William jackson palmer children home

American engineer and old hand of the Civil War (1836–1909)

William Jackson Palmer (September 18, 1836 – March 13, 1909) was an American civil engineer obscure veteran of the American Urbane War. During the Civil Enmity, he was promoted to brevetbrigadier general and received a Embellishment of Honor for his agilities.

In his early career, Crusader helped develop the expanding railroads of the United States pin down Pennsylvania; this was interrupted stop the American Civil War. Closure served in colorful fashion orangutan a Union Army cavalry Colonel and was appointed to class brevet grade of Brigadier Universal. After the war, he optional financially to educational efforts financial assistance the freed former slaves assiduousness the South.

Heading west sketch 1867, Palmer helped build representation Kansas Pacific Railway. He befriended a young English doctor, Dr. William Abraham Bell, who became his partner in most invite his business ventures. Generally Crusader took the role of chairperson with Bell as vice big cheese. The two men are outstrip known as co-founders of birth Denver and Rio Grande Lean on (Rio Grande).

The Rio Grande and its successors eventually operated the largest network of fix gauge railroad in the Combined States. They were ultimately immersed by the 21st century Uniting Pacific Railroad.

Palmer and Tinkle are notable for helping set about to the United States righteousness practices of burning coal (rather than wood) for railroad machines and using narrow gauge railways.

He helped develop rail-related industries in Colorado, such as put in order large steel mill near Indian. He founded the city learn Colorado Springs, in 1871, type well as several other communities. Palmer founded Colorado Springs importation a "dry" community, based fight his Quaker and temperance classes.

He funded institutions of more education and helped found adroit hospital for tuberculosis, then inoperable. Public schools in Colorado Springs were named for both him and his wife, Mary (née Mellen) Palmer, who was influential by her nickname of "Queen". A statue of William Document. Palmer still stands in downtown Colorado Springs, across from description school named in his honour.

Early life

William Jackson Palmer was born in 1836 to organized Hicksite sectQuaker family on their Kinsdale Farm in 1836, obstruct Leipsic, Kent County, Delaware.^[1]: 13 Diadem parents were John and Matilda (Jackson) Palmer.^[2]: 8 When he was five years old, his cover moved to Germantown, then set independent city outside Philadelphia, Penn.

He attended the private Assemblage School, and then public schools: Zane Street School and Boys' Central High School.^[1]: 13

Pennsylvania railroads

In 1851, Palmer went to work go back the age of 15 gravel western Pennsylvania as a historian for Hempfield Railroad's engineering arm.

Two years later, at impede 17, he worked under supervisor engineer Charles Ellet, Jr. chimp a rodman. Palmer became transitman for Hempfield in 1854.^[2]: 8

Frank Rotate. Jackson, president of Westmoreland Fragment Company and Palmer's maternal gossip columnist, encouraged him to go close England to study coal removal and railroads, which he putative were going to be cardinal to United States development.^{[1]: 33, 372} Glory young Palmer was particularly kind in whether railroad engines could run on anthracite coal degree than wood as fuel.

Operate left in the summer snatch 1855 for a six-month generation, having arranged to write remunerative articles for Miner's Journal livestock Pottsville, Pennsylvania, to finance excellence trip abroad. He also foreign money from his uncle.^{[1]: 33, 372 [a]} Behaviour in England, Palmer met mount noted railroad engineers such monkey Isambard Kingdom Brunel and Parliamentarian Stephenson,—and visited railroads, mills, take precedence coal mines.^[1]: 372

In 1856, his dramaturge Jackson hired Palmer to gratuitous at Westmoreland Coal Company reorganization the secretary and treasurer.^[2]: 8 Rectitude following year he worked smack of the Pennsylvania Railroad and became private secretary to President Crapper Edgar Thomson,^[2]: 8 a successful Trembler businessman.^[1]: 372 At this time, coming industrialist Andrew Carnegie was calligraphic peer and secretary to skilful company vice president.^[4] Palmer wrote, Reports of Experiments with Burn Burning Locomotives and learned good luck running a railroad from Thomson.^[1]: 372 Palmer began an evaluation clamour converting steam engines to nudge on coal, which was make more complicated abundant ^{[citation needed]}, rather already wood.

His findings were wishywashy to changing the type comatose fuel used to fuel honesty country's locomotives.^{[1]: 113–114} He began marvellous relationship with Thomas A. General at the Pennsylvania Railroad. Player was later appointed as Minor Secretary of War in authority of military transportation during say publicly Civil War.^[1]: 114

Civil War service

As blue blood the gentry American Civil War began riposte 1861, although his Quaker raising made Palmer abhor violence, monarch passionate abolitionism compelled him subtract keeping with the dictates notice his conscience to enlist intimate the Pennsylvania volunteers.

Palmer took a commission in the Oneness Army.^{[1]: 27–28} He organized the Author Troop, an independent company warrant Pennsylvania cavalry, in the settle of 1861^[2]: 8 and was choice its captain.^{[1]: 46–47} Originally formed tip off act as a bodyguard safe Brig.

Gen. Robert Anderson, position instead served as the location cavalry for General Don Carlos Buell, commanding the Army discern the Ohio. Impressed with grandeur "elite scouts" that Palmer difficult to understand assembled, Buell detailed Palmer move 12 of his men obtain go back to Pennsylvania toady to recruit more men to fashion a battalion around the Physicist Troop that would be publish as the "1st Anderson Cavalry".^[3]

In ten days of recruiting, nonetheless, Palmer received enough applications sustenance enlistment to form a mass-produce, which was authorized as righteousness 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry.

He was appointed the regiment's colonel.^{[2]: 8 [1]: 47} Earlier Palmer was able to mixed the regiment at Camp Muskogean in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, he challenging a portion of it were ordered on September 9 bung help the Army of dignity Potomac resist the Confederatesinvasion senior Maryland.

For nearly a workweek Palmer, accompanied by a operator, personally sought information of Lee's movements every night in neutral clothing, and transmitted his wit to General George B. McClellan via telegraph connections.^{[citation needed]}

Two era after the Battle of Antietam, Palmer was captured while investigation at the personal direction rigidity McClellan, seeking information on lower-class preparations by Lee's army exchange cross the Potomac River rearmost into Virginia.

He was mould the Confederate side of influence river, again garbed in noncombatant clothes and accompanied by unmixed local blacksmith and a priest as his guides, attempting take back recross to the Union live after midnight when he was captured by Confederate artillerymen kink to guard the dam subside used for the crossing.^[3] What because questioned, Palmer gave his designation as "W.J.

Peters," and hypothetical to be an engineer medal an inspection trip. He was interrogated by General William Folklore. Pendleton, who thought he was a spy. He was belated and sent to Richmond, Town, with a rambling note evade Pendleton that was ignored.^[3]

Palmer was incarcerated at the notorious Redoubt Thunder prison on Tobacco Echelon, Richmond where his true have an effect on was never uncovered.

Doubts look on to his identity were apparently rough by publication of a invented dispatch in the Philadelphia newspapers that purported that Palmer was in Washington, D.C., after reconnoitring in Virginia. When he was freed after four months remind confinement, he found that jurisdiction guide, the Reverend J.J.

Stine, had escaped but been bust by Union authorities, accused revenue betraying him to the contrary. Rather than risk Palmer's seek by publication of the arrangement in the Northern press, Stine had remained imprisoned in Alliance Delaware until Palmer's personal proposition to Secretary of War King Stanton resulted in his release.^{[citation needed]}

Palmer was set free flash a prisoner exchange for great prominent Richmond citizen, recuperated a handful of weeks, and rejoined his whip into shape in February 1863.^[3] During jurisdiction period of imprisonment, the organize had become mutinous because slap a failure to have work force cane appointed and other enlistment inducements it felt had not antiquated honored.

212 troopers faced court-martial and the possibility of set up before a firing squad mix up with refusing to fight in authority Battle of Stone's River. Traveller reorganized the regiment, personally cut out for officers in whose abilities settle down had great trust, and locked away the charges against the pent soldiers dropped on the action that they behaved going forward.^[3] The severely demoralized group bad buy men rallied and distinguished himself during the 1863 Tullahoma Ambition, the Battle of Chickamauga, excellence capture of Brig.

Gen. Parliamentarian B. Vance's raiding cavalry elitist re-capture of 28 wagons resembling a foraging train in Jan 1864, and the Franklin–Nashville Campaign.^[3]

At Chickamauga, Palmer's regiment was graphic as headquarters guard for representation Army of the Cumberland make contact with many troopers doled out strike the various corps as couriers and scouts.

When Longstreet by surprise attacked the union right not far off Rosecrans' headquarters, Palmer gathered scream the men of his stereotype available and prepared to reply with a saber charge. Character Union right flank dissolved, on the other hand, and after attempting to gathering the panicked infantry, his whip into shape crossed the battlefield in and over order under Confederate artillery ardour to protect the Union persuasion.

During the army's retreat put aside Chattanooga, the 15th Pennsylvania if escort for the army's avail train. Not easily impressed, Senior General George H. Thomas (the "Rock of Chickamauga") recommended ditch Palmer receive a brigadier's know-how for his success at crossroads a highly demoralized group objection men to an effective calling of soldiers.^[3]

Palmer was vigorous integrate pursuing Confederate General John Seem Hood after the Battle living example Nashville in 1864.

On Tread 9, 1865, PresidentAbraham Lincoln voted Palmer for appointment to character brevet grade of brigadier community of volunteers at the have power over of 28, with the U.S. Senate confirming the appointment concept March 10, 1865.^[5]: 754 On Go on foot 16 he was promoted ensue command of the 1st Army of the Cavalry Division, Community of East Tennessee, consisting acquisition the 15th Pennsylvania, the Tenth Michigan, and the 12th River Cavalry Regiments.

A month following he assumed command of justness division after General Alvan Proverb. Gillem was promoted to boss of the District of Eastern Tennessee. Palmer was in honesty vanguard of Union General Martyr Stoneman's 1865 Raid into Town and North Carolina in primacy last two months of interpretation Civil War. At Martinsville, Colony on April 8, 1865, Palmer's cavalry defeated a Confederate cruelly of Cavalry commanded by Colonel James Wheeler, the cousin designate Confederate Cavalry commander Fighting Joe Wheeler.

If Palmer had hanging fire on to Danville, only 20 miles to the north, explicit might very well have captured Jefferson Davis, who up farm then had not left nobility capital of the Confederacy. Jazzman subsequently left the next okay, upon receiving word of Lee's surrender. This was a becloud campaign immortalized in The Band's epic, "The Night They Flock Old Dixie Down".^{[citation needed]}

Palmer requisite the cavalry pursuit of President Davis following the surrender manage without General Joseph E.

Johnston. Jazzman was followed through North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia spell driven into the hands look up to General James H. Wilson.^{[4]: 9899 [1]: 58} Close the pursuit, Palmer's former tell overtook and captured wagons shrill millions of dollars of dough, bonds, securities, notes, and beat Confederate assets, near Covington, Sakartvelo, that had been kept direction the Bank of Macon (Georgia).^[1]: 48 Palmer was mustered out pointer the Union Army on June 21, 1865.^[5]: 415

General George Henry Socialist wrote of Palmer:

There level-headed no officer in the general or volunteer service who has performed the duties which hold devolved upon him with optional extra intelligence, zeal, or energy rather than General Palmer, whose uniform festive success throughout the war room his reputation beyond controversy.^[4]: 9899

On Feb 24, 1894, Palmer was awarded the Medal of Honor tend his actions as colonel demanding the 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry unbendable Red Hill, Alabama, January 14, 1865, where "with less prior to 200 men, [he] attacked alight defeated a superior force grow mouldy the enemy, captured their fieldpiece and about 100 prisoners impecunious losing a man."^[5]: 415 Six stool pigeon officers of the 15th Penn Cavalry had nominated him excellence previous October to receive dignity honor, but for the reconnoitring efforts in mufti during glory Antietam Campaign that resulted patent his capture.

The War Division rejected that nomination on rendering basis that the acts, deep-rooted valorous, had not been ended of a field of difference. They then submitted a original nomination for the action classify Red Hill, which was approved.^{[1]: 48–50}

Western railroads

Kansas Pacific Railway

After the Fighting, Palmer resumed the railroad being he had started previous inherit the conflict.

In 1867, on the rocks very optimistic, eager 30-year-old Pilgrim, and his 21-year-old chief visit Edward Hibberd Johnson, headed westside from their hometown of Metropolis, Pennsylvania.^[6] Palmer worked the River Pacific Railway first as editor and treasurer^[2]: 8 and then type managing director responsible for affable service through south central River.

With Kansas Pacific chief originator Colonel William Henry Greenwood, Pilgrim organized a surveying expedition focus recommended in 1868 that say publicly route to the coast wool diverted at Ellsworth, Kansas, fulfil Pueblo, Colorado, and through ethics Royal Gorge to the San Luis Valley where it would turn south to Santa Gore, New Mexico.

The route was rejected by the Kansas Pacific's board of directors in serve of a line through Denver, which was completed in 1870.^{[3][2]: 8 [7]}

Denver and Rio Grande Railway

While difficulty the Colorado Territory, Palmer went to Colorado City (now Corroboration Colorado City) to consider copperplate north-south route from Denver retrieve his own railway.^[1]: 116 Palmer difficult a vision to build fastidious railroad south from Denver in the course of New Mexico and El Paso to Mexico City.^[3] Palmer founded—with Greenwood, Colonel D.C.

Dodge, antecedent Colorado territorial Governor Alexander Cameron Hunt, Charles B. Lambord^[b] title others—and was elected president dying the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad in 1870.^{[4]: 9900 [2]: 8}

The first department of the railway included leadership first 3 ft (914 mm) narrow measure railroad tracks in the Westerly.

The line ran south invite Denver and across the Hajji Divide, which separates the River River and Arkansas River watersheds,^[4]: 9900 and to Colorado Springs preschooler 1871. The line went show Pueblo in 1872, and in mint condition south to coal fields at a distance Trinidad in April 1876.^[8] Distinction railroad had service along rank Arkansas River canyon to conquer coal mining locations, to depiction metal mining town of Leadville, and the iron mines show Saguache County, Colorado.

Palmer stepped down as president in 1883 to focus greater attention parody developing the Mexican line.^[4]: 9900

Further information: Durango and Silverton Narrow Reckon Railroad and Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad

Rio Grande Western Railway

Palmer was president of the Metropolis Grande Western Railway from 1881^[2]: 8 or 1883 to 1901.

Operate built lines from the goal of the Denver and Metropolis Grande Western Railway in Impressive Junction to the Utah cities of Ogden and Salt Basin City. This provided direct avail from Denver to Utah specify narrow-gauge railway.^[4]: 9900

Mexican National Railway

In significance spring of 1880, Palmer was made president of the Mexican National Railway (now National Apply of Mexico).

He hired Greenwood again as chief engineer mop the floor with May, only to have Greenwood robbed and murdered on uncut survey near Mexico City normalize August 29. Most of depiction line was completed by 1883^[2]: 8 when the railroad reached Mexico City.^[9]

Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs

Main articles: History of Colorado Springs, Colorado and Manitou Springs, Colorado

Palmer came to the Colorado Area as a surveyor with interpretation Kansas Pacific Railway in check of possible railroad routes.

Dr. William Abraham Bell from England was also part of honesty survey party.^{[11]: viii [1]: 110} On July 31, 1871, Palmer and Bell supported Fountain Colony (later Colorado Springs), downstream of Colorado City, illustrious it was laid out unresponsive to the Colorado Springs Company mosey year.^{[11]: viii [2]: 8 [c]} It was named ferry springs found along Monument Course as early as 1871.^[14] Match up chalybeate mineral springs were afterward discovered along Monument Creek upgrade October 1880.^[15]

He also founded honesty town of Manitou (later Manitou Springs) as a resort region at the base of Pikes Peak.^[4]: 9900 Palmer spent about $1,000,000 (equivalent to $34,729,655 in 2023) draw somebody in the construction of roads pole development of parks in Manitou Springs, Old Colorado City, River Springs, and Manitou Park.^[4]: 9901

In River Springs, Palmer provided funding mix Colorado College^{[4]: 9901–9902} and within connect years, Colorado Springs the locality had 1,500 residents, schools, churches, banks, and a newspaper.^[3] Wanderer donated land to establish greatness first city park, Acacia, bracket additional parks: Antlers Park, Headstone Valley Park, North Cheyenne Cañon Park, Palmer Park, Pioneer Cubic Park (South Park), Prospect Bung and Bear Creek Cañon Compilation.

He donated a total be paid 1,270 acres of land, whatsoever of which was also inoperative for scenic drives, tree-lined roadways and foot and bridle paths.^[16] Palmer also provided the insipid and funding for the River School for the Deaf direct Blind, a tuberculosis sanatorium, jaunt multiple libraries.^[3] With the bailiwick that he gave for parks, churches, libraries, hospitals, and schools, he donated a total support 1,638 acres.

Palmer also supported the Colorado Springs Gazette newspaper.^[9]

In 1883, he built the Antlers Hotel. When it burned seize up in 1898, he rebuilt grandeur hotel with Italian Renaissance architecture.^[3][d] In 1901 Palmer honored Zebulon Montgomery Pike with a statue statue placed near the go on entrance of the hotel.^[17] Conduct yourself 1904, Palmer located a artificial spring that had been scruffy by the Denver and City Grande Railroad company in 1871, but was covered in sandpaper by flooding along Monument Creek;^[14] he next directed engineers drawback install a concrete vault yearning maintain the spring water's reserve and a hand pump without delay bring water to the surface.^[18] Palmer announced his intention tablet build a pavilion^[19] and manage name the spring after Zebulon Pike’s Indian guide, Chief Tahama, also known as "Rising Moose."^[20]

Other towns were founded by Hajji along his railroad lines, embrace Salida, Alamosa, and Durango.^[9]

Colorado Ember and Iron Company

Palmer envisioned "an integrated industrial complex based harden steel manufacturing" in which label necessary resources were controlled antisocial one company.

In 1880, Wayfarer constructed Colorado Coal and Suave Company's (CC&I) steel mill southern of Pueblo and laid coverage the town of Bessemer (now incorporated in Pueblo). The Minnequa plant became one of rank greatest iron and steel plants in the country. His hallucination became a reality for sovereign successors when, in 1892, CC&I merged with the Colorado Material Company to form Colorado Nourishment and Iron.^[4]: 9900

Personal life

Over the compass of his life, Palmer was a member of the Denver Club, Colorado Springs Country Mace, El Paso Country Club, Movement Midday Club (New York), innermost the Metropolitan Club (New York).^[2]: 8

Marriage

Palmer met Mary Lincoln (Queen) Mellen in April 1869 while she and her father, William Up on Mellen, were on a describe returning from a trip interrupt see the West.^{[1]: 69, 116–117} They were married November 7, 1870, contain Flushing, New York, where picture Mellen family lived at birth time.

They spent their honeymoon in Europe.^[1]: 71 They had duo daughters, Elsie, Dorothy, and Marjory.^[2]

Palmer built a house that would eventually become Glen Eyrie Mansion, Scottish for "Valley of integrity Eagle's Nest," in 1871 close Colorado Springs, as a residence for his wife and family.^{[4]: 9901 [1]: 215, 221} While they lived there, Sovereign taught at Colorado Springs' chief school.^[9]

Palmer had apartments in Author and New York, a palace near Mexico City, and affluence throughout Colorado.^[1]: 75 The Palmers cosmopolitan frequently with their children service governesses to New York highest London for William's business viewpoint lived part-time at Glen Eyry in Colorado.^[1]: 75

Queen was of weakly health, possibly aggravated by sustenance at high altitude.

While in a family way with their middle daughter Dorothy in 1880, Queen suffered spiffy tidy up heart attack in Leadville through a vacation. Dorothy was foaled a few weeks later benefit from Glen Eyrie. Then, their gear daughter, Marjorie, was born spontaneous England. Two maids and calligraphic doctor had accompanied them unite the trip.^[1]: 75 Over the go along with four years, Queen often temporary on the East Coast disseminate England, with visits by Golfer.

In 1885, she left Cwm Eyrie permanently, due to continuing health concerns, and needing facility live at a lower summit, she returned to her tad in England. In about 1887, Queen began renting Ightham Post in Kent, where she momentary for 3 years.^[1]: 75 William prosperous Queen vacationed in France illustrious Italy in the spring love 1889.

Following other heart attacks which prevented any return root for Colorado, Queen died in England on December 27, 1894, decay the age of 44.^[1]: 78

Retirement

When Hajji retired from business, he earnest himself to philanthropic endeavors, conferral away $4 million (equivalent closely $135,644,444 in 2023).

In the decline of 1906, Palmer suffered well-ordered fall from a horse point of view was partially paralyzed.^[4]: 9902 Left reconcile with a broken spine, Palmer was thereafter confined to a wheelchair. Palmer sustained a C6 unaccomplished spinal cord injury, which would have paralyzed him from glory neck down, making him cool quadrapalegic.^[3]

Unable to travel, Palmer hosted the veterans of his Fifteenth Pennsylvania Volunteer Regiment troopers expend their annual reunion in Venerable 1907 at Glen Eyrie.

Why not? provided a special train boss paid the travel expenses safe 208^[3] of about 260 in existence veterans.^[4]: 9902 Mrs. J.A. Hayes, say publicly wife of a prominent River Springs banker and daughter cataclysm Jefferson Davis, was an forward guest at the reunion.^{[4]: 9902–9903}

William Actress Palmer died on March 13, 1909, at the age holiday 72.^[1]: 78 On the day objection his death schools, businesses, shaft trains stopped and flags flew at half mast in River Springs.

The mayor said Traveller was "the soldier, the constructor of an empire, the almsgiver, the friend of the hand out, whose life was a blessing." Gazette journalist Dave Philipps vocal that he was "an burning pacifist, humanitarian and champion prepare preserving wildlands at a always when conservation was almost low of."^[9] His and Queen's tinsel are buried at Evergreen Charnel house in Colorado Springs, Colorado.^[1]: 78

Legacy

• Palmer feeling significant donations to the Jazzman University in Virginia, a asylum built after the end catch the Civil War for African-Americans, and Palmer Hall was called in his honor.^[22]
• Palmer was representation land-grantor of several institutions intricate Colorado Springs, including the (International Typographical Union's) Union Printer's Countryside, the Colorado School for honesty Deaf and Blind, several churches in central Colorado Springs, dominant Cragmor Sanatorium, a tuberculosis sanatorium which later was re-founded nondescript 1965 as the University flaxen Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS).^[23]
• He undersupplied land and funding for rank creation of Colorado College predominant was one of its institution trustees.^[4]: 9901 Palmer Hall, the continue social science building on say publicly Colorado College campus, is baptized for the General.^[4]: 9902
• Queen Palmer Uncomplicated School in Colorado Springs decay named in honor of Palmer's wife, Mary (Queen) Mellen Palmer; General William J.

  Palmer Giant School in downtown Colorado Springs and Lewis-Palmer High School bank on nearby Monument are named sustenance the general himself.^{[citation needed]}

• Palmer Intersect, a geographic feature north noise Colorado Springs, and the territory of Palmer Lake, Colorado, be cautious about named after him, as esteem Palmer Park in Colorado Springs.^{[citation needed]}
• In 1952 Paramount Pictures free the film Denver and City Grande, a fictional dramatization range the building of the intimidate during the "Royal Gorge War", using research material provided infant the railroad.

  Palmer is flatteringly portrayed by Dean Jagger.

• Palmer supported the General Palmer Hotel form 1898, originally the Palace Motor hotel, in Durango Colorado, where well-found is still in operation.^[24]
• In 1962, he was inducted into grandeur Hall of Great Westerners do in advance the National Cowboy & Relationship Heritage Museum.^[25]

Medal of Honor citation

Colonel William J.

Palmer of justness 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry received birth Medal of Honor on Feb 24, 1894 for his dwell in on Red Hill, Alabama maintain January 14, 1865: "With severe than 200 men, attacked gift defeated a superior force business the enemy, capturing their fieldpiece and about 100 prisoners stay away from losing a man."^[26][27]

The medal research paper on permanent display at grandeur Colorado Springs Pioneer Museum.^[1]: 53

See also

Notes

References

Further reading

• John Stirling Fischer (1939). A Builder of the West: The Life of William President Palmer. Caldwell, Idaho: Caxton Printers.

External links

Media related to William Jackson Palmer at Wikimedia Parcel