Johannes Rake, an immigrant from Switzerland, is thought to have arrived in Pennsylvania in 1738. He was present in Hunterdon County as early as 1761 when he witnessed the will of Jacob Houshel. Given that his first child was not born until 1768, it seems likely that Rake married his first wife in America. The birthdate for second wife Elsa seems very late, nearly two generations younger than John Rake. More information is needed.
Addendum, 1/1/2021: Some Rake family researchers suspect that John Rake of Amwell Township was originally Johannes Recher of Basel, Switzerland. There is new evidence that Johannes Recher emigrated to Philadelphia in 1738.
This article was published together with The Rake Cemetery. Only three members of the family were buried there. Their names are highlighted in purple. If a member of the Rake family is featured in one of my articles, I have linked his/her name to that article. Surnames of spouses whose families also have published trees on this website are highlighted in green.
All the family trees on this website are focused on residents of Hunterdon County. Children of daughters are included but not granddaughters. Feel free to make additions or corrections in the comments section below or by email. (This tree has been updated on 11/30/2020.)
First Generation:
(1) John Rake (c.1726 – 1805)
| m. 1) Unknown (c.1740 – c.1785)
| m. 2) Elsa (c.1763 – 1823)
Second Generation:
(1) John Rake & 1) Unknown
| (2.1) John Rake Jr. (1768 – 1826) & Euphemia/Ufamy (1769 – 1846)
| (2.2) Henry Casper Rake Sr. (c.1770 – 1849) & Catherine Kalthoff (c.1770 – )
| (2.3) Elizabeth Rake (1773 – 1846) & Elisha Rittenhouse Jr. (c.1768 – 1806)
| (2.4) William Rake (1781 – 1850)
| | | m. 1) Ann Hoppock (c.1780 – )
| | | m. 2) Lydia/Lidda Larew (1769 – 1802)
| | | m. 3) Anna Larew (c.1786 – 1845)
| (2.5) Solomon Rake (c.1784 – ) & Catherine Kitchen (c.1780 – )
(1) John Rake & 2) Elsa
| (2.6) Jacob Rake (c.1788 – 1817) & Hannah Thatcher (c.1790 – )
| (2.7) Philip Rake (1790 – c.1854) & Catharine Myers (1794 – bef. 1850)
| (2.8) Franklin Gordon Rake (c.1792 – )
Third Generation:
(1) John Rake & 1) Unknown
| (2.1) John Rake Jr. & Euphemia/Ufamy
| | (3.1) Joseph Rake (1791 – 1816)
| | (3.2) Solomon Rake (1793 – bef. 1833)
| | (3.3) John Rake (1795 – bef. 1833)
| | (3.4) Daniel P. Rake (1797 – after 1870) & Unknown
| | (3.5) Eleanor Rake (1799 – 1870) & Charles Ewing (1791 – 1879)
| | (3.6) Elizabeth Rake (1802 – bef. 1833)
| | (3.7) Ann Nancy Rake (1805 – bef. 1833)
| (2.2) Henry Casper Rake Sr. & Catherine Kalthoff
| | (3.1) Henry Rake (1796 – 1873)
| | (3.2) Else Rake (1798 – 1853) & William Swallow (1794 – 1869)
| | (3.3) Izer/Isaiah Rake (c.1803 – ) & Esther Lowrey Alexander (c.1813 – )
| | (3.4) Elias M. Rake (1808 – 1873) & Catharine Wolverton (c.1811 – 1897)
| | (3.5) Jane Rake (c.1819 – )
| (2.3) Elizabeth Rake & Elisha Rittenhouse Jr.
| | (3.1) Amy Fulper Rake (1804 – 1858) & Emanuel Little Hoffman (1800 – 1878)
| (2.4) William Rake & 1) Ann Hoppock
| | (3.1) George Rake (1798 – )
| (2.4) William Rake & 2) Lydia Lidda Larew
| | (3.2) Jacob F. Rake (c.1801 – after 1882) & Amy Fulper (c.1793 – after 1880)
| | (3.3) Jonathan Hunter Rake (1802 – 1874) & Adeline Godown (1804 – 1875)
| (2.4) William Rake & 3) Anna Larew
| | (3.4) Peter Rake (1803 – 1873) & Mary Barton (1802 – 1880)1
| | (3.5) Izer Isaac Rake (c.1812 – after 1860) & Hester Warrick (c.1814 – )
| (2.5) Solomon Rake & Catherine Kitchen
| | (3.1) Samuel Kitchen Rake (c.1802 – )
| | (3.2) Amos Rake (c.1804 – )
| | (3.3) Else Ann Rake (c.1805 – )
(1) John Rake & 2) Elsa
| (2.6) Jacob Rake & Hannah Thatcher
| | (3.1) William Rake (c.1810 – )
| | (3.2) Thatcher Rake (c.1811 – )
| | (3.3) David Rake (c.1813 – ) & Ury Mason (c.1810 – )
| | (3.4) Phillip Rake (1815 – 1865)
| (2.7) Philip Rake & Catharine Myers
| | (3.1) Kate Rake (1822 – bef. 1850)
| | (3.2) Asher W. Rake (1830 – 1893) & Clarissa W. Black
| | (3.3) Charity Rake (1835 – 1903) & Garret Docherty (1834 – 1909)
| | (3.4) Hiram O. Rake (1836 – 1895) & Luella F. Goodrich
Fourth Generation:
(1) John Rake & 1) Unknown
| (2.1) John Rake Jr. & Euphemia/Ufamy
| | (3.4) Daniel P. Rake & Unknown
| | | (4.1) Benjamin E. Rake (1829 – )
| | (3.5) Eleanor Rake & Charles Ewing
| | | (4.1) James G. Ewing (1817 – 1892) & Margaret Biggs (1821 – 1896)
| | | (4.2) Franklin P. Ewing (1821 – 1895) & Susan R. Anderson (1834 – 1916)
| | | (4.3) John Q. A. Ewing (1824 – 1900) & Sarah Ann Case (1823 – 1912)
| | | (4.4) Ezekiel Ewing (1826 – 1891) & Hannah
| | | (4.5) Mary Jane Ewing (1829 – 1919) & Pvt. Eden H. Snook (1828 – 1894)
| | | (4.6) Peter Ewing (1832 – 1872) & Rachel (c.1837 – after 1870)
| | | (4.7) David Y. Ewing (1835 – 1913) & Sarah Chatten (1836 – 1915)
| | | (4.8) Joseph O. Ewing (1838 – 1868) & Sarah Ann Appelton (c.1840 – )
| | | (4.9) Martha Elen Ewing (1840 – 1860) & Peter Cray (1832 – 1874)
| | (3.2) Else Rake & William Swallow
| | | (4.1) boy Swallow (1815 – )
| | | (4.2) Catharine E. Swallow (1816 – 1891) & John K. Buchanan (1813 – 1893)
| | | (4.3) John R. Swallow Jr. (1821 – 1881) & Amy Aller (1820 – 1879)
| | | (4.4) William B. Swallow (1824 – 1899) & Elizabeth Case (1827 – 1893)
| | | (4.5) Lemuel Swallow (1831 – 1855) & Elizabeth Dockerty (1834 – 1862)
| (2.2) Henry Casper Rake Sr. & Catherine Kalthoff
| | (3.4) Elias M. Rake & Catharine Wolverton
| | | (4.1) John Wolverton Rake (1835 – 1909) & Adeline Dawes (1830 – 1914)
| | | (4.2) Izer/Isaiah G. Rake (1837 – 1875) & Amy Buchanan (1839 – 1904)
| | | (4.3) Alice A. Rake (1840 – ) & William Antes (1830 – after 1905)
| | | (4.4) Aaron H. Rake (1844 – 1925)
| | | | | m. 1) Sarah Carkhuff (1848 – 1893)
| | | | | m. 2) Nellie Connor (1866 – 1943)
| (2.4) William Rake & 2) Lydia Lidda Larew
| | (3.2) Jacob F. Rake & Amy Fulper
| | | (4.1) John G. Rake (c.1828 – 1907)
| | | (4.2) William Rake (1833 – after 1900) & Margaret Besson (1838 – )
| | (3.3) Jonathan Hunter Rake & Adeline Godown
| | | (4.1) Jacob Fox Rake (1826 – 1885) & Sarah Ann Case (1830 – 1887)
| | | (4.2) Sarah A. Rake (c.1829 – 1852) & Pierson Matthews (1824 – 1872)
| | | (4.3) Caroline Rake (c.1830 – 1834)
| | | (4.4) Jonathan Hunter Rake Jr. (1830 – 1897)
| | | (4.5) Susan E. Rake (1841 – 1917)
| | | | | m. 1) Joseph Philkill (c.1829 – )
| | | | | m. 2) Camille Grosjean
| (2.4) William Rake & 3) Anna Larew
| | (3.4) Peter Rake & Mary Barton
| | | (4.1) Sarah Rake (1837 – 1925) & unknown Docherty (c.1835 – )2
| | | (4.2) Lydia Rake (1838 – after 1900) & Daniel Dilts (c.1837 – after 1900)
| | | (4.3) John B. Rake (1838 – 1865), unmarried
| | | (4.4) William Rake (c.1840 – after 1863), unmarried
| | | (4.5) Elizabeth Rake (1844 – 1930), left H.C.
| | | | | m. 1) Charles VanDorn (c.1840 – )
| | | | | m. 2) Alonzo Firkin (1847 – 1939)
| | | (4.6) Asa Rake (c.1847 – 1920) & Emma Housel (1855 – 1929), left H.C.
(1) John Rake & 2) Elsa
| (2.6) Jacob Rake & Hannah Thatcher
| | (3.3) David Rake & Ury Mason
| | | (4.1) Calvin Rake (c.1834 – 1865)
| | | (4.2) Wilson L. Rake (1835 – 1907) & Mary Jane Dalrymple (c.1842 – 1886)
| | | (4.3) Pvt. Edward M. Rake (1838 – 1905)
| (2.7) Philip Rake & Catharine Myers
| | (3.2) Asher W. Rake & Clarissa W. Black
| | | (4.1) Samuel Quincy Rake (1856 – )
| | (3.3) Charity Rake & Garret Docherty
| | | (4.1) James Buchanan Docherty (1856 – 1943)
| | | (4.2) Lillie Docherty (c.1869 – 1887)
| | | (4.3) John W. Docherty (1864 – 1953) & Mary R. Voorhees (1864 – 1925)
Fifth Generation:
(1) John Rake & 1) Unknown
| (2.2) Henry Casper Rake Sr. & Catherine Kalthoff
| | (3.4) Elias M. Rake & Catharine Wolverton
| | | (4.1) John Wolverton Rake & Adeline Dawes
| | | | (5.1) Peter B. Rake (1858 – 1911) & Artilda Markee (1876 – 1927)
| | | | (5.2) George W. Rake (1859 – 1933) & Naomi Snook (1867 – 1909)
| | | | (5.3) Catharine Ann Rake (1863 – 1943) & William A. Potts Sr. (1849 – 1911)
| | | | (5.4) Sarah Jane Rake (1864 – 1932) & John Reamer (1859 – 1950)
| | | | (5.5) Elias M. Rake (1868 – 1941) & Laura C. Markee (1878 – 1967)
| | | (4.2) Izer Isaiah G. Rake & Amy Buchanan (Most of their children moved west.)
| | | | (5.1) Lemuel Rake (1858 – bef. 1870)
| | | | (5.2) Andrew H. Rake (1859 – 1928) & Watie E. Bell (1863 – 1932)
| | | | (5.3) Lambert B. Rake (1861 – 1945) & Alma Glass (1861 – 1919)
| | | | (5.4) Amy Catharine Rake (1864 – 1944) & George W. Horten (1861 – 1949), no children
| | | | (5.5) Aaron R. Rake (1865 – 1935)
| | | | | | m. 1) Elizabeth Alles (1868 – 1916)
| | | | | | m. 2) Annie Alles (1872 – 1952)
| | | | (5.6) Edward Henry Rake (1866 – 1916) & Catherine M. Thompson (1874 – 1903)
| | | | (5.7) Sarah Etta Rake (1867 – 1954) & Oscar Kerr (c.1865 – 1900)
| | | | (5.8) William Curtis [or Cobb] Rake (1872 – 1949) & Luella Olive Winters (1881 – 1933)
| | | | (5.9) Theodore J. Rake (1873 – 1947) & Bridget Kilheaney (c.1875 – )
| | | | (5.10) Lewis B. Rake (1875 – 1942) & Harriet Emma Dalton (1876 – 1957)
| | | (4.3) Alice A. Rake & William Antes
| | | | (5.1) William E. Antes (c.1868 – )
| | | | (5.2) Lewis E. Antes (c.1870 – )
| | | | (5.3) Charles Antes (c.1873 – )
| | | | (5.4) Emma Antes (c.1874 – )
| | | | (5.5) John H. Antes (c.1878 – )
| (2.4) William Rake & 2) Lydia Lidda Larew
| | (3.2) Jacob F. Rake & Amy Fulper
| | | (4.2) William Rake & Margaret Maggie Besson
| | | | (5.1) William Besson Rake (1875 – ), never married
| (2.4) William Rake & 3) Anna Larew
| | (3.4) Peter Rake & Mary Barton
| | | (4.1) Lydia Rake & Daniel Dilts
| | | | (5.1) Anna V. (1862 – 1865)
| | | | (5.2) Hart Dilts (1866 – after 1920) & Mary Myers (c.1868 – bef. 1920)
| | | (4.6) Asa Rake & Emma Housel
| | | | (5.1) Bessie M. Rake (1879 – 1960) & Robert D. Martin (1878 – 1953)
(1) John Rake & 2) Elsa
| (2.6) Jacob Rake & Hannah Thatcher
| | (3.3) David Rake & Ury Mason
| | | (4.2) Wilson L. Rake & Mary Jane Dalrymple
| | | | (5.1) Lillian Rake (1860 – 1933)
| | | | (5.2) Franklin P. Rake (1866 – 1928)
| | | | (5.3) Alfred Willver Rake (1870 – 1945)
| | | | (5.4) Edward Mason Rake (1877 – 1949)
Sixth Generation:
(1) John Rake & 1) Unknown
| (2.2) Henry Casper Rake Sr. & Catherine Kalthoff
| | (3.4) Elias M. Rake & Catharine Wolverton
| | | (4.1) John Wolverton Rake & Adeline Dawes
| | | | (5.1) Peter B. Rake & Artilda Markee
| | | | | (6.1) Benjamin William Rake (1895 – 1961)
| | | | | (6.2) Clarence Rake (1896 – 1915)
| | | | | (6.3) James Dalley Rake (1899 – 1957) & Eleanor German (1902 – 1987)
| | | | (5.2) George W. Rake & Naomi Snook
| | | | | (6.1) Georgianna Rake (1894 – 1919)
| | | | | (6.2) Viola A. Rake (1896 – 1993) & Robert C. Smith (c.1895 – )
| | | | | (6.3) Mary Ellen Rake (1898 – 1985) & William Leroy Smith (1892 – 1969)
| | | | | (6.4) Harry Oliver Rake (1900 – 1962) & Carolyn E. Moore (1904 – 1951)
| | | | | (6.5) Albert Thomas Rake (1906 – 1988) & Elsie R. Reffuge [?] (1913 – 1989)
| | | | | (6.6) Norman L. Rake (1908 – 1966) & Ruth C. Ewing (1909 – 1982)
| | | | (5.3) Catharine Ann Rake & William A. Potts Sr.
| | | | | (6.1) Laura Potts (1892 – 1972) & Bernard James McKeon (1885 – 1939)
| | | | | (6.2) William Earl Potts (1898 – 1949)
| | | | (5.5) Elias M. Rake & Laura C. Markee
| | | | | (6.1) Amos Quick Rake (1897 – 1989)
| | | | | (6.2) Adaline R. Rake (1900 – 1999)
Corrections:
Sept. 10, 2018, Ed Pagan pointed out that his grandfather, Harry O. Rake, lived and died in Raritan Township. He did not leave Hunterdon County.
Footnotes:
- Peter Rake is problematic. Find-a-Grave gives his birthdate as Jan. 1803, but William Rake did not marry Peter’s mother until Nov. 1804. Wm Rake’s first wife Lydia died in November 1802, so it seems Peter must belong to Anna. ↩
- Sarah appeared in the 1870 census as Sarah Docherty 33, living in the East Amwell household of Peter Rake. In 1880, she was Sarah E. Rake, age 42, housekeeper in the house of John Buchanan of Franklin township. Finad-a-Grave says she died in Iowa in 1925, so presumably she left Hunterdon County after 1880. She may be related in some way to the Elizabeth Dockerty (1834-1862) who married Lemuel Swallow, #3.2 – 4.5 above, or to Garret Docherty who married Charity Rake, #2.7 – 3.3. ↩
Geoff Raike
May 19, 2018 @ 10:18 am
That was smart by staying within HC. The Rake family tree is too extensive. I did spend some time up in Danville, Northumberland County, PA doing research on Henry’s extensive family.
Edward Clifford
September 18, 2018 @ 10:27 am
Geoff,
My ancestry goes back to Mary Ann (Rake) Snyder, daughter of Henry Rake,(1796-1873, Sunbury, Pa.) Have you found any more on Henry (1770-1849) and Catherine? I do have the information from the historical society of Northumberland Co., but most is the later Rake’s, i.e., Henry (1796-1873) and his family. Thank’s for anything extra that you might have. Ed
Charles Rake
May 27, 2020 @ 5:40 am
Hi Geoff,
I see a quite distant Ancestry match (18cm) for my mother with Ruth Raike (living in your area). I note that Ruth is descended from Solomon , who as I recall died in New England during War of 1812, & a son of Johannes Rake. My mother is descended from Johannes son Henry Sr. & his son Elias. I see in other discussions that you’ve also done some DNA research. If I recall correctly, my mothers DNA came up with distant but quite direct matches to 5 of Johannes children. Would this info be of any use or interest to you?
Nancy murphy
March 3, 2021 @ 6:24 am
My great grandpa was Theodore J Rake married to Bridget Kilheeney, who gave birth to my grandma Mary Catherine Rake in 1903, and she married Harry J Benoit b. 1903, and they had three children.
Rachel Signor
May 12, 2021 @ 10:58 pm
The Rakes are on my paternal side of the family. I thought you’d find it interesting that prior to researching my family history, William Cobb Rake and wife Luella moved to Michigan… a few generations, and marriages later, my daughter was born in Flemington, NJ. Bringing William’s 3rd great-granddaughter back to NJ.
Charles Clemens Rake
December 17, 2021 @ 12:06 am
Hi Rachel, I was born in Flemington &grew up there. Spent my first 40 years living within 10 miles of Johannes Rakes former farm in nearby Sandbrook. There are actually a few descendants still living in Flemington area, but I don’t know if any still carry the Rake name. Interesting that things came full circle in that your daughter was born in Hunterdon Medical Center. Do you by any chance know Sandy Rake from Muskegon, Mi.? She did quite extensive Rake family research beginning in the mid 70’s & put much of the puzzle together. She and other Michigan Rakes even visited various Flemington members a few times. I’ve visited Sandy & many Michigan family members between the 1970’s & 2015. Apparently, you are descended from Izer (aka Isaac or Isiah Rake) & I am descended from Izers older brother John Wolverton Rake, two of four children of Elias M. & Catherine Wolverton Rake. Quite interesting to see the updated info above regarding the possibility that Johannes may have been from Switzerland.
Robert Reeves
December 23, 2021 @ 9:42 am
Hi, just came across this fantastic update on the Rake family tree. I have new input on my 4th great grandfather Iser Rake (not Izer). Your information comes from my original tentative ancestry.com tree and unfortunately has been copied many times. I have since found that his wife is Esther Warrick born 24 Oct 1812 and have DNA matches to both her father and mother (Abraham Warrick and Esther Hunt).(Esther and her mother are sometimes referred to as Hester.) I also now believe Iser is the son of William, not Henry. I have DNA matches through brothers Henry(3), William(6), and Phillip(1). But I also have DNA matches through at least five of Moses Larew’s children. Also, Iser’s first son is named William (only other son is John). In the US Censuses, based on month of birth he can be born between 1800 to 1805, but new information from NY state mid decade censuses shows him 1800 or 1801 on both, so I have changed his birth to 1801 and based on William’s son Jacob being 60 in 1860, I would assume his birth at 1799 or 1800, not 1801. So I am assuming Iser the middle of three sons of William and Lydia. He is listed as Iser in five censuses and Isa in one. I actually don’t have any record of Isaiah, that was another assumption. Iser is in the 1875 NY census with his wife and she is in the 1880 US census as a widow. FYI, the six DNA matches for William are through his sons George and Jonathan Hunter. Thanks for all your work. Robert
Marfy Goodspeed
December 23, 2021 @ 10:29 am
Wow–looks like it’s back to the drawing board. At the moment I have an Izer Rake, son of Wm & Anna Larew Rake, married to a Hester Warrick, but they left Hunterdon for Sullivan County, NY, so I lost track of them. The Izer who was the son of Henry supposedly married Esther Lowrey Alexander, which means two Izers married to two Esther/Hesters. That seems suspicious–I’ll have to check it out. Thanks for the info.
Marfy Goodspeed
December 29, 2021 @ 7:45 am
Thanks for the new information. Just one reservation–Keep in mind that William & Lydia married on Jan. 12, 1800. A birth of 1799 for Jacob Rake seems highly unlikely, but sometime in 1800 would work.