Memoirs of Henry Villard/Volume 1/00.1
CHRONOLOGY OF HENRY VILLARD
| 1835. | April 10. Born at Speyer, Rhenish Bavaria. |
| 1839. | Home in Zweibrücken. |
| 1849-50. At school in Phalsbourg, Lorraine. | |
| 1850-52. At the gymnasium in Speyer. | |
| 1852-53. Studies at Munich and Würzburg. | |
| 1853. | August (September ?). Sails from Hamburg for America. — October 18. Lands in New York. November 18. — Western wanderings begun. |
| 1854. | Christmas. At Belleville, Illinois. |
| 1855. | At Belleville and Peoria, Illinois. |
| 1856-57. Edits Volksblatt at Racine, Wisconsin. | |
| 1857-58. Teaches a district school at Jonestown, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. | |
| 1858. | Reports Lincoln-Douglas debates in Illinois. |
| 1859. | Visits Denver and Cherry Creek, Colorado. |
| 1860-61. Reporter for the Associated Press at Springfield, Illinois. | |
| 1861. | February. Accompanies Lincoln and Presidential party to New York. — Founds news syndicate in Washington, and becomes telegraphic correspondent there of the New York Herald. — July 21. Witnesses first battle of Bull Run. Sent by the Herald to Kentucky. |
| 1862. | Visits Fort Donelson immediately after its capture by General Grant (February 16). — Enters Nashville before General Buell. — Reaches Pittsburg Landing at close of first day's fighting, April 6; witnesses that of the second day, and the subsequent occupation of Corinth, May 30. — Witnesses Perryville campaign and battle, October 8. — Becomes Washington war correspondent of the N. Y. Tribune. — Witnesses battle of Fredericksburg, December 13, and brings the first tidings to Washington. |
| 1863. | Sent to Port Royal by the Tribune, and witnesses Dupont's engagement of the Charleston forts from on board the New Ironsides, April 7. — First visit to Boston. Sent to Murfreesboro by the Tribune to report Rosecrans's operations. — Disabled by fever, and misses the battle of Chickamauga (September 19, 20). |
| 1864. | Organizes news agency in Washington, and joins Grant's army in the Wilderness in May, and brings to Washington the first tidings of the battles there. — Witnesses explosion of the mine at Petersburg, July 30. — To Europe; reunion with his father. — Winter in Munich. |
| 1865. | April 15. Lands in Boston. Becomes Washington correspondent of the Chicago Tribune. |
| 1866. | January 3. Marries Fanny Garrison. — To Europe in July, as correspondent of the New York Tribune in the Franco-Prussian War. Winter in Munich. |
| 1867. | In March to Paris as correspondent of the Chicago Tribune at the World's Fair. |
| 1868-70. Home in Boston. — Secretary of the American Social Science Association. | |
| 1870-71. To Germany, with mortgage-bank plan. | |
| 1871-72. First employment as expert in American railroad affairs. | |
| 1872-73. Serious illness in Heidelberg. | |
| 1873. | Joins committees of bondholders of Oregon & California R. R. Co. and of Kansas Pacific R. R. Co. |
| 1874. | Their delegate to the United States. |
| 1875. | Opens Oregon immigration bureau in New York. |
| 1876. | First visit to Oregon. — President of Oregon & California R. R. Co. and of Oregon Steamship Co. — A receiver of the Kansas Pacific. |
| 1877. | Desperate illness in San Francisco. |
| 1878. | Dislodged by Jay Gould from Kansas Pacific receivership. |
| 1879. | Victorious over Gould. — Buys out creditors of the Oregon Steamship Co. and the Oregon Steam Navigation Co. — Conceives the Oregon Railway & Navigation Co. |
| 1880. | Contract for division of traffic with Northern Pacific R. R. Co. — Founds Oregon Improvement Co. — Buys the two Oregon railroads. |
| 1881. | Gains control of the Northern Pacific R. R. by the “blind pool.” — Elected its president, and founds the Oregon & Transcontinental Co. — Buys the New York Evening Post and Nation. |
| 1882-83. Extends the main line of Northern Pacific and builds branches. | |
| 1883. | Organizes St. Paul & Northern Pacific Co. — Builds St. Paul & Manitoba R. R. — Procures the writing of a ‘History of the Northern Pacific Railroad.’ — Leads international excursion to witness completion of the Northern Pacific. — Involved in collapse of the road. — Resigns presidency of the Oregon & Transcontinental, Oregon Railway & Navigation Co., and Northern Pacific. |
| 1884-86. To Germany. | |
| 1885. | Resigns presidency of the Oregon & California R. R. |
| 1886. | To New York as representative of the Deutsche Bank. — Saves the Oregon & Transcontinental. |
| 1887-88. Re-enters the Northern Pacific board. | |
| 1889. | Founds Edison General Electric Co. — Final retirement from Oregon Railway & Navigation Co. — Chairman of finance committee of the Northern Pacific. |
| 1890. | Founds the North American Co. to absorb the Oregon & Transcontinental. — Loses his son Hilgard. — To Germany. — Interview with Chancellor Caprivi. — Visit to Bismarck. |
| 1891. | Last official tour of the Northern Pacific. |
| 1893. | Retires from the Northern Pacific and North American boards. |
| 1893-94. Tour of the Mediterranean and sojourn in Europe. | |
| 1898. | To Europe for the last time. |
| 1899. | Last tour over the Northern Pacific. — Visit to Alaska. |
| 1900. | Dies November 12. |