Albert is the son of Samuel H. Dragoo and
his wife Margaret M. Bills.
------------------------------------
Note: PLEASE, do NOT transfer this
memorial to other web sites.
Thanks, Nancy (Letcher) Heib.
------------------------------------
Albert married Laura Della Neville, on 29 Oct. 1891 in Bartholomew County, Indiana. Laura was born in Bartholomew County Indiana on July 20, 1869, and she died in Franklin, Johnson County Indiana on July 10, 1947. Laura is the daughter of Benjamin Franklin Neville (1834 - 1897), and his wife Mary Ann Hurst (1841 - 1920).
--------------------------------------
A article was published in the local newspaper, regarding their Golden Wedding Anniversary. It reads as follows:
---
Mr. and Mrs. Albert Dragoo will celebrate their golden wedding anniversary Sunday with a basket dinner at their home, for the family. An open house will be held in the afternoon.
Mr. Dragoo was born August 14, 1871, on the farm adjoining his present farm. They now live on the farm that was once owned by Mr. Dragoo's great grandfather [Belteshazzar Dragoo Jr.]. Mrs. Dragoo, who was before her marriage Laura Della Neville, was born in Nineveh township, Bartholomew county, July 20, 1870 [1869]. They were married on Oct. 29, 1891, at the home of Mrs. Dragoo's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin F. Neville, by Rev. Clark Crawford, pastor of Pisgah, M. E. church.
There are six children all living: Mrs. Ernest [Ethel Mae] Hants of near Banta, Ralph Lloyd Dragoo, and Mrs. Harvey [Lucy] Prather of Indianapolis, Mrs. Marcus [Mary] Stillabower of Nineveh, and Roscoe Dragoo, who lives with his father and mother. Also there are eight grand children and one great grandchild.
---------------------------------
The six children of Albert Dragoo and his wife Laura Della Neville are:
(Three sons and three daughters)
-----------------------------
1. Ethel Mae Dragoo.
b. about 1893, in Indiana
(per 1900 census).
m. Ernest Hants (of Indianapolis)
(Feb. 5, 1890-July 1967).
Ernest is the son of George Hants
and his wife Catherine M. Hoerner.
Ernest and Ethel lived in Whiteland,
Indiana in 1963 and in 1967.
They had a son named Arthur W. Hants,
born July 21, 1918, and died
March 11, 2008 in Indianapolis, IN.
------------------------------
2. Roscoe Benjamin Dragoo.
b. July 13, 1895. in Indiana.
d. July 19, 1959.
Buried: Greenlawn Cemetery, Franklin, Ind.
----------------------------------
3. Lucy C. Dragoo.
b. about 1898, in Indiana
(per 1900, 1910 and 1920 census).
m. John HARVEY Prather (of Indianapolis),
the son of John Wesley Prather and his
wife Catherine Hazel Snelson.
----------------------------------
4. Ralph Floyd Dragoo (of Indianapolis).
b. Sept. 16, 1901, in Indiana.
m. Margaret Edelle Walters (1906-1932),
on Oct. 6, 1926.
She is the daughter of John Isaac Walters
and his wife Wilda Welrose Mullendore.
(In the 1930 census, they are living
in Indianapolis, Indiana, with a
daughter Louise age 1, and Ralph's
brother Lloyd Dragoo).
They had a daughter named
Margaret Louise Dragoo, who was
married twice:
Charles F. Bailey and Robert B. Barnett.
(See the memorial for Margaret Barnett
on find-a-grave, buried in the
Greenlawn Cemetery, Franklin, Ind.).
d. Ralph died Aug. 17, 1968.
Buried: Greenlawn Cemetery, in Franklin,
Johnson County Indiana.
----------------------------------
5. Mary Margaret Dragoo.
b. Born Nov. 22, 1907,
in Bartholomew County Indiana.
m. Charlis MARCUS Stillabower, on
Feb. 17, 1929 in Johnson County Indiana.
One daughter:
Wanda Faye (Stillabower) Hamilton.
d. Nov. 5, 2002,
in Franklin, Johnson County Indiana.
Buried: Greenlawn Cemetery, Franklin, IN.
------------------------------------
6. Loyd Albert Dragoo.
b. March 7, 1911, in Johnson Co. IN.
(In the 1930 census, he is living
with his brother Ralph Dragoo, in
Indianapolis, Marion County Indiana).
m. Dom Marie Harris (1910-2005),
the daughter of Joseph Edgar Harris,
and his wife Lena May.
In 1940 Loyd and his wife were living
in Speedway, Marion County Indiana.
d. April of 1986.
Buried: Lincoln Memory Gardens,
in Whitestown, Boone County Indiana.
_____________________________________

The obituary for Albert Dragoo reads as follows:
------------------------
MR. DRAGOO, 72, IS DEAD.
Lifelong Pisgah Farmer, Evacuated for Atterbury, Dies in Hopewell Community.
Albert Dragoo, age 72, died a 11 o'clock Monday night at his home two miles north-west of Franklin [IN] following an illness of several months. The body was taken to Edinburg [IN] to the Farr & Gosney funeral home. It will be returned to the late home where friends may call after 7 o'clock Tuesday evening. Funeral services will be held at 2 o'clock Thursday afternoon at Grace Methodist church here, with burial in Greenlawn cemetery. Mr. Dragoo was born August 14, 1871, in the Pisgah neighborhood where he spent his entire life as a farmer until the area was taken for Camp Atterbury. He was the son of Samuel H. and Margaret Bills Dragoo. He had been a faithful member of the Pisgah Methodist church and the Odd Fellows lodge of Edinburg [IN]. Mr. Dragoo married Laura D. Neville on October 29, 1891, and six children were born of the union. Surviving are the widow, three sons, Ralph Dragoo and Lloyd Dragoo, both of Indianapolis, and Roscoe Dragoo at home; three daughters, Mrs. Ernest [Mae] Hants and Mrs. Harvey [Lucy] Prather of Indianapolis and Mrs. Marcus [Mary Margaret] Stillabower of Nineveh [IN]; a brother, Oscar Dragoo, of Oklahoma City, Okla.; eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
______________________________________

Note: The land that Albert farmed, south of Franklin, in Johnson County Indiana, was purchased by Albert's Great grandfather Belteshazzar Draooo Jr., who purchased it from the U.S. Government in a land patent in 1825. This land was later taken by the U.S. Government (for less then it was worth), along with 44,000 acres including three small towns, and 45 family homes (including those of both he and his wife's relatives), to build an U. S army camp named Camp Atterbury in 1942.
---------------------------------
Note: All of the cemeteries in the area had to be moved and relocated to one area in Camp Atterbury. (Each cemetery is now identified by a letter, showing where in the Atterbury Cemetery they are located).
_______________________________________

This Dragoo family is of French ancestry. They came from Moeze, St. Nazaire, France. The french spelling of the surname was "Dragaud".
-----------------------------------
Albert Dragoo's ancestry is:
-----------------------------------
1. Pierre Dragaud I (born about 1639 in Moeze, St. Nazaire, France, and died in England), and his wife Jeanne Garnier. Three known children. They were what is known as "French Huguenots" who had to flee from their homeland (about 1681-1685) for fear of being persecuted, because they were not Catholic.
------------------------------------
2. Pierre Dragaud II (born about 1669 in Moise, Seintonge, France and died on April 3, 1712, in Staten Island, Richmond County New York), and his wife Elizabeth Tavaud, the daughter of Pierre Tavaud and Marie Goubeilla. Three known children. There is still a record that they were married at the French Church in Bristol, England, now known as "St. Mark's, The Lord Mayor's Chapel". [First generation in America].
-------------------------------------
3. Pierre (Peter) Dragoo III (born 1707 in Staten Island, Richmond County New York, and died 1753 in Frederick Co. Virginia), and his wife Lysbeth Guyon. Two known children.
------------------------------------
4. Peter Dragoo IV (born 1726 in Staten Island, New York, and died in Winchester, Frederick Co. Virginia), and his wife Mary (last name unknown). Nine known children.
-------------------------------------
5. Belteshazzer Dragoo Sr. (born Oct. 14, 1751 in Staten Island, Richmond County New York and died April 28, 1836 in Brown Co. Ohio) and his first wife Martha Hannah Butler, whom he married in 1771. Twelve known children. He was a soldier in the American Revolutionary War. They joined the shaker religion and are buried in shaker unmarked graves. He was the first permanent settler of Brown Co. Ohio in 1794. A monument was erected for him  by the D.A.R., near Riply, Brown County Ohio, marking the site of his cabin.
--------------------------------------
6. Belteshazzar Dragoo Jr. (born 1784 in Fayette Co. PA., and died in 1854, in Johnson Co. IN, and his wife Rebecca Austin, whom he married on Feb. 5or6, 1806. Burial site unknown. Seven known children. He built the Dragoo family farm in Johnson County Indiana, on land he purchased from the U.S. government in 1825. Four generations of his family would live there (Belteshazzar Jr., Daniel, Samuel H., and Albert Dragoo). This land was then taken by the U.S. government to build Camp Atterbury in 1942.
----
[Belteshazzar Jr.'s brother Andrew M. Dragoo (1782-1865), settled in Yorktown, Delaware County Indiana, and is buried in the Yorktown Cemetery].
----
[Belteshazzar Jr.'s cousin Jacob Dragoo settled in Buchanan, Berrien County Michigan in 1834. See the memorial for Jacob Dragoo, of Michigan, on this web site].
-------------------------------------
7. Daniel Dragoo Sr. (born Dec. 1, 1809 in Adams Co. Ohio and died Aug. 1, 1873), in Nineveh Township, Johnson Co. Indiana.), and his wife Abigail ("Abba") Poe (the daughter of Christopher Poe and his first wife Mary Hillman). They were married on Aug. 23, 1832 in Brown County Ohio. Twelve known children. Buried Atterbury Cemetery.
-------------------------------------
8. Samuel H. Dragoo (born Dec. 10, 1833, and died May 26, 1884 in Johnson Co. Indiana), and his wife Margaret Bills. Twelve known children. (Margaret was born Oct.18, 1834 and died Aug. 4, 1907). Both are buried in Atterbury Cemetery, Johnson County Indiana (Cemetery G, Row 7, Stone 6).
-------------------------------------
9. Albert Dragoo and his wife Laura Della Neville.  Born 1871 in Johnson County Indiana, and he died 1943 in Johnson County Indiana. Six children. Buried Greenlawn Cemetery, Franklin, Johnson County Indiana.
__________________________________________

Note: At the time that the U.S. government wanted to take his farm and the farms in his community, Albert Dragoo wrote an article that was published in the local newspaper named the "Daily Courier" on June 14, 1941.
It reads as follows:
----
FARMER AIRS VIEWS ON ARMY PROJECT.
Along with others who have expressed themselves through the medium of the Daily Courier, Albert Dragoo, well known farmer of this community, writes regarding the proposed army contonment near here, the loss of the valuable farm land and the farm homes.
His story follows:
"As a farm owner I have lived on the same farm my great grandfather obtained from the government in 1825. It has been in the family 116 years and I have lived all my 70 years on this farm, now the government wants it for an army camp.
In the area selected there are 45 families of my wife's relatives and mine, and it takes all our family homes from us. We feel that we would like to have a voice in this, so I am writing my views publicly.
We will not only have to give up our farms but we will be scattered miles apart and this loss of close family connections cannot be replaced at our age. I have dealt with the public for fifty years. I have traveled every foot of the ground the government is interested in and I know that it is the garden spot of Indiana. It is well drained and well improved land with black muck soil.
The church in our community was built in 1860. My grandparents and my mother were big contributors when this church was built. This and other churches must go. As true patriotic Americans we feel free in expressing ourselves about this problem.
The best way to appraise the farm land, in my opinion, is for the government to select a man, the township trustee to select a man, and they together with a man selected from each section, place a value on the farms. The farm owner can assist the appraisers and a fair value can be estimated.
If other farmers have anything to say, now is the time to say it, and not wait until it is all over".
[signed] ALBERT DRAGOO
-------------------------------------
Another article found (date unknown) states that the government had to raze twenty-one homes, twenty-five barns and more than 100 smaller structures, to make way for 500 barracks, hospital units and other buildings.
--------------------------------
When the Albert Dragoo homestead was dismantled it was found to embody a one-room cabin made of sixteen-inch poplar logs believed built more than 100 [116] years ago by members of the Dragoo family [Belteshazzar Dragoo Jr. and his sons], who were pioneer settlers. 
------------------------------------
Note: This memorial was researched
and written, by Nancy (Letcher) Heib
(a descendant of the Dragoo family).
------------------------------------
For additional information (with many newspaper clippings), see the 3-ring binders for this Dragoo family of Johnson County Indiana, in the Genealogy library, located in the basement of the "Johnson County Museum of History", at 135 N. Main Street, in Franklin, Indiana. Telephone (317) 346-4500.
-----------------------------------
Note: See the memorials for Albert Dragoo's father and for his grandfather, on this web site:
----------
Father Samuel H. Dragoo, and
Grandfather Daniel Dragoo Sr.
(died Aug. 1, 1873),
both of Johnson County Indiana.
--------------------------------
Click on photo of their headstone,
for an enlargement.
--------------------------------
Click on: "Find all Dragoo's in
Johnson County" (on the left column).
--------------------------------