biography
| sex:
| male
|
| lived:
| (1812–92)
|
| biography:
| Railroad builder, born in Northampton, New York, USA. He left his impoverished family farm at age seven to work as a water boy on railroad construction sites, and progressed to overseer and foreman. In 1840 his bid was accepted to build a small section of the Boston & Albany Railroad. This job launched his railroad career, which included becoming the major contractor for the Union Pacific Railroad. He served as director of the Union Pacific (1864–92) and twice as its president (1874–84, 1890–2). He wrote ‘Historic Moments: Driving the Last Spike of the Union Pacific’, published posthumously in Scribner's magazine (Aug 1892). |
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