Leland Stanford

Profession: Business Tycoon and Politician

Nationality:

Biography: Leland Stanford played a key role in the construction of the First Transcontinental Railroad, as well as serving as Governor of California and a United States Senator.

Stanford was born in 1824 in New York. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1848. In 1852, he moved to California during the Gold Rush where he became a successful merchant.

In 1861, Stanford co-founded the Central Pacific Railroad company. He served as its president and oversaw the western portion of the First Transcontinental Railroad, which was completed in 1869. Stanford also controlled the Southern Pacific Railroad from 1868 to 1890.

Stanford entered politics as a Republican. He was elected Governor of California in 1861, becoming the state's first Republican governor. Later he served as a Senator for California from 1885 until his death in 1893.

Together with his wife Jane, Stanford founded Stanford University in 1885. They established the university in memory of their only child, Leland Stanford Jr., who had died of typhoid fever at age 15. The couple donated a great deal of money to the university, equivalent to over a billion dollars today.

Born: March 9, 1824
Birthplace: Watervliet, New York, USA
Star Sign: Pisces

Died: June 21, 1893 (aged 69)
Cause of Death: Heart failure