CLASS OF 1902

Fred Caswell Stanton was born June 7, 1880, at Vineyard Haven, Mass., on the island of Martha's Vineyard, his parents being Frederick O. and Rebecca (Luce) Stanton. In his boyhood he became very familiar with maritime affairs, his interest coming through a long line of ancestors on the maternal side who had been captains of whaling ships sailing from Martha's Vineyard or New Bedford.

He prepared for college in the schools of his native village and at Tabor Academy, Marion, Mass. His fraternity was Sigma Chi. He took the Thayer School course, graduating as B. S.. in 1902 and as C. E. in 1903.

From May, 1903, to May, 1907, he was employed under Major Jadwin of the engineering corps, U. S. A., in river and harbor improvement work in Texas, being engaged about half the time in the improvement of the Brazos river and the rest on the ship channel between Houston and Galveston. From May to September, 1907, he worked for the Atlantic Gulf, and Pacific Company on a large dredging and filling job at Cape May, N. J.

In September, 1907, he returned to government service as civilian engineer under Colonel Goethals in the Canal Zone, being chiefly engaged in concrete construction and dredging, his previous experience having made him expert in both lines. Later he was advanced to the position of first assistant engineer of the Atlantic Division of the Panama Canal, under his former chief, Major Jadwin, and later under General Seibert. He designed and constructed the harbor works for the protection of the new harbor at Limon Bay, including both the breakwater at Toro Point and the Eastern Breakwater as it is called, and he was at various times, in the absence of his chief, in charge of the entire Atlantic Division. After eight years of service in the Canal Zone, his health, as well as that of Mrs. Stanton, was affected by the tropical climate, and this, with the desire to engage in business for himself, led him to resign from the Canal service on March 4 1914.

Returning to the United States, he organized the Stanton-White Dredging Company. The company was engaged in work on the Mississippi and Arkansas rivers, continuing to 1918, when labor shortage due to the draft considerably restricted its operations. Upon the entrance of this country into the war, Mr. Stanton was very desirous of enlisting in one of the active branches of the army, but upon the advice of friends who knew his high qualifications as an engineer and his familiarity with maritime affairs he applied for and was given a position in the Ship Construction Service in the Southern District, his position being that of district plant engineer in charge of all government mercantile ship yards engaged in ship-building on the Southern Atlantic coast, with headquarters at Jacksonville, Fla. He was enthusiastically engaged in this work when he was stricken with influenza in January of this year. Pneumonia supervened, and he died at the hospital at Jacksonville on the 24th.

Mrs. Stanton, who survives him, was confined in the same hospital at the same time with the same disease. He was married to Elizabeth Stokes of Jersey Shore, Pa., October 25, 1909. Mrs. Stanton accompanied him to all the positions which he held from the date of their marriage. No children were born to them.

General Goethals has said that Mr. Stanton was one of the most highly prized civilian employees in the Canal Zone, that his resignation was received with much regret, and that a higher position with largely increased salary was offered him, should he desire to return to Panama.