Eleazar Lord

Born in Franklin, Connecticut, in 1788, he studied at Andover Theological Seminary and was licensed to preach before turning to a wider public career. Early on, he worked in religious publishing and education, helping lead the New York Sunday School Union and taking part in evangelical and reform-minded circles of the early 19th century.

His career then widened dramatically. He became the first president of the Erie Railroad and was active in New York business life, while also serving as a deacon of the First Protestant Dutch Church. Travels in Europe helped shape his support for protective tariffs, and he wrote extensively on economic policy as well as religious and biblical themes.

He died in Piermont, New York, in 1871. What makes his story interesting is the unusual range of it: preacher, educator, author, churchman, and railroad executive all in one life.