William L. Winans
William Louis (Lewis) Winans (* 1823 in Vernon , Sussex County , New Jersey , † June 25, 1897 in Baltimore , Maryland ) was an American entrepreneur and diplomat .
Life
He was the second child and also the second son of the American entrepreneur Ross Winans (1797-1877), who had been a railroad manufacturer in Baltimore since 1828, and Julia DeKay .
In 1843, the father sent his two sons Thomas and William to Russia to help George W. Whistler build the Russian railroad. Two years later (1850) they signed a general partnership agreement and a contract for the construction of locomotives on behalf of their company "Winans, Harrison and Winans" with the Saint Petersburg - Moscow railway company .
In 1851 he married Marie Anne de la Rue in London (born April 15, 1828 in Forest , Guernsey , † after 1881), the daughter of Jean de la Rue and his wife Rachel . His son Walter Winans won a gold and a silver medal in sport shooting at the Summer Olympics in 1908 and 1912 and a gold medal in the Olympic arts competitions in 1912 .
Since William L. Winans knew both the American and Russian political and economic conditions and spoke both languages, he was appointed American consul in St. Petersburg in 1854. But from July 1855, American diplomats were forbidden to pursue their own commercial business interests at the same time. Therefore, a few months later, in the spring of 1856, Winans gave up his post as consul again.
In the following two decades from 1858 to 1878 the company was also active in shipbuilding and the brothers designed watercraft of various types, from yachts to futuristic " cigar ships ". After the American Civil War (1861-1865), the Winans moved their company to Europe and several boats were built in England and Saint Petersburg. But these prototypes did not get beyond trips to the Solent and the English Channel . The "cigar boats" remained moored in the harbor of Southampton until the 1880s and inspired some imitators.
In 1889 Winans was made an honorary citizen of the city of Bad Kissingen , probably due to frequent visits to the then internationally renowned spa town.
In November 1890 he was registered as the owner of House No. 15 in Kensington Palace Garden in London.
Web links
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Winans, William L. |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Winans, William Louis; Winans, William Lewis (full name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American entrepreneur and diplomat |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1823 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Vernon , New Jersey |
| DATE OF DEATH | June 25, 1897 |
| Place of death | Baltimore , Maryland |