William Taussig
Encyclopedia
William Taussig was
a St. Louis physician
and businessperson
. He managed the
business affairs associated with building the Eads Bridge
and its later
operation.
, the third city
of the Austrian Empire
, and the commercial
and manufacturing center of Bohemia
. He
was educated at the University of Prague
, and after completing
the classical
course, turned his attention
to the study of medicine
, devoting himself
chiefly to chemistry
. In 1847, he emigrated to
the United States
, and for a year was employed
in New York City
as an analytical chemist.
Leaving New York in 1848, he came to
St. Louis and soon after his arrival
became connected with the drug house of
Charless, Blow & Co. as chemist. To further
qualify himself for the practice of medicine,
he attended a course of lectures
at Pope's Medical College, and then
started a medical practice.
During the a cholera
epidemic in 1849, he
served the city as assistant physician and
apothecary at quarantine. In 1851 he moved to Carondelet,
then an independent city, but now part of St. Louis.
There he soon built up a very extensive practice.
In 1852 he was elected mayor of the city, and
held that office until failing health compelled
him to retire from the position, and also to
give up his large medical practice.
In 1859 he became one of the judges of the St. Louis
County Court, John H. Lightner, Benjamin
Farrar, Robert Holmes and John H. Fisse
being his associates. This court, or
board, had almost absolute control of all
the financial and administrative affairs of
St. Louis County
during the entire period of the
Civil War
, and on it rested the chief
responsibilities of county government. Taussig and his colleagues
were chosen as a reform board,
their immediate predecessors having brought
down upon themselves popular condemnation
by their conduct of county
affairs. The court inaugurated
numerous reforms. In 1863, Taussig
was reelected to the county court and made
presiding justice, holding that position until
his resignation in 1865.
During Taussig's term of service on the bench,
Captain Ulysses S. Grant
was rejected for a position as county
surveyor. Grant soon afterward went to
Galena, Illinois
. Later, on
the occasion of one of his visits to St. Louis,
General Grant told Taussig he was
indebted to him for his action in the matter.
Taussig was presiding on the county
bench when General Sterling Price
made his
last raid through Missouri
and threatened the
capture of St. Louis. Supported by his
associates, Taussig moved to raise
two regiments of troops to reinforce the
inadequate reserves defending the city under
command of General Rosecrans
.
The much needed additional
military force could only be raised by giving
generous bounties to encourage the enlistment
of troops. There was, however, no money
in the county treasury, and $200,000 was
needed to meet the expenses of the proposed
movement. So Taussig negotiated a loan.
Also during the Civil War, when marauders —
calling themselves Confederates — under the
command of "Bill" Anderson fell upon the
town of Fulton, Missouri
, and robbed and
destroyed the insane asylum at that place, the
inmates of that institution were
left without a place of refuge. Taussig,
upon hearing of the disaster,
provided for their relief.
Accompanied by Captain Bartholomew Guion,
he arrived at Fulton, and speedily organized a relief
movement with the assistance of residents in the vicinity.
He gathered together those who had been inmates
of the asylum, over two hundred in number, and
loaded them into vehicles of various kinds, and finally landed them
at Mexico, Missouri
. The region traversed
was infested with guerrillas, and Taussig
and his party had no military escort;
however, they reached their destination
in safety and proceeded by rail to St.
Louis. Here, by previous arrangement, the
doors of St. Vincent Asylum were thrown
open to them.
While serving on
the county court bench Taussig was also
examining surgeon for the First Military
District, by appointment of President Lincoln, his
duty in this connection being to pass upon
the physical condition of men drafted into the
Union Army. In 1865 he was appointed
United States Internal Revenue collector by
President Lincoln
, he being the second
appointee to that office in St. Louis. Soon after
the close of the war, he became first
president of the Traders' Bank.
He joined James B. Eads in the project to construct a
bridge
across the Mississippi River
. At the
first meeting of the executive committee of
the Illinois & St. Louis Bridge & Tunnel
Company he was appointed chairman, and from that time until his
retirement in 1896 managed the vast interests
connected with the bridge and tunnel. The only other enterprise
with which he was identified during that
time was the North Missouri Railway Company,
of which he served two years as director.
In July 1874, upon completion of the bridge,
he was appointed general manager of the St.
Louis Bridge Company, the Tunnel Railroad
Company, the Union Railway & Transit
Company, and the Union Depot Company,
all of which interests were finally, by lease and
purchase, combined under the general ownership
and control of the Terminal Railroad
Association of St. Louis. This association made
Taussig its president in 1889, and from
that time forward until the date of its completion
he devoted himself to the perfection of
a railroad terminal system for St.
Louis and to the building of the Union Depot.
In 1872, he joined Carl Schurz
, Emil Preetorius
,
Gratz Brown, William M. Grosvenor and Henry T. Blow in the
Liberal Republican Party
.
Louis. Their son Frank William Taussig
became
professor of political economy in
Harvard College
. F. W. Taussig's last publication was “My Father's Business Career,” Harvard Business Review, 1941.
a St. Louis physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
and businessperson
Businessperson
A businessperson is someone involved in a particular undertaking of activities for the purpose of generating revenue from a combination of human, financial, or physical capital. An entrepreneur is an example of a business person...
. He managed the
business affairs associated with building the Eads Bridge
Eads Bridge
The Eads Bridge is a combined road and railway bridge over the Mississippi River at St. Louis, connecting St. Louis and East St. Louis, Illinois....
and its later
operation.
Biography
Taussig was born in the city of PraguePrague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, the third city
of the Austrian Empire
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
, and the commercial
and manufacturing center of Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
. He
was educated at the University of Prague
University of Prague
Prague UniversitiesSocial Science:*Charles University in PragueEconomic University:*University of Economics, Prague*The University of Finance and AdministrationTechnical University:*Czech Technical University in Prague...
, and after completing
the classical
Classics
Classics is the branch of the Humanities comprising the languages, literature, philosophy, history, art, archaeology and other culture of the ancient Mediterranean world ; especially Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome during Classical Antiquity Classics (sometimes encompassing Classical Studies or...
course, turned his attention
to the study of medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
, devoting himself
chiefly to chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
. In 1847, he emigrated to
the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and for a year was employed
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
as an analytical chemist.
Leaving New York in 1848, he came to
St. Louis and soon after his arrival
became connected with the drug house of
Charless, Blow & Co. as chemist. To further
qualify himself for the practice of medicine,
he attended a course of lectures
at Pope's Medical College, and then
started a medical practice.
During the a cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
epidemic in 1849, he
served the city as assistant physician and
apothecary at quarantine. In 1851 he moved to Carondelet,
then an independent city, but now part of St. Louis.
There he soon built up a very extensive practice.
In 1852 he was elected mayor of the city, and
held that office until failing health compelled
him to retire from the position, and also to
give up his large medical practice.
In 1859 he became one of the judges of the St. Louis
County Court, John H. Lightner, Benjamin
Farrar, Robert Holmes and John H. Fisse
being his associates. This court, or
board, had almost absolute control of all
the financial and administrative affairs of
St. Louis County
St. Louis County, Missouri
St. Louis County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. Its county seat is Clayton. St. Louis County is part of the St. Louis Metro Area wherein the independent City of St. Louis and its suburbs in St. Louis County, as well as the surrounding counties in both Missouri and Illinois all...
during the entire period of the
Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, and on it rested the chief
responsibilities of county government. Taussig and his colleagues
were chosen as a reform board,
their immediate predecessors having brought
down upon themselves popular condemnation
by their conduct of county
affairs. The court inaugurated
numerous reforms. In 1863, Taussig
was reelected to the county court and made
presiding justice, holding that position until
his resignation in 1865.
During Taussig's term of service on the bench,
Captain Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
was rejected for a position as county
surveyor. Grant soon afterward went to
Galena, Illinois
Galena, Illinois
Galena is the county seat of, and largest city in, Jo Daviess County, Illinois in the United States, with a population of 3,429 in 2010. The city is a popular tourist destination known for its history, historical architecture, and ski and golf resorts. Galena was the residence of Ulysses S...
. Later, on
the occasion of one of his visits to St. Louis,
General Grant told Taussig he was
indebted to him for his action in the matter.
Taussig was presiding on the county
bench when General Sterling Price
Sterling Price
Sterling Price was a lawyer, planter, and politician from the U.S. state of Missouri, who served as the 11th Governor of the state from 1853 to 1857. He also served as a United States Army brigadier general during the Mexican-American War, and a Confederate Army major general in the American Civil...
made his
last raid through Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
and threatened the
capture of St. Louis. Supported by his
associates, Taussig moved to raise
two regiments of troops to reinforce the
inadequate reserves defending the city under
command of General Rosecrans
William Rosecrans
William Starke Rosecrans was an inventor, coal-oil company executive, diplomat, politician, and United States Army officer. He gained fame for his role as a Union general during the American Civil War...
.
The much needed additional
military force could only be raised by giving
generous bounties to encourage the enlistment
of troops. There was, however, no money
in the county treasury, and $200,000 was
needed to meet the expenses of the proposed
movement. So Taussig negotiated a loan.
Also during the Civil War, when marauders —
calling themselves Confederates — under the
command of "Bill" Anderson fell upon the
town of Fulton, Missouri
Fulton, Missouri
Fulton is a city in Callaway County, Missouri, the United States of America. It is part of the Jefferson City, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 12,790 in the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Callaway County...
, and robbed and
destroyed the insane asylum at that place, the
inmates of that institution were
left without a place of refuge. Taussig,
upon hearing of the disaster,
provided for their relief.
Accompanied by Captain Bartholomew Guion,
he arrived at Fulton, and speedily organized a relief
movement with the assistance of residents in the vicinity.
He gathered together those who had been inmates
of the asylum, over two hundred in number, and
loaded them into vehicles of various kinds, and finally landed them
at Mexico, Missouri
Mexico, Missouri
Mexico is a city in Audrain County, Missouri, United States. The population was 11,543 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Audrain County. The Mexico Micropolitan Statistical Area consists of Audrain County...
. The region traversed
was infested with guerrillas, and Taussig
and his party had no military escort;
however, they reached their destination
in safety and proceeded by rail to St.
Louis. Here, by previous arrangement, the
doors of St. Vincent Asylum were thrown
open to them.
While serving on
the county court bench Taussig was also
examining surgeon for the First Military
District, by appointment of President Lincoln, his
duty in this connection being to pass upon
the physical condition of men drafted into the
Union Army. In 1865 he was appointed
United States Internal Revenue collector by
President Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
, he being the second
appointee to that office in St. Louis. Soon after
the close of the war, he became first
president of the Traders' Bank.
He joined James B. Eads in the project to construct a
bridge
Eads Bridge
The Eads Bridge is a combined road and railway bridge over the Mississippi River at St. Louis, connecting St. Louis and East St. Louis, Illinois....
across the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
. At the
first meeting of the executive committee of
the Illinois & St. Louis Bridge & Tunnel
Company he was appointed chairman, and from that time until his
retirement in 1896 managed the vast interests
connected with the bridge and tunnel. The only other enterprise
with which he was identified during that
time was the North Missouri Railway Company,
of which he served two years as director.
In July 1874, upon completion of the bridge,
he was appointed general manager of the St.
Louis Bridge Company, the Tunnel Railroad
Company, the Union Railway & Transit
Company, and the Union Depot Company,
all of which interests were finally, by lease and
purchase, combined under the general ownership
and control of the Terminal Railroad
Association of St. Louis. This association made
Taussig its president in 1889, and from
that time forward until the date of its completion
he devoted himself to the perfection of
a railroad terminal system for St.
Louis and to the building of the Union Depot.
In 1872, he joined Carl Schurz
Carl Schurz
Carl Christian Schurz was a German revolutionary, American statesman and reformer, and Union Army General in the American Civil War. He was also an accomplished journalist, newspaper editor and orator, who in 1869 became the first German-born American elected to the United States Senate.His wife,...
, Emil Preetorius
Emil Preetorius
Emil Preetorius was a 19th-century St. Louis journalist. He and Carl Daenzer were the “Nestors” of the German American press in the second half of the 19th century.-Biography:...
,
Gratz Brown, William M. Grosvenor and Henry T. Blow in the
Liberal Republican Party
Liberal Republican Party (United States)
The Liberal Republican Party of the United States was a political party that was organized in Cincinnati in May 1872, to oppose the reelection of President Ulysses S. Grant and his Radical Republican supporters. The party's candidate in that year's presidential election was Horace Greeley, longtime...
.
Family
In 1857, Taussig married Adele Wuerpel of St.Louis. Their son Frank William Taussig
Frank William Taussig
Frank William Taussig was a U.S. economist and educator. Taussig is credited with creating the foundations of modern trade theory.-Biography:...
became
professor of political economy in
Harvard College
Harvard College
Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...
. F. W. Taussig's last publication was “My Father's Business Career,” Harvard Business Review, 1941.