Edwin Dean Worcester signed Check - Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway Co. - 1900 dated Railroad Check

Check from the Chemical National Bank with yellow imprinted revenue stamp. Signed by Edwin Dean Worcester.

Edwin Dean Worcester, a prominent American lawyer in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, made significant contributions to the legal field in New York City. Born in Albany in 1856, he followed in his father’s footsteps into the New York Central system, though he eventually established himself as a legal professional. Worcester attended Albany Academy and later Yale, where he excelled academically and graduated in 1876. Throughout his legal career, he was a member of the esteemed law firm Worcester, Williams & Saxe, and remained actively involved in his work until his passing in 1929 at the age of 73.

Worcester was widely respected in his field and was recognized for his remarkable achievements during his college years. He won top prizes for public speaking and was even named salutatorian. His death in 1929 marked the end of a remarkable career in a prominent New York law firm. Worcester’s life and work were deeply intertwined with the legal landscape of New York City and his family’s legacy, which had strong connections to the railroad industry.

The Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway (LS&MS) was a significant railroad that played a pivotal role in the 19th century. It connected the Midwest to the Eastern Seaboard and was a crucial component of Cornelius Vanderbilt’s expanding rail empire. Formed in 1869 through the consolidation of multiple smaller railroad companies, the LS&MS established a complete line between Chicago and Buffalo. It succeeded the Erie & Kalamazoo Railroad, which first operated in 1837, and was renowned for its high speeds. The LS&MS was integral to the New York Central Railroad’s “Water Level Route,” a famously efficient path along the Great Lakes. It facilitated the transportation of passengers and freight through New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana, contributing significantly to the economic development of the industrial heartland.

However, the LS&MS ultimately lost its independence when it was formally merged into the New York Central Railroad in 1914. This merger occurred after Vanderbilt had acquired a majority stake in the railroad decades prior. Despite this, the LS&MS route remained a vital part of the New York Central system and later became part of the Conrail network. The legacy of the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway continues to this day. Its trackage forms the basis for a key segment of Amtrak’s passenger service, the Lake Shore Limited, as well as major freight corridors operated by CSX and Norfolk Southern. Even though it has undergone a name change, the Lake Shore route remains a crucial vein in the American railway system, a testament to its original construction and enduring significance.

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