Leland Stanford

Leland Stanford (March 9, 1824 - June 21, 1893), was born in Watervliet, New York.

Stanford was a lawyer, but more sucessful as a businessman and made his money from railroad development. He was president of Southern Pacific Railroad from 1885-1890. As a railroad developer, Stanford encouraged Chinese immigration to find workers for the railroad construction. However, when jobs were scarce, Stanford made them a scapegoat. Stanford led the California legislature to pass taxes and unfair regulations which specifically targeted Chinese.

Stanford was also politically active. He was Governor of California from 1861-1863 and served as a Senator in the United States Congress in 1885.

He died at home in Palo Alto, California in 1893, two years after being reelected as a Senator. He is buried in the Stanford family mausoleum on the Stanford campus.

Business

For more on Stanford's involvement with the railroads, see Central Pacific Railroad, First Transcontinental Railroad (North America) and golden spike.

Stanford University

With his wife Jane, Stanford founded Stanford University as a memorial for their only child, Leland Stanford Jr., who died of typhoid as a teenager during a trip to Europe.