author
Charles Francis Adams
1835–1915
A Civil War officer turned railroad leader and respected historian, he moved easily between public service, business, and writing. His life offers a vivid window into 19th-century America, from the battlefront to the boardroom to the study.
5 Audiobooks
"Imperialism" and "The Tracks of Our Forefathers"
by Charles Francis Adams
"'Tis Sixty Years Since" Address of Charles Francis Adams; Founders' Day, January 16, 1913
by Charles Francis Adams
Notes on Railroad Accidents
by Charles Francis Adams
Some Phases of Sexual Morality and Church Discipline in Colonial New England
by Charles Francis Adams
Wessagusset and Weymouth
by Charles Francis Adams, Charles Francis Adams, Gilbert Nash
About the author
Born in Boston in 1835, Charles Francis Adams Jr. came from one of America's best-known political families: he was the grandson of President John Quincy Adams and the son of diplomat Charles Francis Adams Sr. Even with that background, he built a public career of his own and became known for combining sharp judgment with a willingness to challenge accepted ideas.
During the American Civil War, he served as an officer in the Union Army and was later breveted brigadier general. After the war, he became deeply involved in railroad reform and management, serving as a Massachusetts railroad commissioner before becoming president of the Union Pacific Railroad from 1884 to 1890.
Adams was also a prolific writer and historian. He wrote on American history, railroads, and public life, and he later served as president of the American Historical Association. Remembered as a thoughtful and independent-minded figure, he spent his long career examining how power, politics, and modern industry were reshaping the United States.