hopasdfo

Nathaniel Thayer, 1808-1883, c. 1880. Founder and first president of the Eastern Kentucky Railway.

Nathaniel Thayer was in many respects, a man cut from the same cloth as Thomas Jefferson and others with varied interests. Born to Nathaniel Thayer, clergyman, on September 11, 1808 he became a leader in Boston's financial district with his brother John. John had helped to establish Boston's Stock Exchange several years before accepting Nathaniel as a partner. Their partnership firm was then known as J.E. Thayer & Brother. Nathaniel continued to include his brother's name in all company business even after John's death in 1858. This enabled John's wife and family to receive part of all profits made.

The Eastern Kentucky Railway had it beginning at about the time the Civil War was drawing to a close in 1865. At that time Nathaniel Thayer and a business partner, Horatio Hollis Hunnewell obtained a charter from the Kentucky Legislature on March 4, 1865. That area of Kentucky believed to be rich in coal, timber, and iron. Thayer and Hunnewell could begin their business venture under the name "Argillite Mining and Manufacturing Company". The newly formed company also purposed to lock and dam the Little Sandy River of which was included in the original charter.

The company purchased 25,000 acres of land south of the Ohio River along present day route one and a portion or route two to Argillite in Greenup County. The company also amended the original charter in order to change the name from Argillite Mining and Manufacturing Company to Kentucky Improvement Company in December of 1865.

This proposed railway was one of many such railway ventures that came as a result of Thayer, Hunnewell, and others. Both owned parts of a railroad located between Washington D.C. and Boston. Both invested in railroads in the Kansas City area. Both are credited with bringing court tennis to the United States in 1876 and building a tennis court in Boston. We could refer to them as co-fathers of U.S. tennis!

Both men donated large sums of money to various charities and organizations. A number of buildings throughout the Boston area bare their names. As a result of their railroads in Missouri, there came to be cities such as Thayer, Missouri and Hunnewell, Missouri.

Nathaniel Thayer funded an exploration of South America in 1865 to 1866. Many new species of fish were discovered because of the "Thayer Expedition".

So these investors were not new to investing in railroads. We can understanding how the names Thayer and Hunnewell brought excitement to the Little Sandy River Valley!