Benjamin Morgan Harrod
Encyclopedia
Benjamin Morgan Harrod was an American civil engineer
who from 1895 to 1902 directed the construction of the water and sewerage systems in his native New Orleans
, Louisiana
.
The son of Charles Harrod and the former Mary Morgan, Harrod was educated in New Orleans by private tutors. He graduated with two degrees in 1856 and 1859 from Harvard College
in Cambridge
, Massachusetts
. In 1861, he enlisted in the Crescent Rifles during the American Civil War
. As a first lieutenant, he was captured by the Union Army
in 1863 during the siege of Vicksburg
, Mississippi
. He was paroled and then joined the Second Regiment of Engineers in Petersburg
, south of Richmond
, Virginia. Harrod was part of the Confederate
staff with General Robert E. Lee
in the final surrender after the battle at Appomattox Court House
, Virginia, on April 9, 1865.
After the war, Harrod from 1877 to 1880 was the chief engineer for the state of Louisiana. He was a member of the Louisiana River Commission from 1879 to 1904. As chief engineer of the city of New Orleans from 1888 to 1902, he directed the water/sewerage project. He was thereafter named by U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt
to the Panama Canal Commission but did not live to see the completion of the canal in 1914. Harrod shared Roosevelt's interest in conservation of natural resources through his work in the Audubon Society. Harrod was a member of the Society of Civil Engineers and the Louisiana Engineering Society.
He maintained a notable collection of art and was consulting engineer for the construction of the New Orleans Museum of Art
, then known as the Delgado Art Museum. The first Mrs. Harrod was the former Harriet Uhlhorn; upon her death, he married Eugenia Uhlhorn, Harriet's sister. He had no children. Harrod was Episcopalian
. He died in New Orleans and is interred there at Metairie Cemetery
.
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
who from 1895 to 1902 directed the construction of the water and sewerage systems in his native New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
.
The son of Charles Harrod and the former Mary Morgan, Harrod was educated in New Orleans by private tutors. He graduated with two degrees in 1856 and 1859 from Harvard College
Harvard College
Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...
in Cambridge
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. In 1861, he enlisted in the Crescent Rifles during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. As a first lieutenant, he was captured by the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
in 1863 during the siege of Vicksburg
Battle of Vicksburg
The Siege of Vicksburg was the final major military action in the Vicksburg Campaign of the American Civil War. In a series of maneuvers, Union Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and his Army of the Tennessee crossed the Mississippi River and drove the Confederate army of Lt. Gen. John C...
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
. He was paroled and then joined the Second Regiment of Engineers in Petersburg
Petersburg, Virginia
Petersburg is an independent city in Virginia, United States located on the Appomattox River and south of the state capital city of Richmond. The city's population was 32,420 as of 2010, predominantly of African-American ethnicity...
, south of Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, Virginia. Harrod was part of the Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
staff with General Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
in the final surrender after the battle at Appomattox Court House
Appomattox Court House National Historical Park
The Appomattox Court House National Historical Park is a National Historical Park of original and reconstructed nineteenth century buildings. It was signed into law August 3, 1935. The village was made a national monument in 1940 and a national historical park in 1954...
, Virginia, on April 9, 1865.
After the war, Harrod from 1877 to 1880 was the chief engineer for the state of Louisiana. He was a member of the Louisiana River Commission from 1879 to 1904. As chief engineer of the city of New Orleans from 1888 to 1902, he directed the water/sewerage project. He was thereafter named by U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
to the Panama Canal Commission but did not live to see the completion of the canal in 1914. Harrod shared Roosevelt's interest in conservation of natural resources through his work in the Audubon Society. Harrod was a member of the Society of Civil Engineers and the Louisiana Engineering Society.
He maintained a notable collection of art and was consulting engineer for the construction of the New Orleans Museum of Art
New Orleans Museum of Art
The New Orleans Museum of Art is the oldest fine arts museum in the city of New Orleans. It is situated within City Park, a short distance from the intersection of Carrollton Avenue and Esplanade Avenue, and near the terminus of the "Canal Street - City Park" streetcar line...
, then known as the Delgado Art Museum. The first Mrs. Harrod was the former Harriet Uhlhorn; upon her death, he married Eugenia Uhlhorn, Harriet's sister. He had no children. Harrod was Episcopalian
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
. He died in New Orleans and is interred there at Metairie Cemetery
Metairie Cemetery
Metairie Cemetery is a cemetery in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. The name has caused some people to mistakenly presume that the cemetery is located in Metairie, Louisiana, but it is located within the New Orleans city limits, on Metairie Road .-History:This site was previously a horse...
.