Full Name: Thomas Clark Durant
Profession: Financier and Railroad Promoter
Biography: One of the prime movers of the Crédit Mobilier scandal of the late 19th century, Durant was the vice president of Union Pacific Railroad in the 1860s. At this time railroads were expanding throughout America, and Durant was successful at constructing them in the midwest.
He created and for a while controlled Crédit Mobilier, which constructed railroads. Though he lost control of the company, in 1872 it came to light that Crédit Mobilier had been charging far higher rates than usual for construction of rail in America and that stock and cash had been given to various politicians in Washington as a form of bribe.
Born: February 6, 1820
Birthplace: Lee, Massachusetts, USA
Star Sign: Aquarius
Articles and Photos
Historical Events
- 1863-03-03 US Congress authorizes track width of 4'8½" for Union Pacific Railroad
- 1873-01-06 US Congress begins investigating the Crédit Mobilier scandal, a fraud by the Union Pacific Railroad and Crédit Mobilier of America in the construction of the first transcontinental railroad
Andrew Mellon
Cosimo de' Medici
J. P. Morgan
Jamie Dimon
John Gutfreund
Jorge Paulo Lemann