John D. Fay
Encyclopedia
John Doane Fay was an American civil engineer
and politician from New York
. On May 6, 1839, he married Caroline M. Saxton, and they had one child. Caroline Fay died on October 11, 1841.
Fay participated with Stephen Clark
in re-constructing the Long Bridge over the Potomac
, and was a Resident Engineer on the New York State canals from 1841 to 1849. On October 23, 1845, he married Maria Lydia Noble (b. April 24, 1824), and they had eight children.
In 1850, Fay and Orville W. Childs were sent to Nicaragua
by Cornelius Vanderbilt
to make a survey for the proposed Nicaragua canal
. He was Division Engineer of the Western Division of the State Canals from 1852 to 1853, from 1856 to 1860, and from 1874 to 1875.
In 1853
, he ran for New York State Engineer and Surveyor
on the Hard
ticket but was defeated by Whig John T. Clark
. In 1855
, he ran again but was again defeated, this time by American
Silas Seymour
.
From 1868 to 1873 he was a Canal Commissioner
, elected in 1867
and 1870 on the Democratic ticket.
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
and politician from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
Life
He was educated at Lowville, New YorkLowville, New York
Lowville, New York may refer to:*Lowville , New York, located in Lewis County*Lowville , New York, located within the Town of Lowville...
. On May 6, 1839, he married Caroline M. Saxton, and they had one child. Caroline Fay died on October 11, 1841.
Fay participated with Stephen Clark
Stephen Clark (NY treasurer)
Stephen Clark was an American politician.-Life:He lived at Albany, New York. On February 4, 1818, he married Pamelia Fay , and they had five children...
in re-constructing the Long Bridge over the Potomac
Potomac
-Places in the United States:Washington, D.C. area:*The Potomac River, which flows through West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC**The Potomac Highlands of West Virginia, a region of the Potomac River's watershed in West Virginia...
, and was a Resident Engineer on the New York State canals from 1841 to 1849. On October 23, 1845, he married Maria Lydia Noble (b. April 24, 1824), and they had eight children.
In 1850, Fay and Orville W. Childs were sent to Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
by Cornelius Vanderbilt
Cornelius Vanderbilt
Cornelius Vanderbilt , also known by the sobriquet Commodore, was an American entrepreneur who built his wealth in shipping and railroads. He was also the patriarch of the Vanderbilt family and one of the richest Americans in history...
to make a survey for the proposed Nicaragua canal
Nicaragua Canal
The Inter-Oceanic Nicaragua Canal was a proposed waterway through Nicaragua to connect the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean...
. He was Division Engineer of the Western Division of the State Canals from 1852 to 1853, from 1856 to 1860, and from 1874 to 1875.
In 1853
New York state election, 1853
The 1853 New York state election was held on November 8, 1853, to elect the Secretary of State, the State Comptroller, the Attorney General, the State Treasurer, the State Engineer, two Judges of the New York Court of Appeals, a Canal Commissioner, an Inspector of State Prisons and the Clerk of the...
, he ran for New York State Engineer and Surveyor
New York State Engineer and Surveyor
The New York State Engineer and Surveyor was a state cabinet officer in the State of New York between 1848 and 1926. During the re-organization of the state government under Governor Al Smith, the office was abolished and its responsibilities transferred to the Department of Public Works which was...
on the Hard
Barnburners and Hunkers
The Barnburners were the more radical faction of the New York state Democratic Party in the mid 19th century. The term barnburner was derived from the idea of someone who would burn down his own barn to get rid of a rat infestation, in this case those who would destroy all banks and corporations,...
ticket but was defeated by Whig John T. Clark
John T. Clark
For other people with a similar name see John ClarkJohn T. Clark was an American civil engineer and politician from New York.-Life:He lived at Utica, Oneida County, New York....
. In 1855
New York state election, 1855
The 1855 New York state election was held on November 6, 1855, to elect the Secretary of State, the State Comptroller, the Attorney General, the State Treasurer, the State Engineer, two judges of the New York Court of Appeals, a Canal Commissioner and an Inspector of State Prisons, as well as...
, he ran again but was again defeated, this time by American
Know Nothing
The Know Nothing was a movement by the nativist American political faction of the 1840s and 1850s. It was empowered by popular fears that the country was being overwhelmed by German and Irish Catholic immigrants, who were often regarded as hostile to Anglo-Saxon Protestant values and controlled by...
Silas Seymour
Silas Seymour
Silas Seymour was an American civil engineer and politician from New York.-Life:...
.
From 1868 to 1873 he was a Canal Commissioner
Erie Canal Commission
The New York State Legislature appointed in 1810 a Commission to Explore a Route for a Canal to Lake Erie, and Report which became known as the Erie Canal Commission...
, elected in 1867
New York state election, 1867
The 1867 New York state election was held on November 5, 1867, to elect the Secretary of State, the State Comptroller, the Attorney General, the State Treasurer, the State Engineer, a Judge of the New York Court of Appeals, a Canal Commissioners and an Inspector of State Prisons, as well as all...
and 1870 on the Democratic ticket.
Sources
- http://www.history.rochester.edu/canal/bib/whitford/old1906/vol2/chapter3.htm Bios of Engineers, at Rochester history
- Fay Genealogy (1898; pages 48, 90 and 142)