Bio

• Born in Catskill, New York. Married Gertrude Burns April 9, 1832. Married Caroline Doyle in 1837. They had two children.

  He operated a lumber yard in Williamsburg, New York 1837 to 1842. Invested heavily in San Francisco during the gold rush 1848 to 1854. He left town owing $800,000 and was a fugative from justice 1854 to 1861. He built a railroad in Chile realizing a million dollar profit in 1861. He also built railroads in Peru and Bolivia 1861 to 1877. He died in Lima, Peru.

  A medal was produced commemorating the completion of the Central TransAndean Railroad in Peru. Meiggs appears on the obverse of the 58 mm medal (Julian UN-17).

  bio: ApCAB; DAB; NCAB 13; WAB; WWWA-H

Date of birth

• 1811-07-07

Place of birth

• Catskill, New York

Date of death

• 1877-09-29

Relationships