Amasa Leland Stanford was born in New York on March 9, 1824 and died June 21st, 1893. Leland Stanford was a politician in his later years when he served in the United States Senate from 1885 until his death in 1893. However, Mr. Stanford is best known as a very successful businessman who began accruing his fortune during the Gold Rush in the 1850's and later expanded into founding the Central Pacific Railroad.
Leland Stanford founded Stanford University in honor of their only child, Leland Stanford Jr. who died of typhoid.