Autobiographical Letter to Lyman C. Draper

Milwaukee May 16th 1859

Dear Sir

In compliance with your request, I will state that I, Increas A. Lapham, the Engineer, Botanist, Geologist, Vice President of the St. Historical Society, a member of various Antiquarian & Natural History Societies both in this country and in Europe, &c &c &c, was born third month (March) 7th, 1811 in Palmyra, Ontario (now Wayne) County New York. I am one of the sons of Seneca Lapham who during my youthful days was a contractor in various canals of N. York, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and Ohio, but afterwards a distinguished agriculturalist of Champaign County, Ohio.
He was employed in the construction of the Black River Improvement, and of the Grand Erie Canal of N. York - The Schuylkill canal of Pennsylvania - The Louisville canal of Kentucky and the Miami and Ohio canals of Ohio. He superintended the building of the Lock between Lyons & Clyde - made the Ironwork, and ofne of the arches of the (first) Aqueduct at Rochester and the woodwork of the Locks at Lockport N. York.
It was at this latter place in 1825 that I commenced the business of engineering by carrying the measuring rod for my older brother Darius. It was here also among the locks of the 'mountain ridge' that I acquired my first lessons in Mineralogy & Geology not from books but from observation. Quite a lucrative business was carried on at this early day in preparing plans of the 'Combined & Double Locks' which were sold to passing strangers, & they are now scattered far & wide over the country.
In June 1826, I assisted Mr. Alfred Barrett and my brother in laying and estimating a road to be constructed down the steep rocky bank of the Niagara, a short distance below the Falls, on the Canadian side; and was employed for a brief pen...