Edward Murphy Markham Explained

Edward Murphy Markham
Birth Date:6 July 1877
Birth Place:Troy, New York
Death Place:Albany, New York
Placeofburial:West Point Cemetery
Placeofburial Label:Place of burial
Serviceyears:1899–1938
Rank: Major General
Commands:Commandant of the Army Engineer School
Chief of Engineers
Battles:World War I
Laterwork:New York Public Works Commissioner
Business executive

Edward Markham (July 6, 1877 – September 14, 1950) was a United States Army officer who served in France during World War I and was later Chief of Engineers from 1933 to 1937.

Biography

Born July 6, 1877, in Troy, New York, Edward Markham graduated fifth in the United States Military Academy class of 1899 and was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers.[1]

Military career

Markham served five years with the 2d Battalion of Engineers, including two years in the Philippines and eight months in Cuba, engaging in military mapping and road and bridge construction. He was Memphis District Engineer (1912–16) and Professor of Practical Military Engineering at the Military Academy. He served in France during World War I as Deputy Director, Division of Light Railways and Roads (1918), and in Germany as Chief Engineer, Third Army (1919). After returning to the United States, he was Detroit District Engineer (1919–25) and Commandant of the Army Engineer School, Fort Humphreys, Virginia. He then served as Great Lakes Division Engineer. After serving as Chief of Engineers, he made a special military survey in the Hawaiian Islands. General Markham retired February 28, 1938.

Later life

Markham was New York Public Works Commissioner in 1938 and President, Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company, in Chicago from 1938 to 1945. He died at Albany Hospital on September 14, 1950.[2]

Markham's brother, William Cornelius Markham was also an engineer. One of William's grandsons, Jeff Daly became Chief of Design for 30 years for the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

References

This article contains public domain text from Web site: Major General Edward Murphy Markham . Portraits and Profiles of Chief Engineers . August 24, 2005 . https://web.archive.org/web/20050306124500/http://www.hq.usace.army.mil/history/coe3.htm#36 . March 6, 2005 . dead .

Notes and References

  1. Book: Cullum, George Washington . Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. From Its Establishment, in 1802, to 1890 . VI-A: 1910–1920 . George Washington Cullum . Wirt . Robinson . . 859 . 1920 . 2023-01-06 . Google Books.
  2. News: Maj. Gen. Markham Dies; Former Head of U.S. Engineers . . Albany, New York . AP . 30 . 1950-09-15 . 2023-01-06 . Newspapers.com.