| Levi Clifford Wade | |
|---|---|
 Wade in 1892 publication | |
| President of the Mexican Central Railroad | |
| In office 1884–1891 | |
| Preceded by | Thomas Nickerson |
| Succeeded by | Stephen W. Reynolds |
| Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives | |
| In office 1879–1879 | |
| Preceded by | John Davis Long |
| Succeeded by | Charles J. Noyes |
| Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives | |
| In office 1876–1879 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1843-01-16)January 16, 1843 Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | March 21, 1891(1891-03-21) (aged 48) Oak Hill, Newton, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Resting place | Newton Cemetery, Newton, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Margaret A. Rogers (m. 1869) |
| Children | 6 |
| Alma mater | Yale College (A.B.) |
| Profession | Lawyer, politician, railroad executive |
| Signature |  |
Levi Clifford Wade (January 16, 1843 – March 21, 1891) was a lawyer, politician and railroad executive who served as a member, and the Speaker of, the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1879, and as the president of the Mexican Central Railway from 1884 until his death in 1891.
Early life
Levi Clifford Wade was born on January 16, 1843, in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, to Levi Wade and A. Annie Wade (née Rogers). He was educated at local schools until the age of 13 when he was privately tutored.
At the age of 16, he entered Lewisburg University to study law. He entered Yale College at the age of 19 in 1862 and became an editor of the Yale Literary Magazine. Wade graduated from Yale College in 1866 with a Bachelor of Arts. After Yale, he went to the Newton Theological Institution in October 1866 and studied exegesis under Horatio Balch Hackett and theology under Alvah Hovey.
Family life
Wade married Margaret A. Rogers of Bath, Maine, on November 16, 1869. Together, they had four sons (Arthur, William, Levi, and Robert) and two daughters that died in infancy.
They lived in a small house in Newton Upper Falls from 1869 to 1881. After, they moved to a 225-acre estate called "Homewood" in Oak Hill, Newton, Massachusetts.
Career
Early career
From 1868 to 1873, Wade taught at a grammar school in Newton Upper Falls in Newton, Massachusetts, while studying law.
Legal career
Wade was admitted to the bar in 1873, and entered the law office of I.W. Richardson. Wade practiced law in Boston, Massachusetts, first as a solo practitioner in 1875, then in 1877 until May 1, 1880, in partnership with future Governor John Q. A. Brackett.
State legislature
In 1876, Wade was elected to the Massachusetts General Court and served until 1879. In 1879, he was selected as the speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives.
Career in the railroad industry
On May 1, 1880, Wade took up railway law. He was one of the four original projectors and owners of the Mexican Central Railway. He became counsel of the Mexican Central Railway, Atchison, Topeka, & Santa Fe Railway, Atlantic & Pacific Railroad, and the Sonora Railroad. Wade served as the President of the Mexican Central Railway from August 1884 until his death. He was a business partner of Albert W. Nickerson.
He also served as the director of the Mexican Central Railway, Sonora Railroad, Cincinnati, Sandusky, & Cleveland Railroad, the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad, and the Theological Library in Boston. He served on the water board of Newton.
Illness and death
On March 21, 1891, after a lingering illness of only a few weeks, Wade died at his "Homewood" residence at Oak Hill. He was interred at Newton Cemetery.
See also
Notes
- ^ Pletcher, David M. (1998), The Diplomacy of Trade and Investment: American Economic Expansion in the Hemisphere, 1865-1900, Columbia, Missouri: University of Missouri Press, p. 96
- Busbey, T. A. (1893), Who's Who in Railroading and Rail Transit - Edition of 1893, Chicago, Illinois: The Lakeside Press, p. 308
- ^ Hurd, Duane Hamilton (1890), History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts: With Biographical Sketches of Many of Its Pioneers and Prominent Men Vol. III, Philadelphia, PA: J. W. Lewis & CO., pp. 171–172
- ^ "Levi C. Wade is dead". The Boston Globe. March 22, 1891. p. 6. Retrieved February 15, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Levi Wade collection (1866-1902)". umich.edu. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
- ^ Bacon, Edwin M. (1892), Boston of To-Day: A Glance at Its History and Characteristics, Boston, Ma: Post Publishing Company, p. 430
- "Life is Ended". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. May 18, 1893. p. 1. Retrieved December 29, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Hon. Levi C. Wade's Funeral". The Journal. Meriden, Connecticut. March 25, 1891. p. 6. Retrieved February 20, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
| Massachusetts House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded byJohn Davis Long | Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives 1879 |
Succeeded byCharles J. Noyes |
| Business positions | ||
| Preceded byThomas Nickerson | President of the Mexican Central Railway 1884-1891 |
Succeeded byStephen W. Reynolds |
- 1843 births
- 1891 deaths
- Yale College alumni
- 19th-century American railroad executives
- Speakers of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
- Republican Party members of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
- Massachusetts lawyers
- 19th-century American lawyers
- 19th-century members of the Massachusetts General Court