One of the leading politicians of New York and a distinguished citizen. He was educated to be a merchant and worked as one for many years before becoming an auctioneer due to a lack of profit as a merchant. He was very successful as an auctioneer. He was very active in politics as a Whig and was good friends with William Henry Seward until the Republican Party was formed and he opposed Seward's policies. Draper was a member of the Whig State Central Committee and was chairman of the Union State Central Committee in 1864. He had charge of several boards and charities before the war and was appointed Collector of the Port of New York by President Lincoln. At the time of his death he was a Government cotton agent, in charge of all of the cotton received at the port of New York.