Harry P. Deuel

Harry Porter Deuel (December 11, 1836-November 23, 1914) was a prominent railroad man in Omaha, Nebraska. [Fitzpatrick, L.L., Link, J.T., Fairclough, G.T. (1960) "Nebraska Place Names." University of Nebraska Press. p51.] Over the course of his career Deuel worked for the was employed throughout the transportation sector in Omaha, working for the foremost Missouri River shipping company in Omaha during its early years. [ [http://www.webroots.org/library/usahist/ehoone05.html "Chapters XXI - XXVI"] , "Early History of Omaha." Retrieved 4/5/08.] Later he worked for the Union Pacific and the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy railroads, among others. He is the namesake of Deuel County, Nebraska. When he resigned from his last railroad job to become the Douglas County Registrar of Deeds, Deuel had was the oldest railroad man in continuous service in Omaha, and was said to be one of the best known passenger men in the Western United States. [(1973) "Nebraska History." p 123.] [ [http://www.cindydeuel.com/HarryPorterDeuel.html Harry Porter Deuel] . Retrieved 4/5/08.]

Biography

Born in Clarkson, New York to Charles P. and Lucy H. (Porter) Deuel, young Harry's family moved to Farmington, Illinois when he was a year old. His father, originally a cooper, became a farmer and sent his kids to public schools in the area. When he graduated from school Harry P. Deuel went to Lombard University in Galesburg, Illinois. He worked on the family farm until November of 1859 when he moved to Omaha, Nebraska to work with his uncle, Judge Porter, to run the Porter and Deuel Steamboat Agency, Forwarding and Commission Company. [ [http://www.cindydeuel.com/HarryPorterDeuel.html Harry Porter Deuel] . Retrieved 4/5/08.]

Deuel eventually became the agent for the Kansas City, St. Joseph, & Council Bluffs Railroad. After that he was an agent for the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad until 1888, when he resigned to become the Omaha passenger agent for the Union Pacific Railroad. In 1896 he became superintendent of the new Burlington Station in Omaha, a position he held until 1901. [ [http://www.cindydeuel.com/HarryPorterDeuel.html Harry Porter Deuel] . Retrieved 4/5/08.]

In 1901 Deuel was elected registrar of deeds.

Community involvement

Dueul was well-known throughout Omaha social circles, and was prominent in Masonic work for more than 50 years, including serving as first Right Eminent Grand Commander elect, and as the Grand Master of the Nebraska Grand Lodge in 1869. He was the thirty-third degree Scottish Rite, the Ancient Arabic Order, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. He also belonged to the Elks and other orders. [Wyant, F.O. [http://www.minerland.net/grandcommand.htm "Nebraska Grand Commandery: The first twelve years (1871 – 1883)"] . Retrieved 4/4/08.] [Freemasons Michigan. (1915) " [http://books.google.com/books?id=m5RJAAAAMAAJ&pg=RA1-PA114&dq=%22Harry+Porter+Deuel%22&client=firefox-a Transactions of the ... Annual Convocation ...] " p. 141. Retrieved 4/5/08.]

ee also

* History of Omaha
* Founding figures of Omaha, Nebraska

References

External links

* [http://www.historicomaha.com/ofcimg25.jpgHistoric image] of Deuel