From Michigan Place Names
This village on the Flint River, in Deerfield Township, was first settled by Lorenzo Merrill and family, natives of New York, in 1853. The town was organized in 1855. Since there was already a Deerfield post office in Michigan, this one was given a post office named Drake, with Abner C. Folson as its first postmaster on Nov. 26, 1877. The office operated until June 30, 1905 [Page; PO Archives].