Leland Stanford, most famously known for co-founding the world-renowned Stanford University with his wife Jane Stanford had a very interesting life, with the University taking up the latter half. Born in 1824 Leland Stanford was educated as a lawyer but made his fortune when he brought his family out to California where he made his fortune by selling mining equipment to the miners taking part in the California Gold Rush.
His career spanned a number of companies and professions including the Central Pacific Railroad, Southern Pacific Railroad, and state politics. Stanford had a small career with the Southern Pacific Railroad where he was a small shareholder and even served as president for a few years but he is most famous for his time with the Central Pacific Railroad. He is remembered as one of the Big Four that helped build the Central Pacific Railroad out towards Promontory Point in Utah for the unification of the railroads to help form the Transcontinental Railroad. With the Central Pacific, he served as the President and used his political influence to help the railroad thrive. Stanford's Political career had a rocky start when he ran for and lost the position of State Treasurer after serving as a Justice of the Peace, but his career got better from there. In 1861 Leland Stanford was elected as the Governor of California, a position he filled for two years and used the power that came with it to help the Central Pacific Railroad. He also was appointed to the California State Legislature where he served until his death in 1893. Regarding the University, Leland Stanford named it and founded it after his son, Leland Stanford Junior who died of Typhoid Fever at the age of 15. This University was meant to help educate the other children of California because they could not complete the education of their son.
Sources
http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/people/s_z/stanford.htm
Great post Alex, I never knew how politically influential Leland Stanford was as well. It's interesting to note that before becoming involved in politics, Stanford practiced law at Port Washington, Wisconsin and became very wealthy selling mining supplies and general merchandise after moving to Sacramento, California. It wouldn't be until 1885, when he was 61 years old, would he found the now world-renowned Stanford University.
ReplyDeleteSource:
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Leland-Stanford
This was a super unique angle! I had no idea that at one point Leland Stanford was actually the governor of California. The whole Stanford story itself is one of the most interesting stories from the Bay Area and I have always been intrigued with this story. This story is told in part in the Cantor Museum, which is located on Stanford's campus. It houses one of the largest private art collections, along with a wing dedicated to the founding of the university itself!
ReplyDeleteSource: https://museum.stanford.edu/about/history