Brig.-Gen. William F. Draper (USA)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_F._Draper

William Franklin Draper (April 9, 1842 – January 28, 1910) was an American businessman, industrialist, and soldier who served as a U.S. Representative from Massachusetts.

Draper was born in Lowell, Massachusetts on April 9, 1842. Draper he attended public, private, and high schools, he studied mechanical engineering and cotton manufacturing.

During the American Civil War, Draper enlisted as a private in the Twenty-fifth Regiment, Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, on September 9, 1861 and was promoted through the ranks to lieutenant colonel. After his discharge Draper brevetted a colonel and brigadier general of Volunteers.

After the war he became a manufacturer of cotton machinery at Hopedale, Massachusetts, and patented many improvements and served as delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1876. He went on to serve as colonel on the staff of Governor John Davis Long from 1880 to 1883.

Draper was elected as a Republican to the Fifty-third and Fifty-fourth Congresses (March 4, 1893-March 3, 1897). Draper served as chairman of the Committee on Patents (Fifty-fourth Congress), however he was not a candidate for renomination in 1896. He later served as president of the Draper Co. upon its incorporation in 1896. Later he was the Ambassador and Minister Plenipotentiary to Italy 1897–1899.

He died in Washington, D.C., on January 28, 1910, he was interred in Village Cemetery, Hopedale, Massachusetts.

From The News-Palladium Date: Feb 3 1910 Publication: Benton Harbor, Michigan, United States Of America

BARS GOVERNOR AT FUNERAL funeral of Gen William F Draper which caused much comment was when it became known that the chief of police was stationed at j Uio door while the body was lying in ... state to prevent Gov Draper and his brother from entering ... ordered by members of the William P Draper family not to perMITl the governor or his brother to enter the house said Police Chief