William D. Lewis Explained

William David Lewis (1792-1881) was a 19th-century banker, merchant, and railroad executive based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.^{[1] [2]}

In 1832, Lewis hired future locomotive titan Matthias Baldwin to assemble a locomotive kit for the New Castle and Frenchtown Railroad; Baldwin completed the engine, named Delaware, later in the year. This experience allows Baldwin to build Old Ironsides, his first locomotive from scratch, later in the year.^[3]

Later in the 1830s, Lewis was a director of the Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Baltimore Railroad,^[4] which forged the first rail link between the cities. His service is noted on the 1839 Newkirk Viaduct Monument.

In 1839, Lewis was a director of the Philadelphia Museum Company.^[5] Founded by famed painter Charles Willson Peale (1741-1827), it was one of America's first museums. It went out of business in the 1850s, and the collection was sold for roughly $6,000 to P.T. Barnum and Moses Kimball.^{[6] [7]}

In the 1840s, Lewis became president of the Catawissa Railroad.^[8]

Notes and References

1. Web site: William David Lewis papers . NYPL Homepage THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY ARCHIVES & MANUSCRIPTS _ About E Contact D Digitized . 3 February 2019.
2. Web site: William David Lewis papers . Historic Society of Pennsylvania . 3 February 2019.
3. Web site: 1832 (June 2004 Edition) . The Pennsylvania Railroad Technical & Historical Society . PRR CHRONOLOGY . June 2004 . 23 August 2013 .
4. Book: Organization of the united companies under the name of the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Rail Road Company . John C. Clark . President and Directors of the Late Philadelphia Wilmington, and Baltimore Rail Road Company . 1838 . Philadelphia . 2.
5. https://books.google.com/books?id=4sklAAAAMAAJ&dq=Wm.+D.+Lewis+philadelphia+railroad&pg=PA320 A. M'Elroy's Philadelphia Directory (1839)
6. http://siarchives.si.edu/collections/siris_arc_217213 SIA RU007054, Philadelphia Museum Company, Philadelphia Museum Company, 1792, 1808-1842 and undated
7. Book: Museum Masters: Their Museums and Their Influence . Rowman Altamira . Alexander, Edward P. . 1995 . 43–72. 9780761991311 .
8. Book: Lewis, William D.. The Catawissa, Williamsport and Erie Rail-Road . 1853 . J.H. Burnet, Stationer . New York . 1 . etal.