Martin Schenck (January 24, 1848 – September 17, 1918) 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 ...

and politician from

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

. He was New York State Engineer and Surveyor from 1892 to 1893.

Life

He was born on January 24, 1848 in

Palatine Bridge, New York Palatine Bridge is a village in Montgomery County, New York, United States. The population was 737 at the 2010 census. The basis of the name is the community's location in a region settled by Palatine Germans. The Village of Palatine Bridge is ...

to Benjamin Schenck and Susan (Martin) Schenck. He graduated C.E. from Union College. In 1869, he began work as a rodman and leveler with the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway in Kansas and the Indian Territory. From 1871 to 1872, he was engaged in general engineering. In 1873, he became a leveler on the

New York Central and Hudson River Railroad The New York Central Railroad was a railroad primarily operating in the Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The railroad primarily connected greater New York and Boston in the east with Chicago and St. Louis in the Midw ...

. From 1874 to 1881, was engaged in general engineering and contracting, and was a member of the

New York State Assembly The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature, with the New York State Senate being the upper house. There are 150 seats in the Assembly. Assembly members serve two-year terms without term limits. The Assem ...

(Montgomery Co.) in

1875 Events January–March * January 1 – The Midland Railway of England abolishes the Second Class passenger category, leaving First Class and Third Class. Other British railway companies follow Midland's lead during the rest of the ...

. In 1882, he was employed as an engineer for one of the contractors on the West Shore Railroad. From 1883 to 1885, he was inspector and leveler in the New York State Canal Department. From 1886 to 1891, he was Assistant Engineer in charge of the Hudson River improvement and of canal lock lengthening. He was State Engineer and Surveyor from 1892 to 1893, elected on the

Democratic Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

ticket in

1891 Events January–March * January 1 ** Paying of old age pensions begins in Germany. ** A strike of 500 Hungarian steel workers occurs; 3,000 men are out of work as a consequence. **Germany takes formal possession of its new Africa ...

, but defeated for re-election in

1893 Events January–March * January 2 – Webb C. Ball introduces railroad chronometers, which become the general railroad timepiece standards in North America. * Mark Twain started writing Puddn'head Wilson. * January 6 – Th ...

by Republican

Campbell W. Adams Campbell W. Adams (December 9, 1852, in Utica, New York, Utica, Oneida County, New York – November 1930) was an American civil engineer, surveyor and politician from New York (state), New York. He was New York State Engineer and Surveyor from 1 ...

. In

1898 Events January–March * January 1 – New York City annexes land from surrounding counties, creating the City of Greater New York as the world's second largest. The city is geographically divided into five boroughs: Manhattan, B ...

, he ran again for State Engineer and Surveyor on the Democratic ticket, but was defeated again, by Republican Edward A. Bond. From 1894 to 1895, he was Consulting Engineer to the New York State Board of Health. From 1895 to 1899, he was City Engineer of Troy, New York, and then Chief Engineer of the New York City Department of Parks, and later worked for the Barge Canal Bureau. He died on September 17, 1918 in Albany, New York.

Life

References

Further reading