James Geddes (engineer)
| James Geddes | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
July 22, 1763 Carlisle, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Died | August 17, 1838 (aged 75) Camillus, New York, United States |
| Occupation | Engineer, surveyor, legislator |
James Geddes (July 22, 1763 – August 17, 1838) was born in Carlisle, Pennsylvania and was a prominent engineer, surveyor, New York State legislator and U.S. Congressman who was instrumental in the planning of the Erie Canal and other canals in the United States. He was also at the forefront of development of the salt industry at Onondaga Lake near Syracuse, New York beginning in 1794.
The son of a Scottish farmer, he worked on his parents farm and taught school for a few years before moving to Kentucky for a short time, but left there due to his opposition to slavery. For a brief period he was employed as a schoolmaster in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
James Geddes arrived in Salt Point outside of Syracuse in 1793 after leaving his previous job as a schoolmaster in Carlisle, Pennsylvania to manufacture salt in the Onondaga Salt Springs Reservation. At that time, Geddes was not allowed to buy land next to the salt springs because the Iroquois retained common rights to the lake and land around it. He returned to his home in Pennsylvania to form a business to manufacture salt, although he did not stay there long and soon returned to New York. During that period, residents of Salt Point, who were known as squatters, were very protective of the land on which they were squatting and they did not take kindly to visitors attempting to share the resources.
...
Wikipedia