Description
Mr. Harris was born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire in 1830. His brother Charles Coffin Harris (1822-1881) became the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Kingdom of Hawaii. Robert Harris studied civil engineering in Boston, and briefly studied law like his older brother. In 1852 Harris began his career in Railroad companies as an assistant engineer for the Hartford, Providence and Fishkill Railroad (later the New York and New England Railroad), from April 1856 to February 1860 he was superintendent of the Racine and Mississippi Railroad (later part of the Milwaukee Road system). During the American Civil War he worked for the Quartermaster's department of the Union Army in North Carolina.[3] In July 1863 he became assistant general superintendent of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad (CBQ) where he would work for 15 years. In October 1878 he became general manager of the New York, Lake Erie and Western Railroad (NY&E). In December 1880 he became vice-president of NY&E where he resigned in 1888 he resigned to become the Chairman of the Board. In 1893 he was re-elected to the board and named vice-president. He died April 21, 1894 in Rochester, New York, on his way back from a business meeting.A caption on the back reads: "Born in Portsmouth July 29th 1830. Died in Rochester April 21st 1894." The photographer's imprinted information reads: "W. Kurtz, Portraits. Madison Square (23rd Street) New York."This photograph portrays Robert Harris.
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Photographs
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