Background
Swift, William Henry was born on November 6, 1800 in Taunton, Massachusetts, United States. Son of Doctor Foster and Deborah (Delano) Swift.
Swift, William Henry was born on November 6, 1800 in Taunton, Massachusetts, United States. Son of Doctor Foster and Deborah (Delano) Swift.
Graduated from the United States Military Academy.
Commissioned Second lieutenant arty, United States Army, First lieutenant, 1824. Worked on coastal improvements on surveys for Chesapeake and Ohio Canal for a projected canal across Florida peninsula. Brevetted captain, 1832, also assistant topographical engineer
Commissioned captain, 1838.
Principal assistant in Topographical Bureau, Washington, District of Columbia, 1843-1849. Responsible for construction of 1st skeleton iron tower lighthouse in the United States, Black Rock Harbor, Connecticut, resigned Commission, 1849.
Became president Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore Railroad, also Massachusetts Western Railroad President of the board of trustees Illinois & Michigan Canal, 1845-1871. Published report on Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, 1846.
Married Mary Stuart, 1825. Married second, Hannah Howard, 1844.