John Henry Raap

John Henry Raap (August 1, 1840 – April 23, 1897) was an entrepreneur and wholesale liquor retailer in Chicago in the 19th century.

Early life and career John Henry Raap was born August 1, 1840, in Lüdingworth, Kingdom of Hanover, to Ernst Raap and Catharina M. (Cords) Raap. The Raap family moved to America in 1854, settling in Chicago in a house on Cornell Street near Ashland Avenue. At the outbreak of the Civil War, Raap enlisted in the volunteer service in Company A, under Captain Molotzy, and was sent to Cairo with seventeen other companies; these were the first troops raised in Chicago.

Personal life Raap's first wife was Sophia Sohle. Sophia died September 3, 1871. Raap purchased a plot in Graceland Cemetery in 1872 and had the remains of his father and Sophia transferred there from Wunders Cemetery, and had his mother buried there when she died in 1878. Tillie L. (b. May 1876 ), Robert R. (b. June 1879 ), and Pearl Frances (b. April 1893

Raap was connected with many social orders and societies, including the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Sons of Hermann, the Central Turner Society, the Teutonia Maennerchor, and the Chicago Rebekah Society. He was a Republican with much influence in political affairs, although he never held any office.

At 5:45 on the morning of April 23, 1897, the date the case was to have been heard in court, Braunschweig began travelling back and forth between Raap's residence, the residence of Raap's attorney (Joseph O'Donnell, who had been prosecuting the case in court), and the wholesale liquor house on Milwaukee avenue, trying to arrange a meeting at Raap's office to avoid arrest and appearance in court. Braunschweig wanted to make a settlement, offering seven lots in Park Ridge valued at $1,000 and two lots in Kensington valued at $1,000; Raap refused to take these and insisted on having the cash, but was willing to take Braunschweig's home instead, which he was unwilling to give up. When Braunschweig arrived at Raap's home, he told the man's sons Robert (a driver for the liquor firm) and Henry (a member of the concern) that he was anxious to meet their father at his office; Raap believed that Braunschweig did not have the money, and instructed his sons to drive to the home of Deputy Sheriff Phillip Salomon and tell him to serve Braunschweig with a capias. Meanwhile, Braunschweig went to the home of O'Donnell and told him that a conference had been arranged with Raap at his office at 8 o'clock, and that he was wanted to close up the affair; as O'Donnell had no message from Raap, he declined to go. Raap was buried in his family plot in Graceland Cemetery. John and Robert continued their father's business after his death.