Canvass White facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Canvass White
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| Born | September 8, 1790 Whitestown, New York, United States
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| Died | December 18, 1834 St. Augustine, Florida, United States
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| Nationality | United States |
| Occupation | Engineer |
| Engineering career | |
| Discipline | Civil engineer |
| Projects | Erie Canal, Delaware and Raritan Canal |
| Significant advance | Rosendale cement |
Canvass White (born September 8, 1790 – died December 18, 1834) was a brilliant American engineer and inventor. He is famous for his work on important canals and for creating a special type of cement.
White was the main engineer for the Delaware and Raritan Canal. He also invented and patented Rosendale cement. This strong cement became the most used type in the United States until the early 1900s.
Early Life and Education
Canvass White was born on September 8, 1790, in a town called Whitestown, New York. His parents were Hugh White Jr. and Tryphena Lawrence White.
He went to school at the Fairfield Academy. This is where he got his early education.
Becoming an Engineer
Canvass White started his engineering career in 1816. His first big job was working on the famous Erie Canal. This huge project connected the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean. He worked with the chief engineer, Judge Benjamin Wright.
In 1817, White traveled all the way to England. He went there to learn about their canal systems. He wanted to bring new ideas back to America.
When he returned, he made an important discovery. He patented a special kind of natural cement called Rosendale cement. This cement was super strong and waterproof. It was used to build many big projects in the U.S. This included the Delaware and Hudson Canal and even parts of the famous Brooklyn Bridge.
White continued his work in New York until 1824. From 1824 to 1826, he was the Chief Engineer for the Union Canal in Pennsylvania.
He became the Chief Engineer of the Delaware and Raritan Canal in 1825. He also led the Lehigh Canal project starting in 1827. White also gave advice as a consulting engineer for other major waterways. These included the Schuylkill Navigation and the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal.
In 1826, he became the President of the Cohoes Company. He was also very involved in planning the Croton Aqueduct. This was a system to bring fresh water to New York City.
The author Bill Bryson once wrote about White. He said that Canvass White "didn't just make New York rich; more profoundly, he helped make America." This shows how important his work was for the country.
Important Projects and Canals
Many of Canvass White's engineering projects are still around today. They show his amazing skill and vision. Some of these important works include:
- The Carbon County Section of the Lehigh Canal in Pennsylvania.
- The Enfield Canal in Windsor Locks, CT.
- Different sections of the Lehigh Canal in Pennsylvania, near places like Walnutport and Allentown.
- The eastern part of the Lehigh Canal near Easton, Pennsylvania.
- The Lehigh Canal Allentown to Hopeville Section near Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
- The Union Canal Tunnel near Lebanon, PA.
Death
Canvass White passed away in 1834. He was buried in Princeton Cemetery in Princeton, New Jersey.
