Canvass White, 1790-1834

Canvass White was born, Sept. 8, 1790, at Whitestown, Oneida Co., N.Y. His early education was at the Fairfield Academy. He is remembered as one of the most prestigious of the early American civil engineers, primarily for his work on the Eire Canal and his discovery of “Water Lime Cement."

Canvass White discovered a type of limestone suitable for the manufacturing of a hydraulic cement while working on the construction of the Erie Canal. Canvass obtained a patent in 1820 for his “Water Lime Cement”. Whites discovery caught on very rapidly. His patents where ignored by manufacturers and he never received fair compensation for the infringements on his patent.

After the completion of the Erie Canal, Canvass White continued as an engineer in the construction of many other canal projects. It is said that Henry Clay, when asked to recommend an engineer for the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, said “Get Canvass White; no man more competent, no man more capable. And while your faith in his ability and fidelity increases, your friendship will grow in affection.”

From 1824 to the latter part of the summer of 1826, he was Chief Engineer on the Union canal. Canvass White was appointed Chief Engineer of the Delaware and Raritan canal in 1825 and of the Lehigh canal in 1827. About this time Mr. White was also Consulting Engineer for the Schuylkill Navigation Company and for the Delaware and Chesapeake canal. He became President of the Cohoes Company for the development of water-power at Cohoes upon its incorporation March 28, 1826.

White was a great engineer but he was very unfortunate in his business affairs. Canvass White died young, at age 44, on December 18, 1834, leaving his wife little more than furniture that she was later forced to sell.