Henry Villard signed Oregon and Transcontinental Co. - Stock Certificate

Henry Villard (1835-1900), Journalist, Railway Promoter, Financier. Immigrated from Germany in 1853. As a correspondent, reported the Lincoln-Douglas debates and made the acquaintance of Abraham Lincoln. After Lincoln's election he became correspondent at Springfield, Ill. for the New York Herald. Later, his involvement in Western railroads led to his plan to supply a line that would be the Pacific Coast outlet for any Northern Transcontinental road which might be built. Clashing with the Northern Pacific, whose objective was an outlet on Puget Sound, Villard with his supporters bought a controlling interest in the Northern Pacific. He was made president, 1881, and completed its line in 1883. His control of transportation in the Northwest did not last long, as a huge deficit forced him to resign in 1884. Meanwhile, however, he acquired a controlling interest in the New York Evening Post and provided financial support to Thomas Edison and helped found the Edison General Electric Co.