author
Erskine Hazard
1789–1865
A key builder of early American industry, he helped turn Pennsylvania's coal, canals, and rail links into engines of growth. His partnership with Josiah White became central to the rise of anthracite mining and transportation in the early 1800s.
1 Audiobook
An epitome of electricity & galvanism
by Jacob Green, Erskine Hazard
About the author
Born in New York City on November 30, 1789, Erskine Hazard was the son of Ebenezer Hazard, an early American public official and businessman. He later made his career in Pennsylvania, where he became known less as a writer than as an inventive, practical force in business and infrastructure.
Hazard is best remembered for his long partnership with Josiah White. Together they helped develop the Lehigh Coal & Navigation Company and played a major role in improving the movement of anthracite coal from Pennsylvania to wider markets. Their work connected mining, canals, and early rail transport at a moment when the young United States was rapidly industrializing.
He died in Philadelphia on February 26, 1865. Although he is not a household name today, Hazard was part of the generation of entrepreneurs whose experiments in transportation, energy, and large-scale enterprise helped reshape the American economy.