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Drake, Francis Marion

soldier, merchant, lawyer, railroad president, banker, governor, was born Dec. 30, 1830, in Rushville, Ill. In 1852 he crossed the plains to Sacramento, Cal.; and while crossing Shell Creek, Neb., in command of twenty men, he had a severe engagement with three hundred Pawnee Indians, which were defeated with heavy loss in killed and wounded.

He subsequently was connected with his father, John Adams Drake, in the mercantile and milling business in Drakeville and Centerville, Iowa. In 1861 he enlisted and was commissioned captain of a company; served with distinction throughout the civil war, and was brevetted brigadier-general of volunteers. After the war he became a noted lawyer, and subsequently was engaged in the railroad and banking business. He projected, constructed and put into operation five railroads; and has been president of the Indiana, Illinois and Iowa Railroad company; president of the Albia and Centerville Railroad company; president of Centerville national bank. In 1895 he was elected governor of the state of Iowa.