Business Magnates, Industrialists, Railroad Tycoons, Capitalists, Financiers
Chauncey Mitchell Depew
Chauncey Mitchell Depew

Chauncey Mitchell Depew (1834–1928) an Attorney for Cornelius Vanderbilt's railroad interests, president of the New York Central Railroad System, and finally a United States Senator from New York from 1899 to 1911.

Following his graduation from Yale, Depew entered the office of Edward Wells, a lawyer in Peekskill, as a student. Depew read law with William Nelson of Peekskill, New York from 1856–58; was admitted to the bar in March, 1858; opened an office and practiced in Peekskill until 1861; later engaged in the brokerage business in New York City as member of firm of Depew & Potter for a few months; then resumed his law practice in Peekskill, but shortly afterwards moved to New York City; in 1865 appointed and confirmed United States Minister to Japan, but declined the appointment to pursue his railroad car.

In 1866, Depew became the attorney for New York & Harlem Railroad. Three years later he took the same position for the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad. Having earned recognition for his work with subsidiary companies of the Vanderbilt roads, he was moved up in 1876 to become general counsel and director of the whole "Vanderbilt System." Six years later he began serving on the executive board of the New York Central & Hudson River Railroad as second vice president. In 1885, he was elected president of the railroad and served until 1898. Following the presidency, he served as chairman of board of directors of New York Central Railroad Company.

While Depew was active in the Vanderbilt roads in New York he held concurrent positions with many other railroads and companies. He was president of West Shore Railroad. He served on the boards of directors for the New York and Harlem Railroad, the Chicago and North Western Railway, the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railway, the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad, the Delaware and Hudson Railroad, the New Jersey Junction Railroad, the St. Lawrence and Adirondack Railroad, the Walkill Valley Railroad, the Canada Southern Railroad.

Aside from railroads, Depew also served on the boards of director for Western Union, the Hudson River Bridge Company, the Niagara River Bridge Company, the New York State Realty & Terminal Company, the Union Trust Company, Equitable Life Assurance Company, and Kensico Cemetery Association. He was appointed regent of the University of the State of New York in 1877 and served until 1904.

He was a member of the New York State Assembly in 1862 and 1863, in the latter year its Acting Speaker while Speaker Theophilus C. Callicot was under investigation. From 1864 to 1865, he was Secretary of State of New York, elected in 1863 on the Union ticket.

He was one of the commissioners appointed to build the state capitol 1874; in 1867 appointed clerk of Westchester County, but resigned after a short service; made immigration commissioner by New York Legislature in 1870, but declined to serve; member of boundary commission of the state of New York in 1875; had also been commissioner of quarantine and president of Court of Claims of New York City and commissioner of taxes and assessments for the city and county of New York; defeated for Lieutenant Governor of New York on the Liberal Republican-Democratic ticket in 1872; candidate for U.S. Senator from New York in 1881, but withdrew after the 41st ballot; declined nomination as a senator in 1885; but elected to the U.S. Senate in 1899, and re-elected in 1905, and served from March 4, 1899, to March 3, 1911; stumped the state of New York for John C. Frémont in 1856 and for Abraham Lincoln in 1860; delegate-at-large to Republican National conventions 1888-1904 and delegate to all following conventions, including 1928, being elected the day before he died; made the nomination speeches for Harrison in 1892, Governor Morton in 1896, and Fairbanks in 1904; at the convention in 1888 received ninety-nine votes for the presidential nomination, and in 1892 declined an appointment as Secretary of State in Harrison's cabinet; Adjutant of the 18th Regiment, New York National Guard, which served in the American Civil War, and later Colonel and Judge Advocate of the 5th Division, on the staff of Major General James W. Husted of the New York Guard, trustee of Peekskill Military Academy; president of New York State Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, of The Pilgrims from 1918 until his death, of the St. Nicholas Society, and of the Union League for seven years (member since 1868 and elected honorary life member at the close of his presidency); an officer of the French Légion d'honneur; vice president of New York Chamber of Commerce 1904-08 (member since 1885).

He was a member of Yale Corporation 1888-1906; member of the Yale Alumni Association of New York at the time of its organization in 1868, its third president (1883–1892), and one of the incorporators of the Yale Club of New York City in 1897; a vice chairman of the $20,000,000 Yale Endowment Campaign; made LL D. Yale 1887; elected an honorary member of Yale Class of 1889 in 1923; By the terms of his will, a bequest of $1,000,000 was left to Yale without restrictions as to its use.

Depew was also the paternal uncle of Ganson and Chancey Depew, sons of his brother William Beverly Depew. Ganson Depew was a vice president of the Buffalo & Susquehanna Coal Company; and the personal assistant of his father-in-law Frank Henry "F.H." Goodyear. Goodyear who was the president of the Buffalo & Susquehanna Railway. Chauncey DePew, like his uncle, also worked for the Vanderbilt Railway Systems. His nephew Chauncey married Julia Catlin Park, but later divorced.

When Chauncey Depew died, he was buried in Peekskill. In his honor, the huge concourse of Grand Central Terminal was draped in mourning.

6% First Mortgage Bond of the Pine Creek Railway Company (formerly Jersey Shore, Pine Creek and Buffalo Railway Company), issued 1885, hand signed by William K. Vanderbilt and Chauncey Mitchell Depew as Trustees
6% First Mortgage Bond of the Pine Creek Railway Company (formerly Jersey Shore, Pine Creek and Buffalo Railway Company), issued 1885, hand signed by William K. Vanderbilt and Chauncey Mitchell Depew as Trustees