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 John Benjamin O'Fallon - Saint Louis MO Posted by:  Don.Morfe
N 38° 41.502 W 090° 13.804
15S E 740911 N 4286207
John B O'Fallon was a businessman, philanthropist, and military officer, a nephew of the explorer William Clark. During the 19th century he rose to become the wealthiest person in St. Louis, Missouri.
Waymark Code: WM12TME
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 07/13/2020
Views: 10
He is buried in Bellefontaine Cemetery in Block 56/55, Lot 66.
The cities of O'Fallon, Illinois and O'Fallon, Missouri are named after him.
Description:
From Wikipedia: He entered the army early in the War of 1812. He was assigned to General Harrison's army at Vincennes, Indiana. Promoted to Captain of the Second U.S. Rifle Regiment by March 1814, by May 1815 he commanded this unit. In 1823, he began farming and making whiskey with his half-brother in Louisville, Kentucky. The whiskey-making, apparently, turned a big profit.
His whiskey trade apparently didn't hurt his reputation; in 1822 St. Louis elected him Representative to the first Missouri State Legislature, and re-elected him in 1824.
Through subsequent investment, speculation, and inheritance he became one of the leading businessmen of St. Louis. He was president of a branch bank of the U.S. Bank, and "was on the board of half the businesses in St. Louis."
He was especially active in railroad-building. O'Fallon presided over the 1849 committee which formed the Pacific Railroad (now Missouri Pacific Railroad); was the first president of the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad (now Baltimore and Ohio Railroad) and in 1850 became president of and the North Missouri Railroad (now the Wabash Railroad).
Date of birth: 11/17/1791
Date of death: 12/17/1865
Area of notoriety: Military
Marker Type: Monument
Setting: Outdoor
Visiting Hours/Restrictions: 8 a.m. through 4:30 p.m.
Fee required?: No
Web site: [Web Link]
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