Charles Keefer
Encyclopedia
Charles Henry Keefer was one of Canada's
pioneering engineers.
Charles was the son of well-known Canadian civil engineer
, Thomas Keefer
. Charles was born in Rideau Hall
in Ottawa
when it was the property of his grandfather, Thomas McKay
, before it became the official residence of the Governor General of Canada
. Although not formally educated, Keefer spent his early years employed as a surveyor on some of Canada’s most important railway works including the Canada Central Railway (Ottawa to Carleton Place), the Chaudière branch of the St. Lawrence and Ottawa Railway, the Canadian Pacific Railway
(Yellowhead Pass
), and the Canada Atlantic Railway
.
Between 1872 and 1875, he worked on the construction of the Ottawa Water Works as assistant engineer. He worked on Montreal Harbour Works in 1878 and between 1881 and 1885 he was division engineer during the construction of the New York
, Lake Erie
, and Western Railway
extensions. In 1884-1885, he worked on the Kicking Horse Pass
section of the C.P.R. and later became an engineer for the construction of the Tay Canal
. He joined the Canadian Society of Civil Engineers (CSCE
) in 1887 and was an active participant in discussing engineering matters through the journal of the Engineering Institute of Canada
. He was elected as a “Member of Council” of (CSCE
) in 1892, 1893, and 1903, and became vice-president of that society in 1904-1905. In 1914, he was elected to the board of directors of the American Society of Civil Engineers
(ASCE
). Keefer's official biographer is historian, Daniel Hambly.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
pioneering engineers.
Charles was the son of well-known Canadian civil engineer
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...
, Thomas Keefer
Thomas Keefer
Thomas Coltrin Keefer was a Canadian civil engineer.Born into an Empire Loyalist family in Thorold Township, Upper Canada, the son of George Keefer and Jane Emory, née McBride, his father was Chairman of the Welland Shipping Canal Company...
. Charles was born in Rideau Hall
Rideau Hall
Rideau Hall is, since 1867, the official residence in Ottawa of both the Canadian monarch and the Governor General of Canada. It stands in Canada's capital on a 0.36 km2 estate at 1 Sussex Drive, with the main building consisting of 170 rooms across 9,500 m2 , and 24 outbuildings around the...
in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
when it was the property of his grandfather, Thomas McKay
Thomas McKay
Thomas McKay was a Canadian businessman who was one of the founders of the city of Ottawa, Ontario. He was born in Perth, Scotland and became a skilled stonemason...
, before it became the official residence of the Governor General of Canada
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
. Although not formally educated, Keefer spent his early years employed as a surveyor on some of Canada’s most important railway works including the Canada Central Railway (Ottawa to Carleton Place), the Chaudière branch of the St. Lawrence and Ottawa Railway, the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
(Yellowhead Pass
Yellowhead Pass
The Yellowhead Pass is a mountain pass across the Continental Divide of the Canadian Rockies. It is located on the border between the Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia, and lies within Jasper National Park and Mount Robson Provincial Park....
), and the Canada Atlantic Railway
Canada Atlantic Railway
The Canada Atlantic Railway Company , the creation of lumber baron John Rudolphus Booth, was for a short period an important participant in the development of trans-Canada railway systems at the end of the 19th century...
.
Between 1872 and 1875, he worked on the construction of the Ottawa Water Works as assistant engineer. He worked on Montreal Harbour Works in 1878 and between 1881 and 1885 he was division engineer during the construction of the New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
, and Western Railway
Western Railway
There are various Western Railways in the world.See:* West railway of Austria* Great Western Railway of England* West Coast Wilderness Railway of Tasmania* Western Railway Zone * Western Railway Museum of CaliforniaSee also:* Western Railroad...
extensions. In 1884-1885, he worked on the Kicking Horse Pass
Kicking Horse Pass
Kicking Horse Pass is a high mountain pass across the Continental Divide of the Americas of the Canadian Rockies on the Alberta/British Columbia border, and lying within Yoho and Banff National Parks...
section of the C.P.R. and later became an engineer for the construction of the Tay Canal
Tay Canal
The Tay Canal is the portion of the Tay River in the Eastern region of Southern Ontario extending from Beveridge Bay on Lower Rideau Lake to the town of Perth. The canal is 9.8 km in length and is operated today by Parks Canada as part of their Rideau Canal operations...
. He joined the Canadian Society of Civil Engineers (CSCE
CSCE
CSCE may refer to* Coffee, Sugar and Cocoa Exchange which merged to form the New York Board of Trade* Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe...
) in 1887 and was an active participant in discussing engineering matters through the journal of the Engineering Institute of Canada
Engineering Institute of Canada
The Engineering Institute of Canada is a federation of twelve engineering societies based in Canada, covering a broad range of engineering branches, and with a history going back to 1887...
. He was elected as a “Member of Council” of (CSCE
CSCE
CSCE may refer to* Coffee, Sugar and Cocoa Exchange which merged to form the New York Board of Trade* Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe...
) in 1892, 1893, and 1903, and became vice-president of that society in 1904-1905. In 1914, he was elected to the board of directors of the American Society of Civil Engineers
American Society of Civil Engineers
The American Society of Civil Engineers is a professional body founded in 1852 to represent members of the civil engineering profession worldwide. It is the oldest national engineering society in the United States. ASCE's vision is to have engineers positioned as global leaders who strive toward...
(ASCE
American Society of Civil Engineers
The American Society of Civil Engineers is a professional body founded in 1852 to represent members of the civil engineering profession worldwide. It is the oldest national engineering society in the United States. ASCE's vision is to have engineers positioned as global leaders who strive toward...
). Keefer's official biographer is historian, Daniel Hambly.