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'''Andrew Talcott''' (April 20, 1797 – April 22, 1890) was an [[United States|American]] [[civil engineer]].
'''Andrew Talcott''' (April 20, 1797 – April 22, 1883) was an [[United States|American]] [[civil engineer]].


He was born in [[Glastonbury, Connecticut]];<ref name="birth">Wilson, James Grand and John Fiske, ed. (1889) [http://books.google.com/books?id=V3QBok6hopAC&pg=PA24 "Andrew Talcott"] ''Appleton's Cyclopaedia of American Biography'' vol. vi, D. Appleton and Company, New York. p.24.</ref> graduated second in class [[United States Military Academy|West Point]], 1818; Engineers, garrisoned [[Fort Atkinson (Nebraska)|Fort Atkinson]], explored passage to [[Fort Snelling, Minnesota|Fort Snelling]], 1820;<ref name="atkin">Watkins, Albert (1919). "Three Military Heroes of Nebraska". [http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/ne/state/publications/pioneer/nhrv2n4.txt ''Nebraska History and Record of Pioneer Days'' V.2 nr.4]. Nebraska State Historical Society</ref> started construction at [[Fort Adams]], [[Rhode Island|RI]], 1824;<ref name="ftada">[http://cyberrealm.net/~rockfish/famous.htm "The History of Fort Adams"]</ref> rediscovered [[Peder Horrebow]]'s method for determining [[latitude]];<ref name="latit">Captain Albert E. Theberge, Albert. (2001) [http://www.lib.noaa.gov/edocs/BACHE2.htm ''The Coast Survey 1807-1867''] National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Library. The so-called Horrebow-Talcott method fixed latitude "by observing differences of zenith distances of stars culminating within a short time of each other, and at nearly the same altitude, on opposite sides of the zenith."</ref> Superintending Engineer for construction on [[Hampton Roads]] at [[Fort Wool|Fort Calhoun]] and [[Fort Monroe]] (superior and friend to future general, [[Robert E. Lee|R. E. Lee]]); married Harriet Randolph Hackley at [[Norfolk, Virginia|Norfolk, VA]], 1832; surveyed [[Ohio]]-[[Michigan]] border, spring 1835 (with Lee);<ref name="lohio">Price, Andrew [http://www.lee-jackson.org/essay.html "Robert E. Lee: The Engineer"]</ref> Capt., resigned commission, 1836; civil engineer, surveyed [[Mississippi Delta|Mississippi river delta]], 1839 (with young [[Andrew Gray (surveyor)|A. B. Gray]];<ref name="midel">Reconnaissance of the Passes of the Delta of the Mississippi, Louisiana. U.S. Coast Survey. (1852) map</ref> considered for post as Superintendent of the Coast Survey filled by [[Alexander Dallas Bache|Bache]], 1843; supervised construction on [[Richmond and Danville Railroad]], 1849, (later general manager); co-claimant in unsuccessful suit before Supreme Court, 1853 regarding [[Florida|FLA]] land deeded (father in law) R. S. Hackley by the Duke of Alagon, 1819; chief engineer and superintendent of the [[Ohio and Mississippi Railway|Ohio and Mississippi Railroad]]; consultant at Coroner's jury for disaster at [[Desjardins Canal Bridge]], [[Hamilton, Ontario]], 1857;<ref name="bridg">"The Desjardins Bridge Catastrophe". (1857) ''Scientific American''. May 2. pp. 265-272</ref> engaged as engineer late 1857 by A. Escandon (with English financing) connecting [[Veracruz, Veracruz|Veracruz]] with [[Mexico City]] by rail via Cordova and [[Orizaba, Veracruz|Orizaba]] (supervising [[Pony Express|W. W. Finney]]);<ref name="escan">García Dávila, Carlos. [http://www.mexicodesconocido.com.mx/english/cultura_y_sociedad/actividades_economicas/detalle.cfm?idsec=17&idsub=86&idpag=871 "The Mexican Railways"] Escandon purchased the (4th) concession from Mosso brothers 1856, two routes were considered and Talcott was assigned the far more difficult southern passage probably due financial stakes held near Orizaba by the project's investors (the Northern passage was explored by [http://www.estaciontorreon.galeon.com/productos627821.html Pascual Almazán]); it was supposed to be the steepest railway undertaken up to that time, rising {{convert|211|ft/mi}} in a distance of {{convert|23|mi}} and to span the river Metlac was an English made iron bridge {{convert|380|ft}} high. ("A Great Railway Enterprise" (1866) ''Scientific American''. July 7)</ref><ref name="finne">Burgess, Jack. (1934) [http://richmondthenandnow.com/Newspaper-Articles/Pony-Express.html "Pony Express Was Idea of Virginian"]. ''Richmond Times-Dispatch'', December 2</ref> Col. and State Engineer of Virginia (under [[Robert E. Lee|Lee]]), charged with [[Richmond, Virginia|Richmond]], [[James River (Virginia)|James river]] coastal defense, 1861<ref name="corre">Official correspondence. ''The war of the rebellion: a compilation of the official records of the Union and Confederate armies''. (1880) p.781-783, p791, p851, p864</ref> (rearming star-shaped [[Fort Boykin]], later crippled by ironclad corvette [[USS Galena (1862)|USS Galena]]'s escort);<ref name="galen">Guttman, Jon. [http://historynet.com/acw/blrebelsstandatdrewrysbluff/index1.html "Rebel's Stand at Drewry's Bluff"]. ''America's Civil War Magazine''</ref> arrested in [[New York]], March 1863, held at [[Fort Warren (Massachusetts)|Fort Warren]] (as a Mexican citizen!);<ref name="arres">''The war of the rebellion: a compilation of the official records of the Union and Confederate armies''. (1899) p135</ref> returned to ([[French intervention in Mexico|French]]) reorganized Mexican project, 1862?5?,(under a new concession) till [[Benito Juárez|Juárez]] defeated [[Maximilian I of Mexico|Maximilian]]'s conservative regime, 1867; invested in development at (also with his son, [[Thomas Mann Randolph Talcott]]) in [[Bon Air, Virginia|Bon Air, VA]]; died 22 April, 1883, Richmond, VA. <ref>''Daily Dispatch'' (Richmond, Va.). Biography (p. 1, c. 3). Obituary. "Died at his residence, 519 East Leigh Street, on Sunday the 22d instant, Colonel Andrew Talcott, in the eighty - seventh year of his age. (He built the Richmond & Danville Railroad)". (p. 2, c. 4 ). Publication Tuesday, April 24, 1883.</ref>
He was born in [[Glastonbury, Connecticut]];<ref name="birth">Wilson, James Grand and John Fiske, ed. (1889) [http://books.google.com/books?id=V3QBok6hopAC&pg=PA24 "Andrew Talcott"] ''Appleton's Cyclopaedia of American Biography'' vol. vi, D. Appleton and Company, New York. p.24.</ref> graduated second in class [[United States Military Academy|West Point]], 1818; Engineers, garrisoned [[Fort Atkinson (Nebraska)|Fort Atkinson]], explored passage to [[Fort Snelling, Minnesota|Fort Snelling]], 1820;<ref name="atkin">Watkins, Albert (1919). "Three Military Heroes of Nebraska". [http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/ne/state/publications/pioneer/nhrv2n4.txt ''Nebraska History and Record of Pioneer Days'' V.2 nr.4]. Nebraska State Historical Society</ref> started construction at [[Fort Adams]], [[Rhode Island|RI]], 1824;<ref name="ftada">[http://cyberrealm.net/~rockfish/famous.htm "The History of Fort Adams"]</ref> rediscovered [[Peder Horrebow]]'s method for determining [[latitude]];<ref name="latit">Captain Albert E. Theberge, Albert. (2001) [http://www.lib.noaa.gov/edocs/BACHE2.htm ''The Coast Survey 1807-1867''] National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Library. The so-called Horrebow-Talcott method fixed latitude "by observing differences of zenith distances of stars culminating within a short time of each other, and at nearly the same altitude, on opposite sides of the zenith."</ref> Superintending Engineer for construction on [[Hampton Roads]] at [[Fort Wool|Fort Calhoun]] and [[Fort Monroe]] (superior and friend to future general, [[Robert E. Lee|R. E. Lee]]); married Harriet Randolph Hackley at [[Norfolk, Virginia|Norfolk, VA]], 1832; surveyed [[Ohio]]-[[Michigan]] border, spring 1835 (with Lee);<ref name="lohio">Price, Andrew [http://www.lee-jackson.org/essay.html "Robert E. Lee: The Engineer"]</ref> Capt., resigned commission, 1836; civil engineer, surveyed [[Mississippi Delta|Mississippi river delta]], 1839 (with young [[Andrew Gray (surveyor)|A. B. Gray]];<ref name="midel">Reconnaissance of the Passes of the Delta of the Mississippi, Louisiana. U.S. Coast Survey. (1852) map</ref> considered for post as Superintendent of the Coast Survey filled by [[Alexander Dallas Bache|Bache]], 1843; supervised construction on [[Richmond and Danville Railroad]], 1849, (later general manager); co-claimant in unsuccessful suit before Supreme Court, 1853 regarding [[Florida|FLA]] land deeded (father in law) R. S. Hackley by the Duke of Alagon, 1819; chief engineer and superintendent of the [[Ohio and Mississippi Railway|Ohio and Mississippi Railroad]]; consultant at Coroner's jury for disaster at [[Desjardins Canal Bridge]], [[Hamilton, Ontario]], 1857;<ref name="bridg">"The Desjardins Bridge Catastrophe". (1857) ''Scientific American''. May 2. pp. 265-272</ref> engaged as engineer late 1857 by A. Escandon (with English financing) connecting [[Veracruz, Veracruz|Veracruz]] with [[Mexico City]] by rail via Cordova and [[Orizaba, Veracruz|Orizaba]] (supervising [[Pony Express|W. W. Finney]]);<ref name="escan">García Dávila, Carlos. [http://www.mexicodesconocido.com.mx/english/cultura_y_sociedad/actividades_economicas/detalle.cfm?idsec=17&idsub=86&idpag=871 "The Mexican Railways"] Escandon purchased the (4th) concession from Mosso brothers 1856, two routes were considered and Talcott was assigned the far more difficult southern passage probably due financial stakes held near Orizaba by the project's investors (the Northern passage was explored by [http://www.estaciontorreon.galeon.com/productos627821.html Pascual Almazán]); it was supposed to be the steepest railway undertaken up to that time, rising {{convert|211|ft/mi}} in a distance of {{convert|23|mi}} and to span the river Metlac was an English made iron bridge {{convert|380|ft}} high. ("A Great Railway Enterprise" (1866) ''Scientific American''. July 7)</ref><ref name="finne">Burgess, Jack. (1934) [http://richmondthenandnow.com/Newspaper-Articles/Pony-Express.html "Pony Express Was Idea of Virginian"]. ''Richmond Times-Dispatch'', December 2</ref> Col. and State Engineer of Virginia (under [[Robert E. Lee|Lee]]), charged with [[Richmond, Virginia|Richmond]], [[James River (Virginia)|James river]] coastal defense, 1861<ref name="corre">Official correspondence. ''The war of the rebellion: a compilation of the official records of the Union and Confederate armies''. (1880) p.781-783, p791, p851, p864</ref> (rearming star-shaped [[Fort Boykin]], later crippled by ironclad corvette [[USS Galena (1862)|USS Galena]]'s escort);<ref name="galen">Guttman, Jon. [http://historynet.com/acw/blrebelsstandatdrewrysbluff/index1.html "Rebel's Stand at Drewry's Bluff"]. ''America's Civil War Magazine''</ref> arrested in [[New York]], March 1863, held at [[Fort Warren (Massachusetts)|Fort Warren]] (as a Mexican citizen!);<ref name="arres">''The war of the rebellion: a compilation of the official records of the Union and Confederate armies''. (1899) p135</ref> returned to ([[French intervention in Mexico|French]]) reorganized Mexican project, 1862?5?,(under a new concession) till [[Benito Juárez|Juárez]] defeated [[Maximilian I of Mexico|Maximilian]]'s conservative regime, 1867; invested in development at (also with his son, [[Thomas Mann Randolph Talcott]]) in [[Bon Air, Virginia|Bon Air, VA]]; died 22 April, 1883, Richmond, VA. <ref>''Daily Dispatch'' (Richmond, Va.). Biography (p. 1, c. 3). Obituary. "Died at his residence, 519 East Leigh Street, on Sunday the 22d instant, Colonel Andrew Talcott, in the eighty - seventh year of his age. (He built the Richmond & Danville Railroad)". (p. 2, c. 4 ). Publication Tuesday, April 24, 1883.</ref>

Revision as of 14:03, 2 September 2009

Andrew Talcott (April 20, 1797 – April 22, 1883) was an American civil engineer.

He was born in Glastonbury, Connecticut;[1] graduated second in class West Point, 1818; Engineers, garrisoned Fort Atkinson, explored passage to Fort Snelling, 1820;[2] started construction at Fort Adams, RI, 1824;[3] rediscovered Peder Horrebow's method for determining latitude;[4] Superintending Engineer for construction on Hampton Roads at Fort Calhoun and Fort Monroe (superior and friend to future general, R. E. Lee); married Harriet Randolph Hackley at Norfolk, VA, 1832; surveyed Ohio-Michigan border, spring 1835 (with Lee);[5] Capt., resigned commission, 1836; civil engineer, surveyed Mississippi river delta, 1839 (with young A. B. Gray;[6] considered for post as Superintendent of the Coast Survey filled by Bache, 1843; supervised construction on Richmond and Danville Railroad, 1849, (later general manager); co-claimant in unsuccessful suit before Supreme Court, 1853 regarding FLA land deeded (father in law) R. S. Hackley by the Duke of Alagon, 1819; chief engineer and superintendent of the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad; consultant at Coroner's jury for disaster at Desjardins Canal Bridge, Hamilton, Ontario, 1857;[7] engaged as engineer late 1857 by A. Escandon (with English financing) connecting Veracruz with Mexico City by rail via Cordova and Orizaba (supervising W. W. Finney);[8][9] Col. and State Engineer of Virginia (under Lee), charged with Richmond, James river coastal defense, 1861[10] (rearming star-shaped Fort Boykin, later crippled by ironclad corvette USS Galena's escort);[11] arrested in New York, March 1863, held at Fort Warren (as a Mexican citizen!);[12] returned to (French) reorganized Mexican project, 1862?5?,(under a new concession) till Juárez defeated Maximilian's conservative regime, 1867; invested in development at (also with his son, Thomas Mann Randolph Talcott) in Bon Air, VA; died 22 April, 1883, Richmond, VA. [13]

His brother was General George Talcott, Chief of the Ordnance Corps,[14] and his grand daughter Lucia Beverly Talcott (born 1865) married famous statistician and inventor Herman Hollerith in 1890.

References

  1. ^ Wilson, James Grand and John Fiske, ed. (1889) "Andrew Talcott" Appleton's Cyclopaedia of American Biography vol. vi, D. Appleton and Company, New York. p.24.
  2. ^ Watkins, Albert (1919). "Three Military Heroes of Nebraska". Nebraska History and Record of Pioneer Days V.2 nr.4. Nebraska State Historical Society
  3. ^ "The History of Fort Adams"
  4. ^ Captain Albert E. Theberge, Albert. (2001) The Coast Survey 1807-1867 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Library. The so-called Horrebow-Talcott method fixed latitude "by observing differences of zenith distances of stars culminating within a short time of each other, and at nearly the same altitude, on opposite sides of the zenith."
  5. ^ Price, Andrew "Robert E. Lee: The Engineer"
  6. ^ Reconnaissance of the Passes of the Delta of the Mississippi, Louisiana. U.S. Coast Survey. (1852) map
  7. ^ "The Desjardins Bridge Catastrophe". (1857) Scientific American. May 2. pp. 265-272
  8. ^ García Dávila, Carlos. "The Mexican Railways" Escandon purchased the (4th) concession from Mosso brothers 1856, two routes were considered and Talcott was assigned the far more difficult southern passage probably due financial stakes held near Orizaba by the project's investors (the Northern passage was explored by Pascual Almazán); it was supposed to be the steepest railway undertaken up to that time, rising 211 feet per mile (40.0 m/km) in a distance of 23 miles (37 km) and to span the river Metlac was an English made iron bridge 380 feet (120 m) high. ("A Great Railway Enterprise" (1866) Scientific American. July 7)
  9. ^ Burgess, Jack. (1934) "Pony Express Was Idea of Virginian". Richmond Times-Dispatch, December 2
  10. ^ Official correspondence. The war of the rebellion: a compilation of the official records of the Union and Confederate armies. (1880) p.781-783, p791, p851, p864
  11. ^ Guttman, Jon. "Rebel's Stand at Drewry's Bluff". America's Civil War Magazine
  12. ^ The war of the rebellion: a compilation of the official records of the Union and Confederate armies. (1899) p135
  13. ^ Daily Dispatch (Richmond, Va.). Biography (p. 1, c. 3). Obituary. "Died at his residence, 519 East Leigh Street, on Sunday the 22d instant, Colonel Andrew Talcott, in the eighty - seventh year of his age. (He built the Richmond & Danville Railroad)". (p. 2, c. 4 ). Publication Tuesday, April 24, 1883.
  14. ^ Stiles, Henry R (1904) The History of Ancient Wethersfield Connecticut, v 2. p 696
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