Nelson J. Beach
Encyclopedia
Nelson John Beach was an American surveyor
, businessman and politician from New York
.
, to Watson, NY, in 1814. He married Emily Porter, and their children were George Byron Beach (d. 1870) and Anna Lydia Beach.
Beach became a land surveyor, and was engaged on the survey of a highway through the wilderness, projected to run from Crown Point
on Lake Champlain
to Carthage
, Jefferson County, New York
.
An Act, passed on March 29, 1828, by the New York State Legislature, allowed Nelson J. Beach to erect and exploit a toll bridge
over the Black River
between Lowville, NY
, and Watson, NY.
He was Supervisor of the Town of Watson from 1831 to 1834, from 1837 to 1838, and in 1845. He was a Whig member from Lewis County
of the New York State Assembly
in 1846, and of the New York State Senate
in 1847. Here he advocated the construction of the Black River Canal
.
He was one of the first three Canal Commissioners
elected in 1847
under the New York State Constitution of 1846, and drew the two-year term, being in office from 1848 to 1849. In 1849
, he ran for re-election on the Whig ticket, but was defeated by Frederick Follett
. From January 1850 to November 1852, he was a Canal Appraiser. In 1854, he became Vice-President and Superintendent of Construction of the Hudson River Railroad. In 1855, he resigned this post, and accepted the appointment as Resident Engineer on the Eastern Division of the New York State Canals, remaining on the canal work for two years. Afterwards he took charge of the abandoned Ogdensburg, Clayton and Rome Railroad
and closed up its affairs.
In 1862, President Abraham Lincoln
appointed him Assessor of Internal Revenue for the counties of Jefferson, Lewis and Herkimer
.
Surveying
See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...
, businessman and politician from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
Life
He was the son of John Beach (1770–1845). The family removed from Litchfield, ConnecticutLitchfield, Connecticut
Litchfield is a town in and former county seat of Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States, and is known as an affluent summer resort. The population was 8,316 at the 2000 census. The boroughs of Bantam and Litchfield are located within the town...
, to Watson, NY, in 1814. He married Emily Porter, and their children were George Byron Beach (d. 1870) and Anna Lydia Beach.
Beach became a land surveyor, and was engaged on the survey of a highway through the wilderness, projected to run from Crown Point
Crown Point
Crown Point is the name of several towns or cities, and geographic features:United States*Crown Point, Alaska*Crown Point, Indiana - Lake County*Crown Point, New York**Fort Crown Point, built in 1759 on Lake Champlain by the British...
on Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain is a natural, freshwater lake in North America, located mainly within the borders of the United States but partially situated across the Canada—United States border in the Canadian province of Quebec.The New York portion of the Champlain Valley includes the eastern portions of...
to Carthage
Carthage, New York
Carthage is a village located in the Town of Wilna in Jefferson County, New York. The population was 3,721 at the 2000 census. The village is named after the historic Carthage in North Africa....
, Jefferson County, New York
Jefferson County, New York
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 116,229. It is named after Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States of America, and president at the time the county was created in 1805...
.
An Act, passed on March 29, 1828, by the New York State Legislature, allowed Nelson J. Beach to erect and exploit a toll bridge
Toll bridge
A toll bridge is a bridge over which traffic may pass upon payment of a toll, or fee.- History :The practice of collecting tolls on bridges probably harks back to the days of ferry crossings where people paid a fee to be ferried across stretches of water. As boats became impractical to carry large...
over the Black River
Black River (New York)
The Black River is a blackwater river that empties into the eastern end of Lake Ontario on the shore of Jefferson County, New York in the United States of America...
between Lowville, NY
Lowville (town), New York
Lowville is a town in Lewis County, New York, United States. The population was 4,548 at the 2000 census. The town is near the center of the county and is southeast of the city of Watertown. Lowville contains a village also named Lowville, which is the county seat. The town of is named after...
, and Watson, NY.
He was Supervisor of the Town of Watson from 1831 to 1834, from 1837 to 1838, and in 1845. He was a Whig member from Lewis County
Lewis County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 26,944 people, 10,040 households, and 7,309 families residing in the county. The population density was 21 people per square mile . There were 15,134 housing units at an average density of 12 per square mile...
of the New York State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
in 1846, and of the New York State Senate
New York State Senate
The New York State Senate is one of two houses in the New York State Legislature and has members each elected to two-year terms. There are no limits on the number of terms one may serve...
in 1847. Here he advocated the construction of the Black River Canal
Black River Canal
The Black River Canal was a canal built in northern New York in the USA to connect the Erie Canal to the Black River. This canal was only 35 miles long, but it had 109 locks...
.
He was one of the first three Canal Commissioners
Erie Canal Commission
The New York State Legislature appointed in 1810 a Commission to Explore a Route for a Canal to Lake Erie, and Report which became known as the Erie Canal Commission...
elected in 1847
New York state election, 1847
The 1847 New York state election was held on November 2, 1847, to elect the Lieutenant Governor, the Secretary of State, the State Comptroller, the Attorney General, the State Treasurer, the State Engineer, three Canal Commissioners and three Inspectors of State Prisons, as well as all members of...
under the New York State Constitution of 1846, and drew the two-year term, being in office from 1848 to 1849. In 1849
New York state election, 1849
The 1849 New York state election was held on November 6, 1849, to elect the Secretary of State, the State Comptroller, the Attorney General, the State Treasurer, the State Engineer, a Judge of the New York Court of Appeals, a Canal Commissioner and an Inspector of State Prisons, as well as all...
, he ran for re-election on the Whig ticket, but was defeated by Frederick Follett
Frederick Follett
Frederick Follett was an American journalist, newspaper editor and politician from New York.-Life:He was the son of Frederick Follett ....
. From January 1850 to November 1852, he was a Canal Appraiser. In 1854, he became Vice-President and Superintendent of Construction of the Hudson River Railroad. In 1855, he resigned this post, and accepted the appointment as Resident Engineer on the Eastern Division of the New York State Canals, remaining on the canal work for two years. Afterwards he took charge of the abandoned Ogdensburg, Clayton and Rome Railroad
Ogdensburg, Clayton and Rome Railroad
Ogdensburg, Clayton and Rome Railroad was founded to compete with the Black River and Utica on April 7, 1853. Both railroads were to head from their respective cities north to Boonville. From there, the BR&U took the low route and the OC&R took the high route...
and closed up its affairs.
In 1862, President Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
appointed him Assessor of Internal Revenue for the counties of Jefferson, Lewis and Herkimer
Herkimer County, New York
Herkimer County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It was created in 1791 north of the Mohawk River out of part of Montgomery County. As of the 2010 census, the population was 64,519. It is named after General Nicholas Herkimer, who died from battle wounds in 1777 after taking part...
.
Sources
- Laws of the State of New York (Fifty-first Session, 1828)
- Short bio in A History of Lewis County, in the State of New York: From the Beginning of Its Settlement to the Present Time by Franklin Benjamin Hough (Munsell & Rowland, Albany NY, 1860; pages 218f)
- The New York Civil List compiled by Franklin Benjamin Hough (pages 42f, 135, 138, 232 and 258; Weed, Parsons and Co., 1858)
- Obit of his son G. B. Beach, in NYT on August 12, 1870
- Bios of canal engineers, at Rochester History