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Ebenezer Sumner Draper (June 17, 1858 - April 9, 1914) was a U.S. political figure. He served as Governor of Massachusetts between 1909 and 1911. Like Curtis Guild, Jr., Ebenezer Draper was forged by his family's business. His father, George Draper had been part of a Christian Socialist community, which ended in bankruptcy in 1856. George Draper and his brother, Ebenezer who the younger Draper was named for, took over the community's assets and began several businesses including manufacturing house goods and commercial printing. They soon discovered they could profitably manufacture and sell textile machinery. Over the next seventy years, the Drapers would develop their textile machinery business while building Hopedale, Massachusetts into a secular community based on industrial paternalism.

Ebenezer Draper attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, graduating in 1878 and returning to his family's company as a junior partner. He served as a director of several companies involved in textile and equipment manufacturing. In 1892, Draper became active in the State Republic Party. By this time the family's company was the largest textile equipment manufacturer in the United States. In 1903, the company would sell a spectacular 78,000 looms worldwide.

Ebenezer Draper was elected Lieutenant Governor in 1906 and served in the post until his election as Governor in 1808. Governor Draper depoliticized a variety of harbor development issues by creating a commission of experts to manage and recommend its policies. However the dominant issues of the times involved labor. As Governor, Draper vetoed a bill restricting public employees to eight-hour days. Though labor fiercely opposed Draper because he was the owner and manager of a large non-union factory, he won a second term of office. Governor Draper was defeated in his second reelection bid. He retired to a life a private business and philanthropy. Draper's company enjoyed remarkably good labor relations, surviving one of the most tumultuous eras with only a brief strike in 1913.

External links

• Official Commonwealth of Massachusetts Governor Biography

v t e Governors of Massachusetts
Colony (1629–1686)	Endecott Winthrop T. Dudley Haynes Vane Winthrop T. Dudley Bellingham Winthrop Endecott T. Dudley Winthrop Endecott T. Dudley Endecott Bellingham Endecott Bellingham Leverett Bradstreet
Dominion (1686–1689)	J. Dudley Andros Bradstreet
Province (1692–1776)	W. Phips Stoughton Bellomont Stoughton Governor's Council J. Dudley Governor's Council J. Dudley Tailer Shute Dummer Burnet Dummer Tailer Belcher Shirley S. Phips Shirley S. Phips Governor's Council Pownall Hutchinson Bernard Hutchinson Gage
Commonwealth (since 1776)	Hancock Cushing Bowdoin Hancock Adams Sumner Gill Governor's Council Strong Sullivan Lincoln Sr. Gore Gerry Strong Brooks Eustis Morton Lincoln Jr. Davis Armstrong Everett Morton Davis Morton Briggs Boutwell Clifford E. Washburn Gardner Banks Andrew Bullock Claflin W. Washburn Talbot Gaston Rice Talbot Long Butler Robinson Ames Brackett Russell Greenhalge Wolcott Crane Bates Douglas Guild Draper Foss Walsh McCall Coolidge Cox Fuller Allen Ely Curley Hurley Saltonstall Tobin Bradford Dever Herter Furcolo Volpe Peabody Volpe Sargent Dukakis King Dukakis Weld Cellucci Swift Romney Patrick Baker Healey
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