Talcott Graduated Second in Class West Point, 1818; Engineers

Captain Andrew Talcott

Andrew Talcott (1797-1883)- Born 20 Apr 1797, Glastonbury, Connecticut, died 22 April, 1883, Richmond, Virginia.

Talcott graduated second in class West Point, 1818; Engineers.

Assignments:

(1819-1820) 1st Lt. (1 Oct 1820), Camp on the staff of Bvt. Brig.-General Atkinson, on the Expedition to establish posts on the Upper Missouri and Yellowstone rivers, Nov. 1, 1820, to Apr. 30, 1821 ; He was garrisoned at Camp Missouri ( Fort Atkinson near Omaha), and in 1820, explored an overland passage to Camp Cold Water (Fort Snelling ), under Captain Magee accompanied by Captain Kearny, Lieutenant-Colonel Willoughby Morgan, two junior officers and fifteen soldiers. Four servants, an Indian guide, his wife and papoose, eight mules and seven horses completed the outfit. The journey took twenty three days with Lieutenant Talcott taking observations for Latitude. They visited St Anthony Falls and returned to Camp Missouri by way of the St. Peter and Blue Earth River.

(1828-1835) Capt. (22 Dec 1830), Superintending Engineer for construction on Hampton Roads atFort CalhounandFort Monroe, where he was superior officer and became friends with future General Robert E Lee.,

Spring 1835, to settle a dispute, the government sent Captain Andrew Talcott and Lieutenants Robert E. Lee and Washington Hood to survey and map the Ohio-Michigan Border. On the basis of this survey both Michigan and Ohio agreed to compromise and Michigan became a state in 1837. This dispute nearly erupted into a border clash and is often referred to as the "Toledo War."

Civil History :

Adjunct Chief Engineer of the New York and Erie Railroad, and in charge of its Western Division, June 21, 1836, to Apr. 30, 1837.

Member of the Commission for the exploration and survey of the Northeast Boundary of the United States, July 26, 1840, to Feb. 28, 1843,

Chief Engineer of Richmond and Danville Railroad, Va., Jan. 11, 1848, to July 31, 1855.

Astronomer and Surveyor for the demarcation of the Northern Boundary of the State of Iowa, Feb. 16, 1852, to June 27, 1853.

Chief Engineer of the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad from Cincinnati, O., to St. Louis, Mo., May 1, 1856, to Nov. 30, 1857,

In 1857 he became engineer for , Mexico and Pacific Railroad, from Vera Cruz, Mex., through the City of Mexico to the Pacific Ocean, Dec. 1, 1857, to Apr. 1, 1859, which was organized under the presidency of Don Antonio Escaudon, and surveyed the line from Vera Cruz to the city of Mexico; but, owing to political events, the operations of this company were suspended, and Captain Talcott returned to the United States.

U.S. Civil War: In 1861 he was appointed chief engineer of Virginia, but in 1862 he returned to Mexico and resumed his office as chief engineer of the railroad from Mexico to the Gulf. A new company was formed with the aid of British capital and under the imperial government of Mexico, and the work on the railroad was prosecuted in 1865-'6, but on the change of government in 1867 his direction of the work ceased.

Needing some supplies for the work, he came with the president to New York in March 1863, where he was seized by the government officials and confined inFort Lafayetteas a spy, and accused of planning and constructing the fortifications around Richmond. He was transferred to Fort Adams, in Boston harbor, and kept there by the order of GeneralJohn E. Wooluntil GeneralJohn A. Dixwas put in command of the Eastern military department. General Dix, who knew him well and believed in his loyalty to the United States government, had him brought to New York, listened to his statement, and released him.

Post War: After a visit to Europe he spent the remainder of his life in retirement in Baltimore and Richmond. He was a fine mathematician, and in 1833 devised "Talcott's method" for determining territorial latitudes by the observation of stars near the zenith, contriving a suitable modification of the zenith instrument for the purpose. The “Talcott method” was adopted by the Coast Survey in 1846. It was used in the surveys of the northern and northwestern lakes and in the survey of the United States west of the one hundredth meridian.

He died 22 Apr 1883 in Richmond, VA, buriedHollywood Cemetery, Richmond.

Personal Description:

Father:George Talcott, born 30 Sep 1755, died 13 Jun 1813, Glastonbury, CT.

Mother:Abigail Goodrich, born 1 Aug 1767, Glastonbury, CT.

Marriage: Catherine Thompson, married Apr 1826, Philadelphia, PA, born about 1800, Philadelphia, PA, died Oct 1828, Old Point Comfort, VA

Harriet Randolph Hackley, married 11 Apr 1832, Norfolk, Virginia, born 26 Jun 1810 in "Monticello", Albemarle County, VA, died 13 Jul 1880. Harriet was a cousin of Mary Custis Lee (Mrs. Robert E Lee)

Children: Lucia Beverley Talcott born Feb 8th 1833

Charles Gratiot Talcott born Feb 28 1834

m Theodosia L. Barnard 10/18/1858

Harriet Randolph Talcott born Nov 9th 1835

m Rev William S Southgate 11/01/1858

Mary Gray Talcott born Feb 8th 1837

Thomas Mann Randolph Talcott born March

27th 1838 in Philadelphia, PA

m Nannie C McPhail 1/07/1864

Richard Hackley Talcott born July 14th 1839

George Russell Talcott born Jan 21st 1841

Frances Lewis Talcott born Nov 19th 1843

Anne Cary Talcott born May 27th 1845

m Gustave Von Boleslowski

Edward C. Talcott born Sept 4th 1849

Henry Clay Talcott born Oct 24th 1851

Quartermaster David B Sears

David Sears was the second child of Joseph Sears and Sarah Pitts was born in Lima, Livingston co., NY in April 26th, 1804. He died at Sears Illinois January 22nd 1884.

In 1811 removed with his parents to Sciota Valley, OH, where they lived during the war of 1812, after Perry's famous victory, they removed to Cincinnati.

In 1814, the family ventured still further west, settling in Switzerland co., Indiana. In 1818, they struck out for the Wabash valley, where they located permanently.

In 1820, David, who was then in his seventeenth year, yearning for an education, resolved to return to his native state near Syracuse.

In 1824, he married Miss Melinda Stokes of Shawneetown, Illinois. They had 6 children. She died in 1833. He married Delila Caldwell and had 8 more children. Mr Sears made farming his vocation, taking annual trips to New Orleans to dispose of his produce, which he shipped by flat-boat.

In 1836, Mr. Sears moved to the Upper Mississippi valley, to the point now covered by the busy little city of Moline.

In 1837, Mr. Sears, in company with J.W. Spencer, Calvin Ainsworth, and Spencer M. White, commenced building the first dam across the river between Rock Island and the Illinois shore. In the fall of 1841, they erected a two-story saw-mill, In 1843, the company built the "big mill," at a cost of some $30,000

About 1843, Mr. Sears in company with Charles Atkinson, laid out and plotted the town of Moline and its "Island City" subdivision, which consisted of a tract of thirty-seven acres, on the upper end of Rock Island, then held as a military reserve. Mr. Sears established a foundry, erected a store and other buildings in Moline,

In 1845, he built a saw-mill, and in 1859, a three-run flour-mill on Benham's Island, a narrow strip of land lying contiguous to Rock Island. He constructed a steamboat landing below the mill, erected a house and other buildings on the main land.

On February 21st 1852 Surveyor General George B Sargent appointed him Master of Transportation on the service of running the boundary line between Iowa & Minnesota. He was paid $4.00 per day.

In 1855, Mr. Sears purchased one-fourth of the present milling site of Minneapolis, (one-fourth of forty-nine acres, and one-fourth of the water power ,) which he sold to the late Gov. C.C. Washburn for $4,000 He at the same time built a saw-mill and furniture factory on Lake Minnetonka,

In August, 1861, he enlisted in 22d Illinois Regiment, and served honor- ably as Quartermaster for three years.

In 1865, the government took possession of the island for the purpose of a National arsenal and armory, the commission awarded him $145,175 for his property and improvements.

In 1867, he built the fine 300-barrel mill at Sears, and in 1870, a flour-mill at Cleveland, Mo., and another at Linden in 1873. In 1875, he went to Tama City, Iowa, erected a large mill, and two years later dug a canal, put in a dam and otherwise improved the water power at Ottumwa.

In 1880, he constructed water-works at Red Oak, Iowa, and the following year performed a like work at Joplin, Missouri.

Surveyor General Warner Lewis

Warner Lewis was born in Goochland Co., near Richmond, in the year 1805,

Warner Lewis emigrated to Missouri with his father in 1818, and settled in St. Louis

in 1827, he came to the upper lead mines of what was then known as Wisconsin; he participated in all the eventful and often bloody scenes of the Black Hawk war in 1832, serving as aid to Gen. Henry Dodge

General Lewis settled in Iowa in the spring of 1833;

He was three or four times elected to the Iowa State Legislature, serving several terms as Speaker of the House of Representatives;

He was appointed Register of the United States Land Office under the administration of James K. Polk.

Warner Lewis was appointed Surveyor General , by President Franklin Pierce, April 23, 1853. He was Surveyor General in Dubuque June 6, 1853 to July 27, 1859

Surveyor General George Barnard Sargent

George Barnard Sargent (1818-1875)

George Sargent, was born toEpes and Hannah Sargent, in 1818 in Boston,

In 1838, he moved to Iowa and married Mary Perin, they had ten children.

In 1847 he opened the bankhouse of "Cook and Sargent" in Davenport, Iowa.

George B. Sargent was appointed Surveyor General in Dubuque on March 24, 1851, by President Fillmore. He was Surveyor General in Dubuque from May 8, 1851 to April 1, 1853

In 1857, was elected Mayor of Davenport

May 1, 1857 opening of Cook & Sargent's new banking house in Davenport, on the corner of Main and Second streets. Sept. 28, 1857 first town clock in Davenport; put up by Cook & Sargent in front of their banking house, on the corner of second and Main streets.

Dec. 16, 1859 suspension of Cook & Sargent's banking house of Davenport.

General George B Sargent, as agent for Jay Cook, opened the first bank in Duluth. The famous Clark House was built under General Sargent’s direction.

In 1869, the family moved to Duluth, Minnesota.

George died in Duluth in 1875.

George R. Stuntz

Born in Albion, Pennsylvania, Dec 11th 1820 the seventh child of eleven children of George Stuntz and Mary Randall.

He obtained a two year course in mathematics, chemistry, engineering and surveying from the Grand River Institute in Ohio.

In 1842 left for St Louis Missouri where he taught school for a year and then headed up river to the Fox River Indian Reservation where he started his surveying career.

He was elected County Surveyor in Grant County Wisconsin in 1847.

Wisconsin Deputy Surveyor 1848 – 1851.

On March 29th 1852 Surveyor General George B Sargent appointed him a Deputy Surveyor on the service of running the boundary line between Iowa & Minnesota. He was paid $4.00 per day.

On May 31st 1852 he was discharged from the Iowa Boundary. Surveyor General George B Sargent sent him to run and mark the Wisconsin State Line from " the first rapids in St. Louis river, above the Indian village, according to Nicollet's map, thence due south to the main branch of the river St. Croix."

He returned to the Duluth area in 1853 to become the first settler of Duluth. He established a small post near his dock on Minnesota Point.

He discovered iron ore in 1863 on the Vermilion Range. In he 1866 constructed road from Duluth to Lake Vermilion.

He went to Washington D. C. in 1869 to convince General Sargent and Jay Cook to invest in Duluth.

In 1870 he contracted to run the 11th and 12th standard Parallels west of the 3rd Guide Meridian in Minnesota.

He married Mary J. Pugsley in 1872.

Duluth City Engineer in 1878.

In 1886 he was elected first president of the Old Settler’s Association

Died in Duluth, in Oct 1902, buried in Oneota Cemetery, Skyline Parkway Duluth.

Isaac W Smith

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Isaac Williams Smith(1826-January 1, 1897)

Early life:

Smith was born in 1826 inFredericksburg,Spotsylvania County,Virginia, the son of Episcopalian preacher Reverend George A. Smith and his wife, Ophelia Williams Smith.

Education:

Isaac Smith attended the Fairfax Institute at Clairens and theVirginia Military InstituteatLexington, graduating in 1846. One of his professors was ThomasStonewall Jackson.

United States Army

After graduation Smith served as assistant surveyor on many projects, including under Captain Emory on the survey of the northeastern boundary between theUnited States andCanada.

In 1847, Smith was appointed Second Lieutenant in Company K, U.S. regiment of Voltigeursin theMexican-American War, and fought at thesiege of Veracruz.

Surveyor:

In 1851 he was Assistant Surveyor and Astronomer on the survey of the parallel between theCreekandCherokee nations ofNative Americansunder lieutenants Sitgreaves and Woodruff.

On February 20th 1852 Surveyor General Gearge B Sargent appointed him First Assistant Surveyor and Astronomer on the Survey of the Northern Boundary of Iowa. His salary was $6.00 per day.