Ashbel Welch (1809–1882) was an American

civil engineer A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering – the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructure while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing i ...

and a president of the

American Society of Civil Engineers The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) is a tax-exempt professional body founded in 1852 to represent members of the civil engineering profession worldwide. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, it is the oldest national engineering soci ...

(ASCE) in 1882.ASCE Past and Present Officers, page 116, downloaded a

on June 5, 2016.

Early life and education

On December 4, 1809, Welch was born in Nelson, New York. In 1843, he earned an honorary degree of Master of Arts from the College of New Jersey at Princeton, which was renamed to Princeton University in 1896.

Career

In 1826, Welch started his engineering career as a rodman on the Lehigh and Delaware Canal for his brother Sylvester Welch. In 1830, Welch joined engineers of Canvass White in Trenton, New Jersey on the construction of the Delaware and Raritan Canal. In 1832, Welch was in charge of digging the feeder northwestward from Trenton, New Jersey. Welch selected Lambertville for his headquarters. In 1834, the Delaware and Raritan Canal completed and it opened for business. In 1836, at age 26, Welch was appointed the chief engineer of the Joint Companies (Delaware and Raritan Canal Company & Camden and Amboy Railroad & Transportation Company). In 1836, Welch was appointed Chief Engineer of the Philadelphia and Trenton Railroad. In 1844, Welch traveled to England and supervised the construction of an order of guns for the United States Navy. In 1863, Welch led the efforts on installation of a block signaling system on the

Camden and Amboy Railroad The Camden and Amboy Railroad and Transportation Company, usually shortened to the Camden and Amboy Railroad (C&A), was a railway company in New Jersey. It was incorporated in 1830 and opened its first line in 1832, making it one of the oldest r ...

between Philadelphia and New Brunswick. First in America, The signaling system was a first installation of in America, which later used on all American railroads. In 1869, Welch became President of the Bel-Del Railroad and the Flemington Railroad. In 1872, Welch resigned as President of United Companies. Welch became the superintendent of Bel-Del Railroad under

Pennsylvania Railroad The Pennsylvania Railroad ( reporting mark PRR), legal name as the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, also known as the "Pennsy," was an American Class I railroad that was established in 1846 and headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At its ...

(PRR) management. Welch maintained his duties as a chief engineer.

Personal life

On October 25, 1834, Welch married Mary Hannah Seabrook in

Lambertville, New Jersey Lambertville is a city (New Jersey), city within Hunterdon County, New Jersey, Hunterdon County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the city's population was 4,139, an increase of 233 (+6.0%) from the 3,906 reco ...

. They had seven children. On September 25, 1882, Welch died in his home on 21 York St,

References

External links

Lambertville Historical Society

Lambertville Transportation Chronology

Wind Pressure Against Bridges by Ashbel Welch at ASCE.org

Ashbel Welch at Grace's Guide

{{DEFAULTSORT:Welch, Ashbel 1809 births 1882 deaths American engineers

Early life and education

Career

Personal life

See also

References

Further reading

External links