Charles E. Kearney
Encyclopedia
Charles Esmond Kearney was the first president of the Kansas City and Cameron Railroad
which as a subsidiary of the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad and built the Hannibal Bridge
establishing Kansas City, Missouri
as the dominant city in the region.
He was born in Ireland
before emigrating to Texas
in 1837. He moved to Kansas City in 1852 where he outfitted travelers on the Oregon Trail
and Santa Fe Trail
from Westport, Missouri
.
During this time he saw the need for direct link from Chicago to Texas. He along with Kersey Coates
and Robert T. Van Horn
persuaded the railroad to build a cutoff of their line from Cameron, Missouri
to Kansas City for the first bridge across the Missouri River
which opened in 1869. He was the first president of the subsidiary. The result was the Hannibal Bridge which was the first bridge across the Missouri River. It established Kansas City rather than Leavenworth, Kansas
or St. Joseph, Missouri as the dominant city in the region.
The town of Kearney, Missouri
(which is on the route) is named for him.
Kansas City and Cameron Railroad
The Kansas City and Cameron Railroad was the subsidiary of the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad which built the first bridge across the Missouri River at the Hannibal Bridge....
which as a subsidiary of the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad and built the Hannibal Bridge
Hannibal Bridge
The First Hannibal Bridge was the first bridge to cross the Missouri River and was to establish Kansas City, Missouri as a major city and rail center....
establishing Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
as the dominant city in the region.
He was born in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
before emigrating to Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
in 1837. He moved to Kansas City in 1852 where he outfitted travelers on the Oregon Trail
Oregon Trail
The Oregon Trail is a historic east-west wagon route that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon and locations in between.After 1840 steam-powered riverboats and steamboats traversing up and down the Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri rivers sped settlement and development in the flat...
and Santa Fe Trail
Santa Fe Trail
The Santa Fe Trail was a 19th-century transportation route through central North America that connected Missouri with Santa Fe, New Mexico. Pioneered in 1822 by William Becknell, it served as a vital commercial and military highway until the introduction of the railroad to Santa Fe in 1880...
from Westport, Missouri
Westport, Kansas City
Westport is a historic neighborhood in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. Originally its own town, it was annexed by Kansas City in 1897. Today, it is one of Kansas City's main entertainment districts.-Background:...
.
During this time he saw the need for direct link from Chicago to Texas. He along with Kersey Coates
Kersey Coates
Kersey Coates was a Kansas City, Missouri businessman who developed Quality Hill, founded the Kansas City Board of Trade, and one of the businessmen who attracted the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad to the city....
and Robert T. Van Horn
Robert T. Van Horn
Robert Thompson Van Horn was a lawyer, the owner and publisher of the The Kansas City Enterprise, mayor of Kansas City, Missouri during the parts of the Civil War, member of the Missouri General Assembly, and representative to the Forty-seventh Congress of the United States.Born in East Mahoning...
persuaded the railroad to build a cutoff of their line from Cameron, Missouri
Cameron, Missouri
Cameron is a city in Clinton and DeKalb Counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. The population was 8,312 at the 2000 census.The Clinton County portion of Cameron is part of the Kansas City, MO–KS Metropolitan Statistical Area, while the DeKalb County portion is part of the St...
to Kansas City for the first bridge across the Missouri River
Missouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
which opened in 1869. He was the first president of the subsidiary. The result was the Hannibal Bridge which was the first bridge across the Missouri River. It established Kansas City rather than Leavenworth, Kansas
Leavenworth, Kansas
Leavenworth is the largest city and county seat of Leavenworth County, in the U.S. state of Kansas and within the Kansas City, Missouri Metropolitan Area. Located in the northeast portion of the state, it is on the west bank of the Missouri River. As of the 2010 census, the city population was...
or St. Joseph, Missouri as the dominant city in the region.
The town of Kearney, Missouri
Kearney, Missouri
Kearney is a city in Clay County, Missouri, United States. The population was estimated to be 8,599 in 2008. It is most famous for being the birthplace of Jesse James, and there is an annual festival in the third weekend of September to recognize the notorious outlaw.Kearney was unofficially...
(which is on the route) is named for him.