James Buchanan Eads facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James Buchanan Eads
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James Buchanan Eads
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| Born | May 23, 1820 |
| Died | March 8, 1887 (aged 66) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Civil engineer |
| Spouse(s) |
Martha Nash Dillon
(m. 1845–1852)Eunice Hagerman Eads
(m. 1854–1887) |
| Children | One son, three step-daughters |
| Awards | Albert Medal (1884) |
Captain James Buchanan Eads (born May 23, 1820 – died March 8, 1887) was a famous American engineer and inventor. He held over 50 patents for his amazing ideas.
Eads is best known for two huge projects. He built the incredible Eads Bridge over the Mississippi River in St. Louis. This bridge was a big step forward in engineering. He also designed a special system of jetties to keep the Mississippi River clear for ships near the Gulf of Mexico. Both of these projects are recognized as National Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks.
Contents
Early Life and Learning
James Eads was born in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. He was named after a cousin of his mother, who later became President James Buchanan. His family moved around a lot because his father was always looking for new business opportunities.
In 1833, when James was 13, his family moved to St. Louis, Missouri. Sadly, they lost everything in a steamboat fire when they arrived. His father's businesses in St. Louis didn't do well, and he eventually left the family.
James had to leave school at a young age to help his family. He sold apples on the streets of St. Louis. His mother ran a boardinghouse to make ends meet. One of his first jobs was at a dry-goods store. The owner, Barrett Williams, let young James read books in his library above the store. James spent all his free time learning about physical science, mechanics, and engineering. Later in life, when James was successful and Williams faced hard times, James helped him out.
Family Life
In 1845, James Eads married Martha Dillon. Her father was a well-known businessman in St. Louis. He didn't approve of James because James didn't have much money or influence at the time. James and Martha got married without her father's permission.
After they married, Martha moved to Iowa to live with James's parents. James stayed in St. Louis to start a glass factory. But his glass business failed, and he had many debts. He went back to working in salvage to earn money.
Martha sadly died in 1852 from cholera. She didn't get to see James become very successful. Five years after her death, James had made a fortune of $500,000 from his river work. In 1861, nine years after Martha's death, James remarried.
Making a Fortune on the River
When James was 22, he designed a special boat to salvage sunken ships. He showed his plans to two shipbuilders, Calvin Case and William Nelson. Even though James had no experience or money, they were impressed and became his partners.
At that time, it was very hard to salvage wrecks from the strong currents of the Mississippi River. James made his first fortune by inventing a diving bell. He used a large wine barrel to go underwater and retrieve goods from sunken boats. He also designed special boats to lift parts of sunken ships from the riverbed.
James often did the dangerous diving work himself. This gave him a deep understanding of the river, from the Gulf of Mexico all the way to Iowa. Because he knew the Mississippi River so well, rivermen called him "Captain Eads." He was known by this title for the rest of his life.
Helping in the Civil War
In 1861, when the American Civil War began, James Eads was asked to help defend the Mississippi River. He was given a contract to build special armored ships called ironclads for the United States Navy. In just five months, he built seven of these powerful ships: St. Louis, Cairo, Carondelet, Cincinnati, Louisville, Mound City, and Pittsburgh. He also turned a river steamer into another ironclad called Essex.
These river ironclads were very important for the Union's success early in the war. They helped the Union forces move into Tennessee, Kentucky, and the upper Mississippi. James Eads often talked with Navy officers. He used their feedback from battles to make his ships even better. By the end of the war, he had built over 30 river ironclads.
Eads' ships were the first U.S. ironclads to fight in battle. On January 11, 1862, his ironclads St. Louis and Essex fought Confederate gunboats on the Mississippi River. Then, on February 6, 1862, his ironclads captured Fort Henry. This happened more than a month before the famous battle between the ironclads CSS Virginia and USS Monitor.
During the war, James Eads also showed his kindness. He gave $1,000 to help homeless people who were affected by the war. After the war, he organized a fair to raise money for thousands of refugees in St. Louis.
Building the St. Louis Bridge
James Eads designed and built the first road and rail bridge to cross the Mississippi River at St. Louis. This amazing structure, known as the Eads Bridge, was built between 1867 and 1874.
The Eads Bridge was the first large bridge to use steel as its main building material. When it was finished, it was the longest arch bridge in the world. Eads was also the first bridge builder to use the cantilever method. This special building technique allowed steamboats to keep using the river while the bridge was being built. Today, the Eads Bridge is still used by cars and light rail trains.
Controlling the Mississippi River
The Mississippi River near New Orleans often had problems with silt building up. This made it hard for ships to pass, sometimes trapping them or making parts of the river too shallow.
James Eads solved this problem by designing a system of wooden jetties. These jetties narrowed the main path of the river. This made the water flow faster, which helped the river dig its own channel deeper. This allowed ships to use the river all year round.
Eads was so confident in his plan that he offered to build the jetties first. He would only charge the government if he succeeded. If the jetties made the river channel 30 feet deep for 20 years, the government would pay him $8 million. Eads was successful! The jetty system was put in place in 1876, and the channel was clear by February 1877.
This project made Eads very famous. In 1982, the American Society of Civil Engineers recognized the south pass jetties as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.
Other Big Ideas
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James Eads also designed a huge railway system. This railway was planned for the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in Mexico. The idea was to carry ocean-going ships across the land from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific Ocean. While it attracted some interest, this amazing project was never built.
In 1884, James Eads became the first U.S. citizen to receive the Albert Medal from the Royal Society of the Arts. This was a very high honor.
Later Life and Legacy
James Eads came from a humble background, but his achievements brought him great wealth and fame. He was so respected that a magazine called Scientific American suggested he should run for president of the United States.
Eads died while on vacation in Nassau, Bahamas, at the age of 66. He and his second wife, Eunice, had moved to New York a few years before. However, his funeral was held in St. Louis, and he was buried in the family vault at Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis.
Many places are named after him, including the towns of Eads, Tennessee; Eads, Colorado; and Port Eads, Louisiana. A highway in his hometown is called Eads Parkway.
In 1920, James Eads was added to the Hall of Fame for Great Americans in New York. There is also a building at Washington University in St. Louis called James B. Eads Hall, which is used for science and technology.
Each year, the Academy of Science of St. Louis gives out the James B. Eads Award to a person who has made outstanding achievements in science and technology. He also has a star on the St. Louis Walk of Fame.
In 1927, the deans of engineering colleges in America voted James Eads as one of the top five engineers of all time. He was listed alongside famous figures like Leonardo da Vinci and Thomas A. Edison.
His famous Mississippi River Bridge in St. Louis was named a National Historic Landmark in 1964. In 1974, it was also listed as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.
Images for kids
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Photograph portrait of Martha Dillon Eads, wife of James B. Eads.
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1888 color lithograph of J. B. Eads, made for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes
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