Thomas Keefer
Encyclopedia
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. After attending Upper Canada College
he began his engineering training by working on the Erie Canal
and continued his learning experience later on the Welland Canal
. He became well known for his writings, particularly “Philosophy of Railroads” and “Philosophy of Canals”, and himself surveyed for a railway connecting Kingston, Ontario
, and Toronto
(1851), was in charge of the survey for a line between Montréal
and Kingston, and determined the site for the Victoria Bridge that crosses the St. Lawrence River in Montréal.
However, his engineering focus was on water supply. He became Chief Engineer of the Montreal Water Board and also built the Ottawa Water Works
. One of his best known achievements was the construction of the Hamilton Water Works, an achievement commemorated by the preservation of the Pumping Station as the Hamilton Museum of Power and Steam. His design for the foundations of the Victoria Bridge (“Keefer’s Shoes”) was used in the construction of the bridge. Keefer was a co-founder and the first President
of the Canadian Society of Civil Engineers. He was also President of the American Society of Civil Engineers
and of the Canadian Institute. He was made a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada
in 1890 and was its president from 1898 to 1899.
He served as chief engineer of the Montréal Water Board and designed the water-supply system for Hamilton, Ontario
(1859), as well as the waterworks in Ottawa (1874). His Hamilton Pumping Station, with its working Gartshore beam engines, has been declared a national historic site. Keefer was a founding member and first president of the Canadian Society of Civil Engineers (1887). As the "Dean of Canadian engineers," he received many honours, including the presidency of the American Society of Civil Engineers
.
He died in Ottawa in 1915. His son, Charles Keefer
, was also a notable 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...
.
Born into an Empire Loyalist family in Thorold Township
Thorold
Thorold may refer to:Places* Thorold, Ontario* Thorold Tunnel, OntarioSport* Thorold Blackhawks, Canadian junior ice hockey teamAnimals*Thorold's deerPeople...
, Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
, the son of George Keefer and Jane Emory, née McBride, his father was Chairman of the Welland Shipping Canal Company. After attending Upper Canada College
Upper Canada College
Upper Canada College , located in midtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is an independent elementary and secondary school for boys between Senior Kindergarten and Grade Twelve, operating under the International Baccalaureate program. The secondary school segment is divided into ten houses; eight are...
he began his engineering training by working on the Erie Canal
Erie Canal
The Erie Canal is a waterway in New York that runs about from Albany, New York, on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York, at Lake Erie, completing a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The canal contains 36 locks and encompasses a total elevation differential of...
and continued his learning experience later on the Welland Canal
Welland Canal
The Welland Canal is a ship canal in Canada that extends from Port Weller, Ontario, on Lake Ontario, to Port Colborne, Ontario, on Lake Erie. As a part of the St...
. He became well known for his writings, particularly “Philosophy of Railroads” and “Philosophy of Canals”, and himself surveyed for a railway connecting Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
, and Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
(1851), was in charge of the survey for a line between Montréal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
and Kingston, and determined the site for the Victoria Bridge that crosses the St. Lawrence River in Montréal.
However, his engineering focus was on water supply. He became Chief Engineer of the Montreal Water Board and also built the Ottawa Water Works
Fleet Street Pumping Station
The Fleet Street Pumping Station is an historic water pumping station in Ottawa, Canada. It is located west of downtown in the Lebreton Flats area, near the new Canadian War Museum. The building was opened in 1875 as Ottawa's first pumping station. It pumped unfiltered water from the Ottawa River...
. One of his best known achievements was the construction of the Hamilton Water Works, an achievement commemorated by the preservation of the Pumping Station as the Hamilton Museum of Power and Steam. His design for the foundations of the Victoria Bridge (“Keefer’s Shoes”) was used in the construction of the bridge. Keefer was a co-founder and the first President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of the Canadian Society of Civil Engineers. He was also President 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...
and of the Canadian Institute. He was made a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada
Royal Society of Canada
The Royal Society of Canada , may also operate under the more descriptive name RSC: The Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada , is the oldest association of scientists and scholars in Canada...
in 1890 and was its president from 1898 to 1899.
He served as chief engineer of the Montréal Water Board and designed the water-supply system for Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
(1859), as well as the waterworks in Ottawa (1874). His Hamilton Pumping Station, with its working Gartshore beam engines, has been declared a national historic site. Keefer was a founding member and first president of the Canadian Society of Civil Engineers (1887). As the "Dean of Canadian engineers," he received many honours, including the presidency 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...
.
He died in Ottawa in 1915. His son, Charles Keefer
Charles Keefer
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...
, was also a notable Canadian civil engineer.