County of village: Gasconade
Location of Post Office" MO-19 & MO-ZZ, Drake
Location of village: Virtually center of county; crossroads of MO-19 & US-50, MO-ZZ
Named for: Charles D. Drake (1811–1892), United States Senator
Founded: 1868
Elevation: 955 feet (291 meters)
Population: 46
The Person:
Name: Drake, Charles
Profession: Politician
Category: Politics and Government
Born/Started: Apr. 11, 1811
Died/Ended: Apr. 01, 1892
"Description: Charles Drake was an anti-Confederacy extremist who felt any Southern sympathizer should be punished as a traitor. Early in the Civil War, he urged the arming of free blacks and taking away all rights from those sympathetic to the rebellion. He Drake became one of the leaders of the Radical Republicans in Congress.
"Born in Cincinnati, OH, Drake studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1833. A member of the Republican Party, he served in the Missouri’s House of Representatives from 1859 to1860 before being elected to the Senate in 1866. As a supporter of universal suffrage, he opposed the policies of President Andrew Johnson and voted for his impeachment in 1868." ~ Mound City on the Mississippi
"Charles Daniel Drake (April 11, 1811 – April 1, 1892) was a United States Senator from Missouri and Chief Justice of the Court of Claims.
"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. He was a midshipman in the United States Navy from 1827 to 1830. He read law with Benjamin Drake in Cincinnati. He entered private practice in Cincinnati from 1833 to 1834. He continued private practice in St. Louis, Missouri from 1834 to 1847, then returned to Cincinnati from 1847 to 1849. He was treasurer of the Board of Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian Church in 1849. He resumed private practice in St. Louis from 1850 to 1867. He was a member of the Missouri House of Representatives from 1859 to 1860. He was a delegate and Vice President of the Missouri constitutional convention in 1865." ~ Wikipedia
The Place:
"Drake is a small village situated near the center of Twp. 43 N, Range 4 West. It was named after Senator Charles B. Drake. Greenberry Lee is said to have been the first settler in the vicinity, who came in and built a log cabin 18x20 feet in 1835. The first frame house was built in l86l, by Dr. H. A. Gross. The first merchant was Casper H. Riepe in 1865; and the first druggist and physician, H. A. Green, in l860; the first blacksmith was Mike Miller, in 1863; and the first shoemaker Casper Binkhoelter, in 1856; the first grocery keeper was a Mr. Chapman, in 1855." ~ History of Gasconade County, Goodspeed, 1888, p. 685
Drake, 18 miles south of Hermann, had 2 stores and 1 wagon shop (1874)." ~ Gazetteer of Missouri, Campbell, 1874, p.210
It is situated at Sec. 15, Twp. 43 N, R. 5 W at the junction of 50 & 19.
Mail via Ownesville." ~ Rand, McNally, 1974