Charles D. Drake

Charles Daniel Drake (April 11, 1811 – April 1, 1892) was a United States senator from Missouri and Chief Justice of the Court of Claims.

Charles Drake was successively a Whig, a Know Nothing, and a Democrat.

Education and career

Born on April 11, 1811, in Cincinnati, Ohio, Drake attended St. Joseph's College in Bardstown, Kentucky in 1823 and 1824, and Partridge's Military Academy in Middletown, Connecticut in 1824 to 1825. The new Constitution was adopted and became known as the "Drake constitution." The Radicals maintained absolute control of the state from 1865 to 1871, with Drake as their leader. To maintain power, Drake and the Radical Republicans disfranchised every man who had supported the Confederacy, even indirectly. They made an 81-point checklists of actions. The United States Supreme Court reversed the imposition of the oath on ministers, and became a highly controversial political issue across the state. The German Republicans in particular were angry. To further bolster his voting base, he secured the franchise for all black men in Missouri, despite qualms held by many Republicans.

Congressional service

Drake was elected as a Republican to the United States Senate and served from March 4, 1867, to December 19, 1870, when he resigned to accept a federal judicial position. He served as Chairman of the United States Senate Committee on Education for the 41st United States Congress.

Federal judicial service

Drake was nominated by President Ulysses S. Grant on December 12, 1870, to the Chief Justice seat on the Court of Claims (later the United States Court of Claims) vacated by Chief Justice Joseph Casey. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on December 12, 1870, and received his commission the same day. His service terminated on December 12, 1885, due to his resignation.

Later career and death

Following his resignation from the federal bench, Drake resumed private practice in Washington, D.C. from 1885 to 1892. He died on April 1, 1892, in Washington, D.C. His remains were cremated and the ashes interred in Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis.

Family

Drake's father, Daniel Drake (1785–1852), was an American physician and author. His uncle, Benjamin Drake (1795–1841), was an American historian, editor, and writer.

Works