Dallas County, TX - Biographies -  Benjamin S. Wathen

************************************************************************
This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Dorman
Holub  <txarchives@mac.com>

Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/copyright.htm
************************************************************************

John Henry Brown's History of Dallas County, 1892

BENJAMIN S. WATHEN. Ñ As a civil engineer of rare skill and much
experience, this gentleman has rendered valued services throughout the
South, and is well and favorably known here. There is probably not
another man in the State who has a better knowledge of the topography of
Texas than he.

Mr. Wathen was born in Marion county, Kentucky, and in that county
received an academic education. In 1862 be joined the Eighth Kentucky
Cavalry, and served during the war, much of the time under that
matchless leader, General J. H. Morgan. He took part in that historic
campaign that is the romance of the war-Morgan's Raid. He enlisted as a
private and served with Morgan, except while be was imprisoned. He was
with the general in the Indianapolis and Ohio raid and was captured at
Salineville, Ohio. Was imprisoned for a time and was in Virginia when
the war closed.

At the close of the war he turned his attention to civil engineering,
and until 1869 was on the Louisville & Nashville railroad in Kentucky.
He then came to Texas in 1869, and as a builder of' railroads began a
career that is not equaled by any man's in the South. The International
& Great Northern, Missouri, Kansas & Texas, Texas & Pacific, and Cotton
Belt and several others are some of the great roads that he has helped
to construct. He also helped to build some of the first railroads in
Mexico, viz., the Mexican, Oriental, Interocean and the International.
Ever since 1874 he has been chief engineer of some important branch of
railroad building. At this writing he is president engineer of the Texas
& Pacific. He has had an office in Dallas the past six years, though his
home is in Henderson, Texas.

Personally, Mr. Wathen is a quiet and unassuming gentleman, having the
confidence and respect of all classes of people.