American soldier and statesman, born in Rushville, Schuyler County, IL, on the 30th of December 1830. In 1859 he removed to Iowa. He served with distinction during the Civil War and was wounded at Mark’s Mills, AK, where he was left for dead. He was brevetted brigadier-general in February 1865. After the war General Drake engaged in railroad projects, and was the first president of the Missouri, Iowa and Nebraska railway. He founded and endowed Drake University, at Des Moines. From boyhood the life of General Drake was an active and useful one. In 1895 he was elected governor of Iowa.
