Ohio.