Stillman Witt

Stillman Witt (January 4, 1808 — April 29, 1875) was an American railroad and steel industry executive best known for building the Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati Railroad, Cleveland, Painesville and Ashtabula Railroad, and the Bellefontaine and Indiana Railroad. Through his banking activities, he played a significant role in the early years of the Standard Oil company. He was also one of the founding investors in the Cleveland Rolling Mill, a major steel firm in the United States. Early life Witt was born January 4, 1808, in Worcester, Massachusetts, to John and Hannah ( Foster) Witt. His family was poor, and he had little education. The Witts moved to Troy, New York, when Stillman was 13 years old. John Witt ran a tavern on the halfway point between Troy and Albany, New York. Stillman obtained a job earning $10 a month paddling a skiff ferry across the Hudson River. Canvass White, an engineer and inventor, frequently rode the ferry, and became impressed with Stillman's attentiveness, attitude, and drive. After obtaining John Witt's permission, White apprenticed the boy as an engineer and accountant. To augment his apprenticeship, he took lessons at night in accounting and bookkeeping. Early career