Asa Packer, 1805 - 1879
Industrial pioneer, entrepreneur, philanthropist and the founder of Lehigh University, Asa Packer was born in Mystic, Connecticut on December 29, 1805. He attended district schools in the area. In the age 17, he walked from Mystic to Hop Bottom, Pa., more than 200 miles, with, it was said, 10 cents in his pocket. There he became a carpenter, later moved to Springville and married Sarah Blakslee.
In Springville he built canal boats for hauling anthracite and later in 1833 moved to Mauch Chunk, where he first worked as a canal boat operator. He began building canal boats, bought a merchandising store, and obtained contracts for canal lock construction. Canals, coal production and railroads became his main business interests which made him a "tycoon" of his day.
He became active in politics and was elected as the member of State House of Representatives and went to Harrisburg in 1841. There he helped establish Carbon County, with Mauch Chunk as the county seat. In 1843, he became the associate judge of Carbon County, from then he was referred to as "Judge Packer" and the "Honorable Asa Packer". Packer also was elected as a congressman on the Democratic ticket and served two terms in Washington D.C., 1853-1857. He was the candidate for Democratic nomination for President, 1868, and unsuccessful candidate for governor of Pennsylvania, 1869.
Asa Packer's major business success was the Lehigh Valley Rail Road of which he became president until his death. It was believed that during the "hey-days" of his business years Packer was the richest man in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. When Packer considered what to do his surplus of wealth, education was choice of his philanthropy. In 1865 Asa Packer gave $500,000 and 115 acres of land in South Bethlehem for the establishment of Lehigh University for local young men's education. Lehigh University opened in September 1866. Asa Packer's $500,000 founding gift for Lehigh University was the largest single endowment for an educational institution at that time.
Packer died in Philadelphia on May 17, 1879.