RARE CIVIL WAR AND UNION-PACIFIC RAILROAD ARCHIVE, PROMONTERY PASS – “Laying of the golden spike.”

RARE & HISTORIC UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD TRIPLE PRESENTATION BOWIE KNIFE OF CIVIL WAR OFFICER AND RAILROAD ENGINEER AND HIS CDV ALBUM WITH PHOTO OF “LAYING OF LAST RAIL” AT PROMONTORY PASS.

02-16069

This is an intriguing archive of antebellum bowie knife & Civil War/Union-Pacific Railroad CDV album. This album & bowie knife descended from father to son to nephew. Both Hezekiah & his son’s nephew were graduates of Yale Engineering School. The last presentation to Willis M. Thayer, dated Nov. 26 1914, is the same date on presentation on back of General Grenville Dodge CDV. There are 14 cards in the album, all military or railroad other than photo of Willis & his parents.

Clip point bowie, 12” overall w/ 7 1/2” clip point blade, maker marked “IXL” & “WOSTENHOLM & SON / WASHINGTON WORKS / SHEFFIELD”. Knife has seen 3 generations of honest use & great care. The original German silver mounted veneered cardboard sheath has been fitted into buck-stitched brown leather sheath. German silver plaque attached to one horn slab of grip “Presented By A Jack Mormon / To H. Bissell In 1868 When On The UPRR / To John H. Bissell About 1875 / To Willis M. Thayer Nov. 26 1914.” Hezekiah Bissell (1835-1928) After graduating Yale’s Sheffield School & working as engineer in Hartford, Hezekiah joined the 1st Connecticut as private in April 22, 1861 assigned duty on Wilmington & Baltimore Railroad & fighting at 1st Bull Run. The 1st CT was 90 day regiment & upon completion, Hezekiah was commissioned as lieutenant in the 25th CT Infantry seeing service in Louisiana & fighting at Port Hudson. He was discharged August 26, 1863. He was confidant of General Grenville Dodge who headed the Transcontinental RR. Bissell headed a crew & was prominent during its construction. He was cited for saving the Dale Creek RR bridge in the Black Hills by “prompt & heroic action by Hezekiah Bissell and his gang with guy ropes” March 1868. The RR would be finished w/ meeting of East & West crews at Promontory Pass May 10, 1869 w/ the laying of the “Golden Spike”. Bissel is pictured in famous “Laying of Golden Spike” photograph which CDV is part of album. This same photo by A. J. Russell was published on cover of June 5, 1869 Harper’s Weekly. Bissel had a long career w/ Union Pacific. Hezekiah outlived both of his wives & finally drew a $50/month pension for CW service in 1921, increased to $72 in 1925, $90 in 1926. Hezekiah Bissell Wyoming State Library and Archive. There is a linked history of the building of the transcontinental railroad showing this famous image & others. This is a wonderful archive, of a Yale engineer, Civil War officer, who was a prominent architect in the building of the railroad linking East & West.