Swift, William Henry, Nov. 6, 1800 born at Taunton, Mass., son of Dr. Foster and Deborah Delano Swift; 1818-1821 while a cadet, served on Maj. Stephen H. Long's Rocky mountain expedition; July 1, 1819 graduated from West Point (29/29) and appointed 2ndlt., Corps of Artillery; surveyed for the Chesapeake and Ohio canal and for various railroads and in constructing a map of post offices and post roads; June 1, 1821 transferred to 1st U. S. Artillery Rgt. Aug. 5, 1824 1stlt. Aug. 1, 1832 brevet capt., assistant topographical engineer; geodetic survey of the Atlantic coast; 1836-1840 resident and constructing engineer of the Massa-chusetts Western railroad (later part of the Boston and Albany); 1837-1842 in charge of river and harbor improvements in New England; July 7, 1838 capt., Topographical Engineer Corps; 1844-1849 assistant to the chief of topographical engineers and examined the Illinois and Michigan canal; 1845-1871 president, board of trustees, Illinois and Michigan canal and saw its completion; 1847-1849 designed and constructed the first Minor's ledge lighthouse, first iron-pile lighthouse in the United States, which was swept away in an April 1851 gale; July 31, 1849 resigned and became president of Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Baltimore, the Massachusetts Western, and the Hannibal and St. Joseph railroads; April 7, 1879 died at New York City.
Swift, William Henry, Nov. 6, 1800 born at Taunton, Mass., son of Dr. Foster and Deborah Delano Swift; 1818-1821 while a cadet, served on Maj. Stephen H. Long's Rocky mountain expedition; July 1, 1819 graduated from West Point (29/29) and appointed 2ndlt., Corps of Artillery; surveyed for the Chesapeake and Ohio canal and for various railroads and in constructing a map of post offices and post roads; June 1, 1821 transferred to 1st U. S. Artillery Rgt. Aug. 5, 1824 1stlt. Aug. 1, 1832 brevet capt., assistant topographical engineer; geodetic survey of the Atlantic coast; 1836-1840 resident and constructing engineer of the Massa-chusetts Western railroad (later part of the Boston and Albany); 1837-1842 in charge of river and harbor improvements in New England; July 7, 1838 capt., Topographical Engineer Corps; 1844-1849 assistant to the chief of topographical engineers and examined the Illinois and Michigan canal; 1845-1871 president, board of trustees, Illinois and Michigan canal and saw its completion; 1847-1849 designed and constructed the first Minor's ledge lighthouse, first iron-pile lighthouse in the United States, which was swept away in an April 1851 gale; July 31, 1849 resigned and became president of Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Baltimore, the Massachusetts Western, and the Hannibal and St. Joseph railroads; April 7, 1879 died at New York City.
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