Peter Hastie's story
Peter Hastie (around 1805-?)
Emigrated from Edinburgh to the State of New York and New York City, USA around 1832.
From shopkeeper to engineer
Peter Hastie was probably born around 1805 in the Lowlands of Scotland.
In 1827, dissatisfied with his life as a shopkeeper in Edinburgh, Peter decided to emigrate to America and learn a new trade.
In the summer of 1832 he was in New York City, luckily surviving the cholera that was raging.
The Chenango and Erie canals
With the help of his friend and mentor Mr Archibald, another Scottish emigrant, he found work as an assistant engineer in the construction of the Chenango Canal. This earned him one and a half dollars a day. He also participated in the construction of the Erie Canal.
Croton Aqueduct
In 1837 he was promoted to resident engineer in the Croton Aqueduct, part of New York City waterworks, with an annual salary of $1,500 which was increased to $1,800 in 1838.
In the last surviving letter sent home in 1841, Peter Hastie considered himself a successful and happy man.