J. A. (John Anderson) Bensel

Born in New York City in 1863, John Anderson Bensel trained as an engineer at Stevens Institute of Technology and built a career in major public works. He became a prominent figure in New York engineering circles and later served as New York State Engineer and Surveyor.

Bensel is remembered both for his technical leadership and for his published address to the American Society of Civil Engineers, where he reflected on the profession at a time of rapid growth and change. That work, preserved through Project Gutenberg, gives modern readers a direct look at how engineers of his era understood their responsibilities.

He died in 1922 in Bernardsville, New Jersey. Though not widely known today as a literary figure, his writing remains valuable for readers interested in engineering history, public service, and the confident, forward-looking spirit of the Progressive Era.