Background
Swift, Joseph Gardner was born on December 31, 1783 in Nantucket, Massachusetts, United States. Son of Doctor Foster and Deborah (Delano) Swift.
Swift, Joseph Gardner was born on December 31, 1783 in Nantucket, Massachusetts, United States. Son of Doctor Foster and Deborah (Delano) Swift.
Graduated from the United States Military Academy (1st graduating class), 1802.
Served as cadet in corps of artillerists and engineers, Newport, Rhode Island, 1800, translations to the United States Military Academy, 1801. Commissioned 1st. Lieutenant Engineer corpus, United States army, 1805, captain, 1806, major, 1808, lieutenant colonel, 1812, became colonel and chief engineer, 1812. Served with General Wilkinson during abortive invasion of Canada, 1813, brevetted brigadier general, 1814.
Charge construction of fortifications New York City, 1814.
Superintendent United States Military Academy, 1816-1818. Resigned commission, 1818.
Surveyor Portuguese of New York, 1818-1826. Chief engineer various railroads including Baltimore & Susquehanna, New Orleans & Lake Pontchartrain, 1826.
Civil engineer in the United States Government service, in charge harbor improvement on Great Lakes, 1829-1845.
1st American engineer trained wholly in United States.
Married Louisa Walker, June 6, 1805, 1 son.