Erastus Corning: Merchant and Financier, 1794-1872

Founder and first president of the New York Central Railroad, Erastus Corning rose from humble origins-he begin his working life at the age of thirteen as a clerk in a Troy, New York, hardware store-to become one of the wealthiest men of his time. In this skillfully written biography, Irene D. Neu traces the arc of Corning's life and career as a merchant, manufacturer, railroad promoter, land speculator, financier, and politician-telling, at the same time, the story of American business in ...