Thomas Fletcher Oakes
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Thomas Fletcher Oakes (July 15, 1843 – March 14, 1919) was president of Northern Pacific Railway from 1888 to 1893.
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Biography
Thomas Fletcher Oakes was born in Boston on July 15, 1843.[1] He entered railway service June 1, 1863; to April, 1879, on Kansas Pacific Railroad; two years secretary to contractors, two years purchasing agent; three years purchasing agent and assistant treasurer; six years general freight agent; one year vice-president; one year five months general superintendent; April 1879, to May 1880, general superintendent Kansas City, Fort Scott and Gulf and Kansas City, Lawrence and Southern; May 1880, to May 1881, vice-president and general manager Oregon Railway and Navigation Company; May 1881, to November 1883, vice-president Northern Pacific Railway, and November 1883, to 1888, vice-president and general manager.
Oakes was placed in charge of the Columbia & Puget Sound Railroad after Charles Barstow Wright formed the Oregon Improvement Company. Harris retained Oakes as executive vice president, after Harris became president of Northern Pacific.[2]
His son, Walter Oakes, of Seattle, a founder of the Alaska Steamship Company, was father of the ethnologist Maud Oakes.[3][4]
Thomas Fletcher Oakes died at his residence at the Sorrento Hotel in Seattle on March 14, 1919.[5]
