James B. Francis - Early Years

Early Years

James Francis was born in South Leigh, near Witney, Oxfordshire in England, United Kingdom. He started his engineering career at the early age of 14 as he worked as his father's apprentice at the Port Craw Railway and Harbor Works in South Wales. When he turned 18, he decided to emigrate to the United States, in 1833. His first job was in Stonington, Connecticut as an assistant to the railway engineer George Washington Whistler Jr., working on the New York and New Haven Railroad. A year later, James and his boss, Whistler, travelled north to Lowell, MA, where at the age of 19, he got a draftsman job with the Locks and Canal Company, and Whistler became chief engineer.

A few short years later, in 1837, G.W. Whistler resigned, and went to work on Russia's major railroads. Before departing, Whistler appointed Francis to Chief Engineer, and sold him his house on Worthen street. That same year, James married Sarah W. Brownell in Lowell on July 12, 1837. Their first son, James Jr. was born March 30, 1840, and then they had five more children.

In 1841 came his first major project for the company. Francis was to analysis how much water each mill factory was using from the company's channel system. Impressed by his abilities, the company named him "Manager of Locks and Canals" in 1845.

As Manager & Chief Engineer, Francis was responsible for the construction of the Northern Canal and Moody Street Feeder. These two canals, built in the late 1840s and early 1850s, completed the 5.6 mile long Lowell canal system, and greatly increased its industrial power of the thriving industrial city's mill complexes.

During his work on the Lowell systems, James was also consulted on many other water projects nationwide. When New York needed to increase their water supply, he consulted on the construction of the Quaker Bridge Dam on the Croton River in New York. He also consulted on the dam at Saint Anthony Falls on the Mississippi river.

Their son James fought in the American Civil War as a 2nd Lieutenant in 1861. He was wounded in the hand at the Battle of Antietam as a Captain, and finished the war in July 1865 as Lieutenant Colonel.