Background
William Jackson Palmer was born on September 18, 1836 in Leipsic, Delaware, United States. His parents were John and Matilda (Jackson) Palmer. In 1842 the family moved to Philadelphia.
(Excerpt from Letters, 1853 1868 Beginning when the write...)
Excerpt from Letters, 1853 1868 Beginning when the writer was a youth of seventeen years, and maintained during the sub sequent eventful years preceding, during, and following the great Civil War, these letters form an important part of the biography of one who became one of Colorado's pioneers, a leader and potent force in her settlement; in the conception, organization and construction of her great Railway System, and consequently in the development and growth of her material resources; one whose name must thus always be prominently associated with the history of the State, and honored as among her most eminent citizens and benefactors. These letters also form a part of the history of a crucial period in the life of the Nation. On re-reading them since my return from the visit referred to, I feel that, notwithstanding a number of our friends who are named therein, have joined the Great Majority, that those of the narrowing circle who survive, and others of Gen eral Palmer's present friends and mine, will value them, both from their interest in him, and because of their undoubted literary merit and historic significance. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
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military railroad executive Soldier
William Jackson Palmer was born on September 18, 1836 in Leipsic, Delaware, United States. His parents were John and Matilda (Jackson) Palmer. In 1842 the family moved to Philadelphia.
In 1842 in Philadelphia William Jackson Palmer was sent to a private school and later to the public grammar and high school.
William Jackson Palmer worked as a rodman on the Hempfield Railroad (1853), traveled and possibly studied in England (1856), acted as secretary and treasurer of the Westmoreland Coal Company, and from then until the Civil War (1858 - 1861) was private secretary to J. Edgar Thomson, president of the Pennsylvania Railroad. With the coming of the war Palmer followed his conscience in foregoing his Quaker principles. He organized and became captain of the 15th Pennsylvania cavalry in September 1861 and a year later was commissioned colonel.
By the end of the war he was a brevet brigadier-general of volunteers. His record was excellent, in spite of a serious defection among his troops while he was a prisoner in 1862 - 1863, and he was cited for conspicuous service several times, receiving in 1894 the Congressional Medal of Honor. His engagements included Antietam, Missionary Ridge, Chickamauga, the Atlanta campaign, and the final pursuit of Jefferson Davis.
After the war Palmer became treasurer of the Eastern Division of the Union Pacific Railroad, which became the Kansas Pacific in 1869 and later merged into the Union Pacific. He helped further the road's transcontinental ambitions by supervising surveys west of the Rio Grande along the 35th and 32nd parallels to the coast. He also took charge of construction between Sheridan and Denver, Colorado. With the completion of the road in 1870 he left it for the new and promising Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, designed to give Denver southern and western connections.
As first president of the road he prosecuted the work in spite of the depression of the seventies. A long struggle with the Santa Fé resulted in the loss of a southern outlet and the acquisition of a western route through the Royal Gorge of the Arkansas. A through line to Salt Lake City was opened in 1883. Again Palmer thought his work done. In 1883 he resigned the presidency and the next year his directorship. He found it undesirable, however, to dispose of the Denver & Rio Grande Western (the western part of the through line), for its lease in 1882 was stopped by injunction, a mile of track destroyed, and a receiver appointed. Palmer retained control through the reorganization as the Rio Grande Western in 1889, and finally sold his interest to the parent company in 1901. Palmer was identified during the eighties with Mexican railroads. A trip through Mexico in 1872 laid the basis for the Palmer-Sullivan concession (1880), which provided monetary aid for the Mexican National Railway, of which he was president from 1881 to 1888. One main line was to run from Mexico city to Laredo, Texas, with a branch to Manzanillo, and another main line was to extend from Mexico city to El Salto. A line to El Paso was lost to the Nickerson interests, but work on the other lines was prosecuted by the Mexican National Construction Company, especially between 1880 and 1883.
Active work ended by the late eighties, and a financial reorganization was necessary. Palmer sold his Mexican National interests in the late nineties and retired from all business interests in 1901. He died at his home near Colorado Springs, on March 13, 1909.
(Excerpt from Letters, 1853 1868 Beginning when the write...)
William Jackson Palmer was a cultured, intelligent, likable man, with wide business and philanthropic interests.
On October 1870, William Jackson Palmer married Mary Lincoln ("Queen") Mellen. They had three daughters.