Albert Keep (1826 – May 13, 1907) was an American railroad official and financier.

Biography

He was born in 1826 in

Homer, New York Homer is a town in Cortland County, New York, United States of America. The population was 6,405 at the 2010 census. The name is from the Greek poet Homer. The town of Homer contains a village called Homer. The town is situated on the west b ...

. Keep moved to

Whitewater, Wisconsin Whitewater is a city located in Walworth and Jefferson counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located near the southern portion of the Kettle Moraine State Forest, Whitewater is the home of the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater. As of t ...

, in 1846. He became a leading merchant there, working along with his brother, Henry, and Philander Peck. The Keeps and Peck relocated to

Chicago, Illinois Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

, in 1851. They were involved in trade and began to accumulate wealth. The brothers took an interest in promoting the

Chicago and North Western Railway The Chicago and North Western was a Railroad classes#Class I, Class I railroad in the Midwestern United States. It was also known as the "North Western". The railroad operated more than of track at the turn of the 20th century, and over of t ...

, which Albert served as its director and president for fourteen years. They also supported the

Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway The Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway, established in 1833, and sometimes referred to as the Lake Shore, was a major part of the New York Central Railroad's Water Level Route from Buffalo, New York, Buffalo, New York, to Chicago, Illinoi ...

, serving as director for eighteen years. As a result of his leadership the railroad became one of the best built, equipped, and managed in the midwest. Albert Keep died in Chicago on May 13, 1907.

References

19th-century American railroad executives People from Homer, New York 1826 births 1907 deaths Businesspeople from Chicago Chicago and North Western Railway Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway 19th-century American Episcopalians {{US-rail-bio-stub

Biography

See also

References