Ashbel Welch (1809–1882) was a prominent American civil engineer and a president of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) in 1882. [1] Welch originated and installed a block signaling system on the Camden and Amboy Railroad between Philadelphia and New Brunswick. First in America, the system later came into use on all American railroads.
Early Life and Family
Ashbel Welch (Born in Madison Co., N.Y. Dec. 4, 1809, died in Lambertville, N.J., Sept. 25, 1882.) to Ashbel Welch (1764 - 1826) and Margaret Dorrance Welch (1776 - 1830), the younger brother of Sylvester Welch (1798 - 1852),[2] the future chief engineer of the Allegheny Portage railroad in Pennsylvania. In 1843, the College of New Jersey at Princeton (renamed Princeton University in 1896) conferred on him the honorary degree of Master of Arts.
Ashbel married Mary Hannah Seabrook, daughter of James and Merriam Lambert Seabrook (1813-1874) on 25 October, 1834 at Lambertville, NJ. They had seven children.[2]
Career
Lehigh and Delaware Canal
1826-started his engineering career on the Lehigh and Delaware Canal as a rodman for his brother Sylvester Welch.
Delaware and Raritan Canal
1830-called to Trenton, NJ by Canvass White to join engineers, ready to start construction of the Delaware and Raritan Canal.
1832-placed in charge of digging the feeder northwestward from Trenton, he selected Lambertville for his headquarters.
1834-Delaware and Raritan Canal completed and open for business. Ashbel married Mary Hannah Seabrook.
1835-appointed chief engineer of the newly formed "Joint Companies" of the Delaware and Raritan Canal and the Camden and Amboy Railroad.
Philadelphia and Trenton Railroad
1836-appointed Chief Engineer of the Philadelphia and Trenton Railroad.
1844-sent to England to supervise construction of an order of guns for the United States Navy.
Camden and Amboy Railroad
1863-originated and installed a block signaling system on the Camden and Amboy Railroad between Philadelphia and New Brunswick. First in America, the system later came into use on all American railroads.
Belvidere Delaware Railroad and Flemington Railroad
1869-president of the Bel-Del Railroad and the Flemington Railroad.
Legacy and Death
Ashbel died on September 25th, 1882 and is buried at Mount Hope Cemetery, Lambertville, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, USA.[2]
References
- ↑ ASCE Past and Present Officers, page 116, downloaded at on June 5, 2016.
- 1 2 3 Find a grave, (Ashbel Welch) accessed on June 5, 2016
Further reading
- Snell, J. P. (1881). History of Hunterdon and Somerset counties, New Jersey: with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers. Philadelphia: Everts & Peck.
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