Introduction / Families / Drever / David Drever and Ann Reid / John Drever and Barbara Groat

John Drever and Ann Allan Hercus

John Drever was son of John Drever and Barbara Groat of Windywa. He was born on 9th December 1844 and baptised 23rd February 1845.

John married Ann Allan Hercus, the third of nine children to William Hercus and Elizabeth Allan from Cott. She was born at there on 7th February 1854 (c. 28th March 1854). The marriage took place in Pharay on 8th April 1875.

John and Ann had nine children who were born at Windywa.

• John Drever, b. 10th Nov 1875 who was one of the Pharay Heroes. He lived all his life on Orkney, in later years at or near Kirkwall.

• Isabella Drever, b. 4th Dec 1876 who married George McKinley on 15th Feb 1898 in St Andrews Parish, had six children, and lived in Edinburgh.

• William Drever, b. 9th Oct 1878, and d. 2nd Dec 1956. He emigrated to the US in 1908 and married Minnesota native Mary Topinka. In 1920 he was a carpenter with his own shop in St. Paul. He and his family traveled to Scotland for a visit in 1921. He had a family of two daughters.

• David Drever, b. 9th Jan 1881 and died 25th Apr 1917, a casualty of WWI

• Ann Drever, b. 25th Apr 1883 who married William Wallace of the Ness

• Elizabeth (Lizzie) J. Drever, b. 1886 who emigrated to Detroit, Michigan in 1915 and married John Harrison, a Scotsman. They had four children and John worked in an auto factory.

• Jessie Drever, b. 13th Apr 1889 who in 1913 married Alexander M. Hume, lived in Edinburgh and died in 1951. They had five sons.

• Mary Drever, b. 4th Apr 1892 and lived at New Green, Holm.

• Barbara Drever, b. 22nd Sep 1897 who married James Harcus of Eday in 1928 at St Andrews Parish and later lived at the Ness in Tankerness. They had five children.

John and Ann lived at Windywall with their family where John was a farmer. Later in life they moved to New Green, Holm, probably with or near to their son John and/or daughter Mary. John died at New Green 15th February 1928, age 76 and Ann died about a year later, on 6th January 1929, age 74. Their son John reported both deaths.