According to her granddaughter, Pauline Drake, the actress, Cynthia’s father was killed in a house fire in New York City, saving his family. She says the children survived, but did not mention the mother. Cynthia, Georgia and Holmes Drake survived. They were living in New York City in 1860, and have not been located in the 1870 census. More research is needed to see if this story is actually true. Somehow the family made it to Chicago where Cynthia met John J. Bradley and married him.

1855 Massachusetts State Census, Suffolk County, Boston
dwelling 258, family 512
Charles Drake, age 38, male, baker, born Nova Scotia
Hannah J.——, age 30, female, born Nova Scotia
Cyntha A. ——, age 3, female, born Massachusetts
Holmes B. P.—, age 6 mo., male, born Massachusetts

1860 New York, New York County, New York City, 1st division, 19th ward, p. 215 (taken 25 Jun 1860)
dwelling 865, family 1659
John A. Drake [sic], age 35, male, marbleizer/painter, personal $200, born Nova Scotia
Ann J. —————, age 35, female, born Nova Scotia
Cynthia ————-, age 8, female, born Massachusetts
Holms —————, age 5, male, born Massachusetts
Frances G. ———, age 1, female, born New York

1870

1880 Illinois, Cook County, Normalville (?Englewood), Township of Lake, Chicago, E.D. 198, p. 336 and 337 Film T9-0200
Dwelling 501, Family 542
Bradley, J. J., white, male, age 31, head, stone cutter, born England, father born England, mother born England
---------, Elmira, white, female, age 24, wife, keeps house, born Massachusetts, father born England, mother born England
---------, Grace, white, female, age 6, daughter, born Illinois, [blank]
---------, Eva, white, female, age 3, daughter, born Illinois, [blank]
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Bradley, Albert, white, male, age 1, born Illinois, father born England, mother born England

1900 Colorado, Arapahoe County, Denver, 12th ward, 3rd precinct, E.D. 101, sheet 1, line 7, stamped page 32, Film T623-119
451 South 14th St., dwelling 2, family 2
Bradley, John J., head, white, male, born Sept 1852, age 48, married 25 years, born Isle of Man, father born England, mother Isle of
Man, immigrated 1872, 28 yrs in country, naturalized, stone contractor
Bradley, C. Almira, wife, white, female, born July 1856, age 44, married 25 years, mother of 5 children, 3 living, born
Massachusetts, father born Canada (Eng), mother born Canada (Eng)
Bradley, Eva L., daughter, white, female, Sept 1879, age 20, single, born Indiana, father born Isle of Man, mother born Massachusetts
Bradley, Albert J., son, white, male, July 1881, age 18, single, born Indiana, father born Isle of Man, mother Massachusetts
Bradley, Elmer F., son, white, male, Nov 1887, age 12, single, born Colorado, father born Isle of Man, mother Massachusetts

1910 Colorado, Denver County, Denver, ward 10, E.D. 138, sheet 3A, stamped 229 Film T624-116
1253 Acoma, dwelling 39, family 86
Prentiss, Cynthia A., head, female, white, age 48, widow, mother of 5 children, 3 living, born Massachusetts, father born Prince Edward Island [scratched out put Canada], mother, Nova Scotia [scratched out put Canada], own income, teacher of music
Jenkins, Eva L., daughter, female, white, age 26, married once for 6 years, mother of 1 child, 1 living, born Indiana, father England, mother Massachusetts
----------, Pauline E., granddaughter, female, white, age 14, single, born Colorado, father Kansas, mother Indiana
Peo???, Frank M., boarder, male, white, age 28, single, born Illinois, father Illinois, mother Tennessee
Fradiness?, John A., boarder, male, white, age 21 single, born Pennsylvania, father Pennsylvania, mother Pennsylvania, bookkeeper in bank
Farmer, Charles V (?), boarder, male, white, age 24, single, born Nebraska, father Illinois, mother Michigan, boxmaker, factory
Truitt, James, servant, male, white, age 36, single, born Delaware, father Delaware, mother Delaware, works for private family
Lewis, Ellis J., boarder, male, white, age 41, single, born Iowa, father Ohio, mother Ohio, attorney at office
Paire, Stanley C. boarder, male, white, age 22, single, born England, father unknown, mother England, immigrated 1909, chauffeur at a garage

1920 California, Los Angeles County, Burbank, E.D. 18, p. 2A, stamped page 36, Film T625-102
1207 Mariposa Ave., dwelling 39, family 40
Prentiss, Cynthia A., head, owns house, female, white, age 59, widow, born Massachusetts, father born Prince Edward Island, mother born Nova Scotia, seamstress (living alone)

1930 California, Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, Assembly Dist. 54, Block 118, E.D. 653, sheet 7A, stamped p. 71, film T626-161
2334 Laverna Avenue, dwelling 132, family 139
Troxel, Enoch A., head, rents, $45/mo., radio, male, white age 50, married, age 27 at first marriage, born Iowa, father born Iowa, mother born Iowa, postal clerk, works Post Office City of Los Angeles
--------, Eva L., wife, female, white, age 46, married, age 20 at first marriage, born Indiana, father born England, mother born Massachusetts
--------, Maxine O., daughter, female, white, age 14, single, born California, father born Iowa, mother born Iowa
Prentiss, Cynthia A., mother-in-law, female, white, age 77, widow, born Massachusetts, father born Prince Edward Island, mother born United States

1940 California, Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, E.D. 60-943, sheet 3B
936 W. 7th Pl., family 111, rents $20
Prentiss, Cynthia, head, female, white, age 87, widow, 4 years high school, born Massachusetts, lived same place in 1935

Cynthia A was plaintiff in divorce proceedings
Elmer was only minor child at age 15