Iowa. .January 18, 1896 to Jan Dart 13, 189&
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
SIX PK IN III UUVKHNOII OF IOWA. .JANUARY 18, 1896 TO JAN DART 13, 189&. FRANCIS MARION DRAKF. x BY W. II. B^LEMTSTG. Francis Marion Drake, governor of the State 1896-1898, departed this life November 20, 1903, in the seventy-third year of his age. Thus closed the earthly career of a worthy man, one of Iowa's most notable philanthropists. Governor Drake was descended from James Drake, who went from the colony of Virginia to that of North Carolina in the eighteenth century. Sev- eral of the family have been notable characters in the history of Nash county, North Carolina, in both colony and State, as they were also in the war of the Revolution. James Drake's son Benjamin married Celia Thayer. Their son, John Adams, born in 1802, married Harriet J. O'Neil, and after a briof resi- dence in Tennessee, removed to Illinois, where, in Sehuyler county, their second son, Francis Marion, was born December 30,18H0. In 1837, Mr. John Drake moved with hi-family across the Mississippi river into Lee county, then Wis- consin territory, and settled at Fort Madison, then recently laid out. Here Mr. Drake, besides enjoying a successful busine-s career, was justice of the peace, and also probate judge. In 1846, he removed with his family to Davis county, territory of Iowa, where he founded the town of Drakesville Here young Francis attended district school as he had at Fort Madison. He was sub- sequently in his father's employ until 1852, when with a train of two wagons (each drawn by eight oxen), and accompanied by five men and a boy, he took the overland route to California. On the way the party, reinforced by another train, had an encounter with a large party of Indians. After a desperate bat- tle, the Indians were driven off, their leader being among the slain. Securing a ranch in the golden State, young Drake returned to Iowa the next year. In 1864, he again crossed the plains, taking with him a hundred milch cows, reach- ing his destination with a loss of only time. Returning by sea, he was on the steamer Yankee Blade, which was wrecked off the coast of Mexico, when sev- eral hundred lives were lost. He succeeded in making his escape, helping a number of others to get ashore. Here thoy remained until rescued by a steamer and taken back to San Frunew-o; whence Mr. Drake took passage on another vessel for home. Ho then went into business with his father and brother at Drakesville. Subsequently he engaged in businesss on his own account. In 1839, leaving the management of his affairs to his partner, he removed to Unionvilh, Appanoose county, where, following mercantile pur- suits, he became also a live stock dealer and pork packer. When the civil war began, he. commanded an independent force that went to the relief of a Missouri regiment near Memphis, Mo. During the same year, when Colonel Cranor, commanding a body of Missouri Union troop?, was driven into Iowa, a Union command that had hastily been gotten together, known as "Colonel Edwards's Independent Iowa Regiment," in which Captain Drake served as major, marched into Missouri, and soon relieved that part of the State from the presenpe of the- enemy, Major Drake himself attacking a force iv Iowa Official Register. at Albany. Being placed in command at St. Joseph, Mo., he was there when Price, after the capture of Lexington, went westward, threatening St. Joseph. Anticipating the arrival of the southern commander, Major Drake attacked his advance so vigorously that the enemy were led 10 think that there was a large force at St. Joseph, a rumor having previously reached their lines that ten regiments had bi en sent to that point. The enemy then retired beyond the Missouri. In 1862, when the Thirty-sixth Iowa infantry volunteers was formed, Major Drake was made its lieutenant colonel, a position he held until the regiment was mustered out, a large part of the time being in command of it. In the campaign in Arkansas in 1864, when General Steele undertook to render assistance to Ger eral Banks, operating in Louisiana, Colonel Drake took an active and prominent part. At Elkin's Ford, on the Liftle Missouri river, with a detachment of 500 men from his own regiment, the First Iowa Cavalry, and an Indiana regiment, with a couple of pieces of cannon, he held the Ford against a force numbering in the thousands under Marmaduke. The fight lasted from about daylight until near noon, when the enemy retired. In'_the same month. Colonel Drake, in command of a brigade of 1,500 men, encountered General Fagan, commanding a superior force, at Mark's Mills. Although overwhelmed, the Union forces did some desperate though ineffectual fighting. In this battle Colonel Drake was severely wounded in the left thigh, slightly fracturing tho thighbone, pieces of the ball being taken from different parts of the body, and one piece never being gotten out. The enemy, finding Colonel Drake on the field, and supposing him to be mortally wounded, did not make him prisoner. It was six months before he was again fit for duty. When he did return to his regiment, it was on crutches. Soon afterwmds he was bre- veted brigadier general; and in 1865, the first brigade, second divi>ion, seven h army corps, was placed under him. He was mustered out of the service i.i September, 1865. Returning home, General Drake was admitted to the bar. Success attended him here as elsewhere, and although he remained in the practice haTdly half a dozen years, he attained considerable reputation, especially as a criminal law- yer. In the early'70's, he turned his attention to railroading. He was the moving spirit in the Missouri, Iowa & Nebraska railroad, (later the Keokuk & Western), until it was constructed to Humes ton. The Albia & Centerville is another project of his; and he was th_' contractor in the construction of one or two branches of the Iowa Central. The Indiana, Illinois & Iowa railroai is another bold enterprise which he conceiv« d, and of which he constructed over 150 miles, and he was its president until he disposed of his interest in it a few years ago. He was also president of the A. & C. R. It, and of the Centerville National Bank until his death, that city having been his home since the war. In 1895 he was elected Governor of the State, being inaugurated in January, 1806. He discharged the duties of that office with the fearlessness and indt1- pendence ever characteristic of tho man. A severe injury which Governor Drake sustained in tho summer of 1897 caused him to decline re-election to the office. Aftur his retirement he. continued to manifest an active interest in the Uni- versity at Dos Moines that bears his ram»\ and of which ho was the principal founder; freely «ivintf of hh liberal fortune for its strengthening and upbuild- ing. Governor Drake was also u generous contributor to other institutions of learning; while the oauae of religion ever found in him a munificent supporter, ohurohes all over the State, espeoially those of the ' •Disciples of Christ," with which he wan identified, experiencing the benefits of his generosity, - Iowa Official flegistet\ Governor Drake was married in 1865 to Mary June Lord, but she preceded her husband in death more than twenty years. Six of their children sur\ ivn their father, to experience the consolation that the State, tin- church, and the. cause of education unite with them In revering the memory of their honored parent. This sketch may very properly close with an extract from Governor Drake's message to tha general assembly as he retired from office, indicating as it does his enthusiastic love for Iowa. 1' Confident I am that all the interests of the State are safe in your hands. Those interests are all very dear to me. Here has been my only home from early childhood, since before the time that there was an A Iowa' on the map. I have seen all its growth and participated in it; its handful of people grown into millions; its vast stretch of bleak and forbidding prairie made the most productive fields on earth; and the embryo commonwealth become the tenth State in the Union in point of population, foremost in agricul- tural productions, and in the van of educational effort. Here, too, when I lay aside the burden of earth-life, I intend my mortal remains shall rest. In the record of Iowa as the home of one of the most enlightended bodies of people on earth; as the land whence went forth at the country's call myriads of men to save that country to themselves and their posterity, of whom I am thankful I was permitted to be one; and in all her luminous past I rejoice. In her future of glowing promise I have an abiding trust. " OT "WT 1 • ^i — uu Jp ; r 2^51 :^ cra C-T — ao C<>4O> •.mqvx, | : 2l^5;« 2§5S . 3 'P W .owes CD :wo>2coo • ^S^ti :^^SS^ : ^Sgg; : Kf*nili 1 • Oi O> «O CO ^ . •uowr 1 :°°2S?; ^e?^!^ : ^^22^ : •ung •lOW©® ; C(S2S:5;TO tii > d 19O5 J2 s •IBS .^-.^^ . OT^ji^S '• Q • COOC^^i • OT 3> : 2i-^; —' —">i °" 22Sw Z •mifx :wa2S? : «OOiOC«C» Tjir-JQOjg P^M CVJ — — C* •eanjj ro2t5;5? ; ^^^gj :^r2S <o2^fe5 •now C>JCT'2§5S 5; CO22S O6 : °2?S3 : °2§ •tins : *°2i2 h l e .