Swift, J. G. (Joseph Gardner), 1783-1865

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Joseph Gardner Swift (1783-1865) was a civil engineer and officer in the U.S. Army. He was one of two students of the first graduating class in 1802 of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. By the age of twenty-eight he was a colonel and Chief Engineer of the Army. His projects included the completion of Fort Clinton (New York City) and during the War of 1812 the fortifications of western Long Island harbors and New York City. He resigned his commission in 1818 and served as Surveyor of the Port of New York until 1826, then as chief engineer for several railroads, and in 1829 he directed harbor improvements on the Great Lakes. Swift also was involved in a variety of business activities and was a friend and mentor to younger engineers including George Washington Whistler and William Gibbs McNeill (both of them were his brothers-in-law).

From the guide to the Joseph G. Swift correspondence, 1809-1862, 1820s-1850s, (The New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division.)

Army General, Civil Engineer; New York City.

From the description of Joseph Gardner Swift letters, 1821-1862. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122454693

Born 31 Dec. 1783 in Nantucket, Mass.; died in Geneva, N.Y. on 23 July 1865. First graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, 1802; served as U.S. Army chief engineer, superintendent of the Military Academy, and surveyor of the Port of New York.

From the description of J. G. Swift letters : Geneva, to Benson J. Lossing, Poughkeepsie, 1860 Feb. 6 and 10. (Buffalo History Museum). WorldCat record id: 173809585

Joseph Gardner Swift (1783-1865) was a civil engineer and officer in the U.S. Army.

He was one of two students of the first graduating class in 1802 of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. By the age of twenty-eight he was a colonel and Chief Engineer of the Army. His projects included the completion of Fort Clinton (New York City) and during the War of 1812 the fortifications of western Long Island harbors and New York City. He resigned his commission in 1818 and served as Surveyor of the Port of New York until 1826, then as chief engineer for several railroads, and in 1829 he directed harbor improvements on the Great Lakes. Swift also was involved in a variety of business activities and was a friend and mentor to younger engineers including George Washington Whistler and William Gibbs McNeill (both of them were his brothers-in-law).

From the description of Joseph G. Swift correspondence, 1809-1862, bulk (1820s-1850s). (New York Public Library). WorldCat record id: 122517757

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn LeConte, John L. (John Lawrence), 1825-1883. Papers, 1812-1897 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn Fuller, B. A. G., 1879-1956. Autograph collection, 1620-1920 Houghton Library
referencedIn Seth Drew papers 1808-1812 Drew, Seth papers William L. Clements Library
referencedIn Fraser, William Davidson, d. 1856. William Davidson Fraser letter books and Mexican War diary, 1837-1847. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Alden Partridge Papers, 1807-1959, (bulk 1817-1842) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf Swift, J. G. (Joseph Gardner), 1783-1865. Papers. United States Military Academy, USMA Library
creatorOf Partridge, Alden, 1785-1854. Papers. United States Military Academy, USMA Library
creatorOf Swift, J. G. (Joseph Gardner), 1783-1865. Joseph G. Swift correspondence, 1809-1862, bulk (1820s-1850s). New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn Nicholas Fish papers 1775-1844 Fish, Nicholas papers William L. Clements Library
referencedIn Dearborn, H. A. S. (Henry Alexander Scammell), 1783-1851. Papers, 1802-1848. Duke University Libraries, Duke University Library; Perkins Library
referencedIn American Philosophical Society Archives. Record Group IIb, 1807-1825 American Philosophical Society
creatorOf Drew, Seth, 1747-1824. Seth Drew papers, 1808-1812. William L. Clements Library
creatorOf Swift, Alexander Joseph, 1810-1847. Papers. United States Military Academy, USMA Library
referencedIn Dumas, Hipolite, d. 1841. Hipolite Dumas papers, 1813-1828 (inclusive). Yale University Library
creatorOf Jarvis, Benjamin, fl. 1825. Letters. United States Military Academy, USMA Library
referencedIn Fraser, William Davidson, d. 1856. William Davidson Fraser letter books and Mexican War diary, 1837-1847. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Christopher Van Deventer papers 1799-1925 Van Deventer, Christopher, papers William L. Clements Library
creatorOf Swift, J. G. (Joseph Gardner), 1783-1865. Letter, 1844 Oct. 16, Geneva, N.Y., to W.C. Little & Co., Albany, N.Y. Dartmouth College Library
referencedIn Thomas Jefferson collection 1780-1881 Jefferson, Thomas, collection William L. Clements Library
referencedIn American Philosophical Society Archives, 1743-1984 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn American Philosophical Society Archives. Record Group IIc, 1826-1836 American Philosophical Society
creatorOf Joseph Gardner Swift letters Archives of American Art
referencedIn Craig, I. E. Military topographical sketch of Haerlem Heights and plain, exhibiting the position and forms of field works and block houses which have been constructed in that neghbourhood for the defence of the City of New York by Gen'l Swift, Chief Engineer / copied from a survey made by Lieut Renwick of the 82nd Regt., New York Militia ; by I.E. Craig Lt. Artillery. Elmer Holmes Bobst Library
creatorOf Swift, W. H. (William Henry), 1800-1879. Correspondence. United States Military Academy, USMA Library
creatorOf Joseph G. Swift correspondence, 1809-1862, 1820s-1850s New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
creatorOf Swift, J. G. (Joseph Gardner), 1783-1865. J. G. Swift letters : Geneva, to Benson J. Lossing, Poughkeepsie, 1860 Feb. 6 and 10. Buffalo History Museum, Research Library
creatorOf Swift, J. G. (Joseph Gardner), 1783-1865. Memoir from the diaries of J.G. Swift. United States Military Academy, USMA Library
creatorOf Wagstaff, David, 1910-. [Military manuscript collection]. United States Military Academy, USMA Library
creatorOf Van Deventer, Christopher, d. 1838. Christopher Van Deventer papers, 1799-1925. William L. Clements Library
referencedIn War of 1812 mss., 1776-1879 Lilly Library (Indiana University, Bloomington)
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith American Philosophical Society. corporateBody
associatedWith Barron, George, fl. 1801-1802. person
associatedWith Craig, I. E. person
associatedWith Cullum, George W. (George Washington), 1809-1892. person
associatedWith Dearborn, H. A. S. (Henry Alexander Scammell), 1783-1851. person
associatedWith Drew, Seth, 1747-1824. person
associatedWith Dumas, Hipolite, d. 1841. person
associatedWith Forsyth, John, fl. 1817. person
associatedWith Fraser, William Davidson, d. 1856. person
associatedWith Fuller, B. A. G. (Benjamin Apthorp Gould), 1879-1956 person
associatedWith Gratiot, Charles, 1788-1855. person
associatedWith Jarvis, Benjamin, fl. 1825. person
associatedWith Kemble, Gouverneur, 1786-1875. person
associatedWith LeConte, John L., (John Lawrence), 1825-1883 person
associatedWith Lossing, Benson John, 1813-1891. person
associatedWith Macomb, Alexander, 1782-1841. person
associatedWith McNeil family family
associatedWith McNeill family. family
associatedWith McNeill, William Gibbs, 1802-1853. person
associatedWith Monroe, James, 1758-1831. person
associatedWith Partridge, Alden, 1785-1854. person
associatedWith Scott, Winfield, 1786-1866. person
associatedWith Smith, John Lind, 1788-1858. person
associatedWith Sully, Thomas, 1783-1872. person
associatedWith Swift, Alexander Joseph, 1810-1847. person
associatedWith Swift family family
associatedWith Swift family. family
associatedWith Swift, W. H. (William Henry), 1800-1879. person
associatedWith Thayer, Sylvanus, 1785-1872. person
associatedWith Totten, Joseph Gilbert, 1788-1864. person
associatedWith United States. Army corporateBody
associatedWith United States Military Academy corporateBody
associatedWith Van Deventer, Christopher, 1788-1838 person
associatedWith Van Deventer, Christopher, d. 1838. person
associatedWith Wagstaff, David, 1910- person
associatedWith W.C. Little & Co. corporateBody
associatedWith Whisler family family
associatedWith Whistler, Anna Mathilda McNeill, 1804-1881. person
associatedWith Whistler family. family
associatedWith Whistler, George Washington, 1800-1849. person
associatedWith William L. Clements Library corporateBody
associatedWith Williams, Jonathan, 1750-1815. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
New York (State)--New York
Russia
United States
United States
Subject
Civil engineers
Engineering
General
Military education
Railroads
Railroads
Occupation
Civil engineers
Activity

Person

Birth 1783-12-31

Death 1865-07-22

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SNAC ID: 7194691