The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-09-24
COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF.
The Pennsylvania Brother Who Will Com
mand the Sons of Veterans.

1ne FennSylvan1a 13rOtner VINO Will NOn-
mand the Sons of Veterans.
Col James Lewis Rake. the newly. elected
Com in. Chief. was born in PottsviIle,
Pa, Nov. 20, 1856, and with the exception OF .
few years of his infancy spent at Fort Wayne,
lnd.. has resided at Reading, Pa, ever since.
After finishing his education in the public
schools of the latter city, he entered the office
of the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Com
pany's rolling mill as a student in telegraphy.
He successfully served az the head OF the de-
partments Of telegraph and drafting, and rose
to the position of manager In 1883. when the
plant was leased to the Reading Rolling Mill
Company. He was engaged by the new corpo-
ration as off CO manager, and the following year
was elected general manager of the plant, which
has been one Of Readings important industrial
establishments, employing large number of
workmen in the production OF structural iron
and steel for bridges and buildings. Recently
he relinquished this position in order to devote
his energies to his private interests. being q
member Of the firms of E. K. Pedrick & Co.
and Henry Kreiss & Co., the former being en-
gineers and cor tractors in iron and steel con-
structiOn, and the latter contractors and erect
ors of ice and refrigerating machinery. Both
firms have Offices in New York and Reading,
doing large domestic and export business.
Col. Rake was mustered into Gen. George d.
Meade Camp. 10, in 1882, and in 1854 he was
elected Captain. He was appointed Abide
Camp on the staff of Gen. Frank P. Merrill.
Comm nder- in Chief in 1885. and was elected
to represent the Pennsylvania Division as Dele
gate at Large tn the Commandery- in-Chief En-
campment at Buffalo, N. Y, in 1886. At that
Encampment he was elected Lieutenant-Gen-
eral (Senior Vice Commander-in-Chief), and
subsequently served Tor two terms on the
Council. in Chief. gsas-s
In 1881 when the Pennsylvania Division be-
came seriously involved through the mal-ad-
ministration Of its then Division Commander,
and when the Division was in arrears in its
obligations to the extent of over 81 700, Com
mander- in. Chief Abbott appointed Col. Rake
to the Provisional Command. By the hardest
kind Of labor and constant application. system
was again created out of chaos, and the subject
of this sketch was unanimously elected Divis-
ion Commander. At the end of his term the
entire Indebtedness of the Division was wiped
out, there was surplus of over $500 in the
treasury and over 5000 worth Of supplies on
hand.
In appreciation Of his prudent business
man agement aud distinguished services the
Division Encampment unanimously recon-
mended that he be awarded the gold cross, the
special decoration Of the Order. This action
was ratified by the Commandery- in-Cbief En-
campment at Wheeling. w. Va. in 1883, and
with Past Division Commanders II. Il. Ham
mer and Charles E. Diefeuderfer. who served
under him as AOJuLant anu QuSrteImaSIcT re-
| spectively. were the first to have the honor of
| the gold cross conferred in the Order.
At the Commandery- Chief Encampment
ut Paterson, N. j.. in 1889, Col. Rake was pre-
| tented for Commander in Chief but withdrew
| in favor of Gen. Charles F. Griffin. of In
diana, who was elected. After that Encamp-
| ment Col. Rake continued his activity in the
Order, serving for several years as Fist Ser
geant of his Camp. His activity and interest
in the affairs of the Division have never lapsed,
| and at its Encampments his counsel and advice
are eagerly sought on all questions Of import
| ance.
Col. Rake il an Elk, Mason Of high stand
ing, Knight Templar, and . member OF Sow
| eral other secret societies. He has held re-
sponsible positions with all the Orders with
honor to himself and tho bodies Of which he is
| . member. 1t is conceded by all the members
of the Encampment that Col. Rake has prose
cuted his canvass for the position of Com
mander.in Chief in fair and honorable man.
uer, and his election is received with satisfac-
| ton by all the delegates present, and will be
! hailed with delight by the members all over
the country, to many of whom he Is known
personally.