ECKERT, Thomas Thompson, American
telegrapher: b. Saint Clairsrille, Ohio, 23 April
1825; d. 20 Oct. 1910. In 1852-59 he was
superintendent of the telegraph line between Pittsburgh
and Chicago; in 1859-61 superintendent of
a gold-mining company in North Carolina; and
in the latter year was appointed superintendent
of the military telegraph department of the
Potomac. Subsequently he was general
superintendent of the military telegraph of the
army, and was brevetted brigadier-general of
volunteers for his services. In 1864-66 he was
Assistant Secretary of War; in 1866-75 general
superintendent of the eastern division of the
Western Union Telegraph Company; in 1875-81
president of the American Union Telegraph
Company, and in 1892 became president and
general manager of the Western Union
Telegraph Company. He retired in 1902.