INTRODUCTION AND INDEX TO THE PAPERS OF

JOHN BLOOMFIELD JERVIS

Jervis Public Library

Rome, New York


INTRODUCTION | JERVIS MAIN

The papers of John B. Jervis (1795-1885) are numbered in the thousands and cover his primary areas of interest canals, railroads, and waterworks. In 1966 they were organized and grouped by subject in chronological order in 79 boxes. The papers in each box are arranged chronologically by date.  The papers are housed in Jervis Library, the public library of the city of Rome, New York.  Permission to examine these papers is granted to qualified persons by application to the library director.

John B. Jervis came to Rome from Huntington, Long Island, at the age of three, attended public schools until the age of 15, and then worked seven years on his father's farm. His native ability and inventive skills resulted in his advancement from Axeman on the Erie Canal in 1817 to Resident Engineer for a 17 mile stretch of the waterway in 1819 at the age of 24.

In 1823 he was named Superintendent of 50 miles of the Erie Canal. Two years later he resigned and planned the route of the Delaware and Hudson Canal, and supervised its construction. In the ensuing years he was Chief Engineer of the Mohawk and Hudson Railway, invented the bogie truck, and was made Chief Engineer of the Schenectady and Saratoga Railway.

He was Chief Engineer for the Chenango Canal, as well as for the Croton Water System for New York City. He planned and carried to completion the building of High Bridge which served for many years as the only aqueduct across Harlem River for the entire water supply for the big city.

Between the ages of 50 and 71, Jervis was Engineer for the Boston water-supply system, Chief Engineer of the Hudson River Railway, constructed the Michigan and Northern Railway, and was General Superintendent of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne, and Chicago Railway.

Returning to Rome at 71 in 1866, Jervis served as Secretary and practical head of the Rome Iron Mills, and wrote two books "Railroad Property," and "Labor and Capital." At the age of 83 he wrote a lecture on "Industrial Economy."

He died in 1885 at the age of 90 and left a portion of his estate to the City of Rome for its public library.

William A. Dillon
Rome, New York
November 1, 1966

Jervis Main


Inventory

Box 1 -- Croton Aqueduct | Top

Box 2 -- Croton Aqueduct | Top

Box 3 -- Croton Aqueduct | Top

Box 4 -- Croton Aqueduct | Top

Box 5 -- Croton Aqueduct | Top

Box 6 -- Croton Aqueduct | Top

Box 7 -- Croton Aqueduct | Top

Box 8 -- Croton Aqueduct | Top

Box 9 -- Croton Aqueduct | Top

Box 10 -- Croton Aqueduct | Top

Box 11 -- Croton Aqueduct | Top

Box 12 -- Croton Aqueduct | Top

Box 13 -- Croton Aqueduct | Top

Box 14 -- Croton Aqueduct | Top

Box 15 -- Croton Aqueduct | Top

Box 16 -- Croton Aqueduct | Top

Box 17 -- Croton Aqueduct Miscellaneous | Top

Box 18 -- "Croton Aqueduct Summaries of Divisions 1, 2, and 3 | Top

Box 19 -- Jervis Private Letters | Top

Box 20 -- Jervis Private Letters | Top

Box 21 -- Jervis Private Letters | Top

Box 22 -- Jervis Private Letters | Top

Box 23 -- Jervis Private Letters | Top

Box 24 -- Jervis Private Letters | Top

Box 25 -- Jervis Private Letters | Top

Box 26 -- Jervis Private Letters | Top

Box 27 -- Jervis Private Letters | Top

Box 28 -- Jervis Private Letters | Top

Box 29 -- Jervis Miscellaneous Letters | Top

Box 30 -- Jervis Miscellaneous Letters | Top

Box 31 -- Jervis Miscellaneous Letters | Top

Box 32 -- Jervis Miscellaneous Letters | Top

Box 33 -- Jervis Miscellaneous Letters | Top

Box 34 -- Jervis Miscellaneous Letters | Top

Box 35 -- Official Correspondence | Top

Box 36 -- Horatio Seymour Papers | Top

Box 37 -- Horatio Allen Letters | Top

Box 38 -- Cazenovia Canastota RR | Top

Box 39 -- Letters from John Bolton | Top

Box 40 -- Official Letters of John Bolton | Top

Box 41 -- Letters from John Bolton | Top

Box 42 -- Survey for ship and canal around Niagara Falls | Top

Box 43 -- Delaware and Hudson Canal Co. | Top

Box 44 -- Delaware and Hudson Canal Co. | Top

Box 45 -- Delaware and Hudson Canal Co. | Top

Box 46 -- Delaware & Hudson Canal Co. | Top

Box 47 -- Delaware & Hudson Canal Co. | Top

Box 48 -- New York Canals | Top

Box 49 -- Receipts | Top

Box 50 -- Chenago Canal | Top

Box 51 -- Miscellaneous Canal Papers | Top

Box 52 -- Maps | Top

Box 53 -- Contractors Propositions | Top

Box 54 -- Miscellaneous Contracts and Propositions | Top

Box 55 -- St. Lawrence and Champlain Canal | Top

Box 56 -- Baltimore Projects (Water) | Top

Box 57 -- Hartford Water Works | Top

Box 58 -- Miscellaneous Water Works | Top

Box 59 -- Mohawk and Erie RR | Top

Box 60 -- Hudson River RR | Top

Box 61 -- Mohawk and Hudson River RR | Top

Box 62 -- Mohawk & Hudson RR | Top

Box 63 -- Mohawk & Hudson RR | Top

Box 64 -- Saratoga & Schenectady RR | Top

Box 65 -- "Pitts., Ft. Wayne & Chicago RR Co. Financial Statements | Top

Box 66 -- "Pitts., Ft. Wayne & Chicago RR Eastern Division Performance Charts | Top

Box 67 -- "Pitts., Ft. Wayne & Chicago RR Eastern Division Performance Charts | Top

Box 68 -- "Pitts., Ft. Wayne & Chicago RR Eastern Division Performance Charts | Top

Box 69 -- "Pitts., Ft. Wayne & Chicago RR Western Division Performance Charts | Top

Box 70 -- "Pitts., Ft. Wayne & Chicago RR Co. Western Division Performance Charts | Top

Box 71 -- "Pitts., Ft. Wayne & Chicago RR Co. Western Division Performance Charts | Top

Box 72 -- "Pitts., Ft. Wayne & Chicago RR Co. Letters | Top

Box 73 -- "Pitts., Ft. Wayne & Chicago RR Co. Letters | Top

Box 74 -- "Pitts., Ft. Wayne & Chicago RR Co. Letters | Top

Box 75 -- "Michigan, Southern & Northern Indiana Railroad | Top

Box 76 -- Chicago and Rock Island Railroad | Top

Box 77 -- Miscellaneous RR Papers | Top

Box 78 -- Miscellaneous RR Papers | Top

Box 79 -- Miscellaneous RR Papers | Top

Top | Jervis Main


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