William Benson Storey
Encyclopedia
William Benson Storey, Jr. (November 17 1857 – October 24 1940) was the fifteenth president of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
.
Storey was born November 17 1857, in San Francisco, California
, the son of William Bainbridge Storey, an express, stagecoach and newspaper agent, and Ellen Dean (Benson) Storey. His family moved around following his father's career until 1866 when they settled in Colfax
.
in 1876, Storey started his railroad career with the Southern Pacific Railroad
as a stake driver on the line between Oakland
and Berkeley
. He used his earnings from that summer and the following year to finance his college education, and he graduated from the University of California
in 1881 with a mechanical engineering degree. He hired out with the Central Pacific Railroad
and soon found himself working throughout Idaho
, Utah
and South Dakota
as well as the California
coast.
Storey's association with the Santa Fe began when he was hired by the San Francisco and San Joaquin Valley Railway (a Santa Fe subsidiary formed to make the railroad's connection to San Francisco
) as chief engineer. He transferred to the Santa Fe in 1903 as chief engineer and worked his way up to the vice presidency of the Santa Fe in 1909. In 1917 he was appointed as the federal manager, and three years later, on January 1, 1920, he succeeded Edward Payson Ripley
as president of the Santa Fe. He served as president until his retirement from the position on May 2, 1933. Storey remained on the board of directors until his death in 1940, a year after his successor's own death.
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The company was first chartered in February 1859...
.
Storey was born November 17 1857, in San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, the son of William Bainbridge Storey, an express, stagecoach and newspaper agent, and Ellen Dean (Benson) Storey. His family moved around following his father's career until 1866 when they settled in Colfax
Colfax, California
Colfax is a city in Placer County, California, at the crossroads of Interstate 80 and State Route 174. It is part of the Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,963 at the 2010 census...
.
in 1876, Storey started his railroad career with the Southern Pacific Railroad
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
as a stake driver on the line between Oakland
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
and Berkeley
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
. He used his earnings from that summer and the following year to finance his college education, and he graduated from the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
in 1881 with a mechanical engineering degree. He hired out with the Central Pacific Railroad
Central Pacific Railroad
The Central Pacific Railroad is the former name of the railroad network built between California and Utah, USA that formed part of the "First Transcontinental Railroad" in North America. It is now part of the Union Pacific Railroad. Many 19th century national proposals to build a transcontinental...
and soon found himself working throughout Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
and South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
as well as the California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
coast.
Storey's association with the Santa Fe began when he was hired by the San Francisco and San Joaquin Valley Railway (a Santa Fe subsidiary formed to make the railroad's connection to San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
) as chief engineer. He transferred to the Santa Fe in 1903 as chief engineer and worked his way up to the vice presidency of the Santa Fe in 1909. In 1917 he was appointed as the federal manager, and three years later, on January 1, 1920, he succeeded Edward Payson Ripley
Edward Payson Ripley
Edward Payson Ripley , sometimes referred to as Edward P. Ripley or E. P. Ripley, was the fourteenth president of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway.- Youth and education :...
as president of the Santa Fe. He served as president until his retirement from the position on May 2, 1933. Storey remained on the board of directors until his death in 1940, a year after his successor's own death.