Edward Turner Jeffery

Edward Turner Jeffery was born in Liverpool on April 6, 1843.[1] His father was a chief engineer in the Royal Navy.[2]

His 1922 entry in the Biographical Directory of the Railway Officials of America reads thus:

Entered railway service: October, 1856, since which time he has been consecutively October, 1856, to December, 1856, office boy for superintendent machinery, Illinois Central Railroad; December, 1856, to February, 1857, apprentice in shops, same road, at Chicago, Illinois; July, 1858, to July, 1859, office boy in superintendent of machinery, same road; 1859 to 1863, apprentice in office of mechanical draftsman, same road; 1863 to 1871, mechanical draftsman and secretary to superintendent machinery, same road; February 1, 1871, to May 4, 1877, assistant superintendent machinery, same road; May 4, 1877, to December 15, 1885, general superintendent and chief engineer; December 15, 1885, to September 2, 1889, general manager, same road; October 1, 1891, to January, 1912, president, Denver and Rio Grande; January, 1912, to January, 1917, chairman, board of directors, same road; October, 1891, to June, 1900, also general manager, same road; August 2, 1893, to November 30, 1895, also receiver, Rio Grande Southern Railroad; July 1, 1901, to January, 1912, president, Rio Grande Western Railway; June 23, 1905, to July, 1913, also president, Western Pacific Railroad; July, 1913, to January, 1917, chairman, board of directors, same road, retired on latter date. For his contributions to American railroad management Jeffery is listed by the Smithsonian Institutions' John H. White, Jr., as one of America's most noteworthy railroaders.[1]

He died at the Biltmore Hotel in New York City on September 24, 1927.[3]

• White, John H., Jr. "America's most noteworthy railroaders." Railroad History (Spring 1986) 154: pp. 9–15.