William Fargo: The Roots of Express Freight Business in the US

William Fargo was a pioneer in the American freight business. He was born on May 20, 1818 in Pompey, New York. He started working as a clerk in a Syracuse grocery store to support his studies at thirteen. In 1841, he worked for the Auburnb & Syracuse Railway company as a freight agent. He was an expressman for Albany and Buffalo.

With Henry Wells and Daniel Dunning, Fargo founded the Wells & Co., the first express company that engaged in the freight business in the west of Buffalo. Later, the lines extended to St. Louis, Chicago, and other points in the west.

In 1850, the competing lines of American Express Company were consolidated. Wells Fargo & Company was organized. Wells was the president and Fargo became the secretary. The new company served the areas of San Francisco and New York.

Fargo also became a public servant, having served Buffalo as mayor from 1862 until he died on August 3, 1881.