Francis M. Drake

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Francis M. Drake

Francis Marion Drake (born December 30, 1830 in Rushville , Illinois , † November 20, 1903 in Centerville , Iowa ) was an American politician and from 1896 to 1898 the 16th Governor of Iowa.

Early years and advancement

In 1837, Francis Drake moved with his parents to Fort Madison , Iowa. There he attended the local schools. After that, he began an adventurous life. Among other things, he accompanied settler treks across the prairies and the Rocky Mountains to California . During the American Civil War he rose to the position of Brigadier General in the Union Army . He was wounded several times and has since been taken prisoner of war.

After his military service he began to study law. After his admission to the bar, he began to work in his new profession, where he earned a good reputation as a criminal defense lawyer. At the same time, Drake was involved in the railroad business. This made him a rich man who supported some schools and his church community with his money. He also founded the Drake University named after him .

Political career

Before 1895, Drake was not politically active. That year he was elected as the Republican Party candidate for the new governor of Iowa. Drake took up his new office on January 16, 1896. During his two-year term in office, he took care of improving the infrastructure of his state. This mainly concerned the expansion of the waterways, the railroad network and the country roads. The school system was also promoted. On the question of prohibition , the governor left it to the local authorities to decide for themselves which regulations they wanted to introduce. In 1897, Drake decided not to run again for health reasons. Therefore, he resigned on January 13, 1898 from his office.

Further life

After his governorship, Drake withdrew from politics. He died in November 1903 and was buried in the Centerville cemetery. Francis Drake was married to Mary Jane Clerk, with whom he had seven children.

literature

  • Robert Sobel and John Raimo (Eds.): Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789–1978. Volume 2, Meckler Books, Westport, 1978. 4 volumes.

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Drake, Francis M.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Drake, Francis Marion (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American politician
DATE OF BIRTH December 30, 1830
PLACE OF BIRTH Rushville , Illinois
DATE OF DEATH November 20, 1903
Place of death Centerville , Iowa