Colorado Springs Company

William Jackson Palmer
Born	Template:Birth date Near Leipsic, Delaware, U.S.
Died	March 13, 1909(1909-03-13) (aged 72)
Occupation(s)	Civil engineer, Union Army officer, business executive
Known for	Founder of Denver and Rio Grande Railroad; Medal of Honor recipient; founder of Colorado Springs

William Jackson Palmer (September 18, 1836 – March 13, 1909) was an American civil engineer, veteran of the Union Army, and prominent business executive. Throughout the Civil War, he attained the brevet rank of brigadier general and was honored with the Medal of Honor for his distinguished service.

Palmer's early career involved railroad construction in Pennsylvania until the outbreak of the war halted his progress. After serving as a cavalry colonel, he concentrated on business endeavors following the conflict, including providing financial aid for the education of emancipated slaves. In 1867, he relocated westward, contributing to the Kansas Pacific Railway's development and collaborating with English physician William Abraham Bell. In their ventures, Palmer generally held the position of president while Bell acted as vice president.

Together, they established the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad (Rio Grande), which expanded to become the largest narrow gauge railroad system in the United States and was eventually incorporated into the Union Pacific Railroad. Palmer and Bell pioneered advancements such as coal-fueled locomotives and narrow gauge railways within the American transportation sector.

In addition to railroads, Palmer fostered related industries in Colorado, including founding a significant steel manufacturing plant near Pueblo. He founded Colorado Springs in 1871 as a "dry" community reflecting his Quaker beliefs and commitment to temperance. His investments extended into education and healthcare, notably aiding in founding a tuberculosis treatment facility. Educational institutions in Colorado Springs are named after Palmer and his wife Mary ("Queen") Mellen Palmer. A downtown statue honors his enduring impact on business and leadership in regional growth.

Early life

William Jackson Palmer was born in 1836 into a Hicksite Quaker family residing on Kinsdale Farm near Leipsic, Delaware. His parents were John Palmer and Matilda (Jackson) Palmer. When he was five years old, his family moved to Germantown, then a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He received education at the private Friends School followed by public schooling including attendance at Boys' Central High School.

Pennsylvania railroads

At fifteen, Palmer began employment as a clerk within the engineering department of Hempfield Railroad located in western Pennsylvania. By seventeen, he advanced to rodman under chief engineer Charles Ellet, Jr., and became a transitman by 1854.

Prompted by his uncle Frank H. Jackson—president of Westmoreland Coal Company—Palmer traveled to England in 1855 to study coal mining and railroading practices, aiming to determine whether locomotives could operate on anthracite coal rather than wood. He funded this journey through earnings from writing articles and loans secured from his uncle. While in England, he encountered leading engineers such as Isambard Kingdom Brunel and Robert Stephenson and toured railroads, mills, and coal mines.

In 1856, Palmer was appointed secretary and treasurer of Westmoreland Coal Company. The following year, he joined Pennsylvania Railroad as private secretary to President John Edgar Thomson, an accomplished Quaker entrepreneur. During this time, Palmer collaborated with future industrial magnate Andrew Carnegie. He authored Reports of Experiments with Coal Burning Locomotives and played an instrumental role in shifting locomotive fuel sources from wood to coal, profoundly influencing the railroad industry's operational model. Additionally, Palmer cultivated a professional connection with Thomas A. Scott, who later oversaw military transportation during the Civil War.

Civil War service

When the American Civil War commenced in 1861, William Jackson Palmer joined the Pennsylvania volunteers despite his Quaker background, motivated by his strong abolitionist beliefs. He accepted a commission in the Union Army and established the Anderson Troop, an independent cavalry unit from Pennsylvania. Initially, this troop served as the personal guard for Brig. Gen. Robert Anderson and later operated as headquarters cavalry under General Don Carlos Buell of the Army of the Ohio. Under Buell’s direction, Palmer was tasked with recruiting additional soldiers, which resulted in the creation of the 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry, with Palmer named its colonel.

Before completing the regiment’s formation at Camp Alabama in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, Palmer was dispatched to support the Army of the Potomac amid the Confederate invasion of Maryland. He undertook covert nighttime reconnaissance missions dressed in civilian attire, transmitting vital information on General Robert E. Lee’s troop movements to General George B. McClellan via telegraph.

Two days following the Battle of Antietam, Palmer was captured while conducting reconnaissance near the Potomac River under McClellan’s orders. Disguised and guided by locals, he was apprehended by Confederate forces and detained at Richmond’s infamous Castle Thunder. Throughout four months of imprisonment, his true identity remained concealed. After a prisoner exchange, he returned to his regiment in February 1863.

During Palmer’s absence, unrest erupted within the 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry due to unmet enlistment promises; Palmer quelled the mutiny by appointing reliable officers and withdrawing charges against those involved, contingent on their future conduct. The regiment later earned distinction in campaigns such as Tullahoma, Chickamauga, and Franklin–Nashville.

At Chickamauga, Palmer’s unit functioned as headquarters guard for the Army of the Cumberland, with soldiers serving as couriers and scouts. Despite a disorderly retreat under Confederate pressure, Palmer preserved unit discipline and safeguarded Union artillery. Major General George H. Thomas recommended him for promotion to brigadier general for his effective leadership in revitalizing a dispirited regiment into a capable military force.

Throughout 1864-65, Palmer actively engaged in operations against Confederate General John Bell Hood. On March 9, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln nominated him for brevet brigadier general; this appointment was confirmed by the Senate on March 10. He commanded cavalry brigades and divisions in East Tennessee and took part in General George Stoneman's 1865 Raid into Virginia and North Carolina during the closing stages of the war.

Palmer’s cavalry defeated Confederate troops at Martinsville, Virginia, narrowly missing an opportunity to capture Jefferson Davis. He led a pursuit of Davis across several Southern states until Davis was captured by Union forces under General James H. Wilson. During this campaign, Palmer’s command seized substantial Confederate resources near Covington, Georgia. He was mustered out on June 21, 1865.

General George Henry Thomas commended Palmer for his intelligence, dedication, and vigor throughout his military career.

On February 24, 1894, Palmer was awarded the Medal of Honor for leading a successful assault at Red Hill, Alabama on January 14, 1865. In this engagement, he overcame a numerically superior enemy without sustaining casualties while capturing prisoners and artillery pieces. This honor followed an earlier nomination recognizing his scouting during Antietam that had initially been declined due to not occurring directly on a battlefield.

Kansas Pacific Railway

Following the Civil War, Palmer recommenced his involvement in the railroad industry. In 1867, at the age of 30, he and his 21-year-old assistant Edward Hibberd Johnson relocated westward from Philadelphia. Palmer held positions as secretary, treasurer, and eventually managing director of the Kansas Pacific Railway, where he supervised expansion efforts through south central Colorado. Together with chief engineer Colonel William Henry Greenwood, he conducted a survey in 1868 proposing a route adjustment to pass through Pueblo and the Royal Gorge en route to Santa Fe, New Mexico. Despite this recommendation, the board opted for a route via Denver, which was completed in 1870.

Denver and Rio Grande Railway

Within Colorado Territory, Palmer envisioned constructing a north-south railroad stretching from Denver to Mexico City through New Mexico and El Paso. In 1870, alongside partners such as Greenwood and former Governor Alexander Cameron Hunt, he co-founded and assumed the presidency of the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad.

This railway pioneered the use of narrow gauge tracks in the Western United States. By 1871, the line extended to Colorado Springs, reached Pueblo by 1872, and continued southward to coal mining areas near Trinidad by 1876. It serviced vital mining districts along the Arkansas River canyon, including Leadville and iron ore sites in Saguache County. Palmer stepped down as president in 1883 to focus on expanding the Mexican segment of the railway.

Rio Grande Western Railway

Palmer served as president of the Rio Grande Western Railway from approximately 1881 or 1883 until 1901. During his tenure, he extended lines from the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railway’s terminus at Grand Junction to Ogden and Salt Lake City, Utah, thereby establishing continuous narrow-gauge rail service between Denver and Utah.

Mexican National Railway

In 1880, Palmer took on the presidency of the Mexican National Railway (currently known as the National Railroad of Mexico). He appointed Greenwood as chief engineer; however, Greenwood was tragically killed while conducting a survey near Mexico City. By 1883, under Palmer’s guidance, the railway had reached Mexico City, marking a major milestone.

Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs

Palmer initially arrived in Colorado Territory as a surveyor for the Kansas Pacific Railway. On July 31, 1871, he collaborated with Dr. William Abraham Bell to establish Fountain Colony (which later became Colorado Springs), choosing a site east of Colorado City to foster a more regulated community setting. The settlement rapidly grew, developing schools, churches, banks, and a newspaper, with its population reaching approximately 1,500 within two years.

Palmer also created Manitou Springs as a resort destination near Pikes Peak, investing roughly $1 million into infrastructure improvements and park development across Manitou Springs, Colorado Springs, Old Colorado City, and Manitou Park.

He generously donated over 1,600 acres of land dedicated to public parks, educational institutions—including Colorado College and the Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind—libraries, hospitals, and scenic roadways. His philanthropic efforts resulted in significant community landmarks such as Acacia Park, Palmer Park, Monument Valley Park, among others.

Additionally, Palmer established the Colorado Springs Gazette newspaper and constructed the Antlers Hotel in 1883. After it was destroyed by fire in 1898, he rebuilt it featuring Italian Renaissance architectural elements. In 1901, he commemorated Zebulon Pike with a marble statue placed at the hotel’s entrance.

In 1904, Palmer restored a mineral spring along Monument Creek by installing protective enclosures and planned to build a pavilion named for Pike’s guide Chief Tahama.

Beyond these communities, Palmer also founded towns like Salida, Alamosa, and Durango along his railroad routes—further extending his impact on regional growth and transportation networks.

Colorado Coal and Iron Company

Palmer aimed to create a fully integrated industrial complex centered on steel production by securing complete control over essential resources. In 1880, he launched the Colorado Coal and Iron Company (CC&I) steelworks located south of Pueblo and established the town of Bessemer, now incorporated into Pueblo. The Minnequa facility emerged as a nationally prominent iron and steel producer. This ambition reached its peak in 1892 when CC&I joined forces with the Colorado Fuel Company, forming Colorado Fuel and Iron, which greatly enlarged their industrial presence and market influence.

Personal life

Throughout his lifetime, Palmer was a member of several distinguished clubs such as the Denver Club, Colorado Springs Country Club, El Paso Country Club, New York’s City Midday Club, and the Metropolitan Club.

Marriage

Palmer encountered Mary Lincoln (Queen) Mellen in 1869 during a westbound train journey with her father, William Proctor Mellen. They wed on November 7, 1870, in Flushing, New York, followed by a European honeymoon. Together they had three daughters: Elsie, Dorothy, and Marjory.

In 1871, Palmer constructed Glen Eyrie Castle near Colorado Springs to serve as their family home. Queen contributed locally by teaching at Colorado Springs’ inaugural school. The Palmers maintained residences in London, New York City, a castle near Mexico City, and various locations throughout Colorado to support their international business interests.

Queen’s delicate health—possibly aggravated by the region’s altitude—led to a heart attack in Leadville in 1880 while she was pregnant with Dorothy. After Dorothy’s birth at Glen Eyrie and Marjory’s arrival in England, Queen spent considerable time on the East Coast or in England for medical reasons. Around 1885 she permanently left Glen Eyrie and rented Ightham Mote in Kent for three years. Despite traveling extensively across Europe with William, ongoing health challenges prevented her from returning to Colorado. Queen passed away in England on December 27, 1894, at age 44.

Retirement

Following his retirement, Palmer devoted himself to charitable causes, contributing $4 million (). In 1906, he suffered a severe fall from a horse that resulted in partial paralysis due to a broken spine and left him wheelchair-bound. Despite this setback, he organized the 15th Pennsylvania Volunteer Regiment reunion in 1907, financing travel for 208 attendees. Among the distinguished guests was Mrs. J.A. Hayes, connected to notable Colorado Springs banking and historical families.

Palmer died on March 13, 1909, at age 72. His passing was marked by citywide commemorations in Colorado Springs; the mayor lauded him as "the soldier, the empire builder, the philanthropist." Journalist Dave Philipps noted Palmer’s commitment to pacifism and pioneering conservation efforts. Both he and Queen are buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Colorado Springs.

Legacy

• Palmer made significant contributions to Hampton University in Virginia; Palmer Hall there is named after him.
• He donated land for various institutions in Colorado Springs including the Union Printer's Home, Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind, multiple churches, and Cragmor Sanatorium—later evolving into the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS).
• As an original trustee of Colorado College, he provided both land and financial support; Palmer Hall honors his legacy.
• Educational institutions bearing his name include General William J. Palmer High School and Lewis-Palmer High School; Queen Palmer Elementary commemorates his wife.
• Geographic landmarks such as Palmer Divide and the community of Palmer Lake in Colorado, along with Palmer Park in Colorado Springs, carry his namesake.
• The 1952 motion picture Denver and Rio Grande dramatized railroad construction during the Royal Gorge War with Dean Jagger portraying Palmer.
• He established Durango’s General Palmer Hotel in 1898, which remains operational today.
• In 1962, Palmer was inducted into the Hall of Great Westerners at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.

Medal of Honor citation

On February 24, 1894, Colonel William J. Palmer of the 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at Red Hill, Alabama, on January 14, 1865: "Leading fewer than 200 men, he engaged and overcame a larger enemy force, seizing their artillery piece and approximately 100 prisoners without any casualties among his troops."

This medal is exhibited permanently at the Colorado Springs Pioneer Museum.

See also

• List of American Civil War Medal of Honor recipients: M–P
• List of American Civil War brevet generals (Union)

Further reading

• John Stirling Fischer, A Builder of the West: The Life of William Jackson Palmer (Caxton Printers, 1939)
• Jackson C. Thode, "William Jackson Palmer" in Robert L. Frey, ed., Railroads in the Nineteenth Century (Facts on File, 1988), pp. 300–308