Draper, William Franklin, 1842-1910

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Draper was born in Lowell, Massachusetts on April 9, 1842, and was a descendant of early Massachusetts settler James Draper. Draper 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. He was soon elected Second Lieutenant of his company and was promoted rapidly to lieutenant colonel. After his discharge Draper was awarded the brevet grades of colonel and brigadier general of Volunteers.

After the war he joined his family's textile machine manufacturing business at Hopedale, Massachusetts, and patented many improvements. He also 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.

Draper was married twice: to Lydia Joy from 1862 until her death in 1884, and to Susan Preston, daughter of General William Preston of Kentucky, who survived him. His second marriage may be the only one in which a Union general married the daughter of a Confederate general. Their daughter Margaret Preston Draper married Italian aristocrat Prince Andrea Boncompagni-Ludovisi.

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

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Clapp, William Warland, Jr., 1826-1891. Correspondence, 1790-1891 (bulk 1840-1891) Houghton Library
creatorOf Hay, John, 1838-1905. Correspondence, 1854-1914, "Dewey" to "Elliott". Brown University Archives, John Hay Library
creatorOf Draper, William F. [William F. Draper] : artist file John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art Library, Ringling Museum Library
creatorOf Draper, William F. (William Franklin), 1842-1910. William F. Draper papers, 1861-1910 (bulk 1862-1863). Library of Congress
creatorOf Milford Shoe Company. Records of the Milford Shoe Company, 1882-1889. Harvard Law School Library Langdell Hall Cambridge, MA 02138
creatorOf Draper, William F. (William Franklin), 1842-1910. William Franklin Draper : artist file : study photographs and reproductions of works of art with accompanying documentation 1930?-1990 [graphic] [compiled by staff of The Museum of Modern Art, New York]. Frick Art Reference Library of The Frick Collection
referencedIn Papers of John Coolidge and Agnes Mongan, 1909-2006 Harvard Art Museums. Archives
referencedIn William Woodville Rockhill papers Houghton Library
referencedIn Houghton Mifflin Company. Houghton Mifflin Company reader reports on manuscripts submitted for publication. 1882-1931. Houghton Library
referencedIn Draper Company. [Business records]. American Textile History Museum Library
referencedIn Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States Commandery of the State of Massachusetts Civil War collection, 1724-1933 (inclusive); 1861-1912 (bulk). Houghton Library
creatorOf Draper, William franklin, 1842-1910. Papers [microform]. University of Texas Libraries
creatorOf Draper, William Franklin, 1842-1910. Typewritten letter signed (2) : Rome, to Dr. Baldwin, 1897 Nov. 8 and 1907 Jan. 8. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn McKinley (1897-1901): Draper, Wm. F. United States. National Archives and Records Administration
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Draper, William F - Unit: 36th Infantry, Company: F,F&S - Enlistment Rank: Capt, Discharge Rank: Lt Col United States. National Archives and Records Administration
referencedIn Draper, William F - Unit: 25th Infantry, Company: B - Enlistment Rank: Lieut, Discharge Rank: Lieut United States. National Archives and Records Administration
Relation Name
associatedWith Baldwin, William Wilberforce, person
associatedWith Bliss Lane, Arthur, Mrs, person
associatedWith Clapp, William Warland, 1826-1891 person
correspondedWith Coolidge, John, 1913-1995 person
associatedWith Draper Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Hawks, Stanley, Mrs, person
associatedWith Hay, John, 1838-1905. person
associatedWith Houghton Mifflin Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Library of Congress. Manuscript Division. corporateBody
associatedWith Milford Shoe Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States. Commandery of the State of Massachusetts, collector. corporateBody
associatedWith Museum of Modern Art (New York, N.Y.) corporateBody
correspondedWith Rockhill, William Woodville, 1854-1914 person
associatedWith Sellers, John R. person
associatedWith The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art Library. corporateBody
memberOf United States. Army. Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, 25th (1861-1865) corporateBody
memberOf United States. Army. Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, 36th (1862-1865) corporateBody
memberOf United States. Congress. House corporateBody
memberOf United States. Department of State corporateBody
associatedWith William F. Draper, person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Petersburg VA US
Washington City DC US
Spotsylvania County VA US
Hopedale MA US
Orange County VA US
Lowell MA US
Vicksburg MS US
Washington City DC US
Subject
Art, American
Art
Civil War, 1861-1865
Globe Tavern, Battle of, Va., 1864
Patents
Republican Party
Siege of Petersburg, Va. (Richmond--Petersburg Campaign), 1864-1865
Vicksburg, Siege of, 1863
Wilderness, Battle of the, Va., 1864
Occupation
Businessmen
Diplomats
Inventors
Statesmen
Union Army soldiers
Activity

Person

Birth 1842-04-09

Death 1910-01-28

Male

Americans

English

Information

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SNAC ID: 40188420