Alfred W. McCune

Alfred William McCune was an American railroad builder, mine operator, and politician from the state of Utah. Owner of several retail and construction businesses, he helped build the Montana Central Railway and a portion of the Utah Southern Railroad, founded the Utah and Pacific Railroad, and built railways in Peru, among other projects. He also owned many profitable mines in Canada, Montana, Peru, and Utah, including the Payne Minewhich paid the most dividends in the history of British Columbia. Late in life, he cofounded the Cerro de Pasco Investment Company, which became the largest copper investor in South America and the largest American investor in Peru until it was nationalized in 1974. He was one of Utahs first millionaires.

McCune was born at Fort William in Calcutta, India, on June 11, 1849, to Matthew and Sarah McCune. His father was born in 1811 on the Isle of Man, the son of Robert McCune and Agnes Jelly. Raised from infancy in Scotland, Matthew McCune traveled to London in 1835, joined the British Army, and married Sarah Elizabeth Caroline Scott. Alfreds mother, Sarah, had been born in London, where her family had resided for generations. Matthew McCune was assigned to Ft. William and the couple moved there the same year they were married. The McCunes had seven sons and one daughter, Alfred William McCune being the secondtolast to be born. All the children were born at Fort William, and three of the boys and the daughter all died there. The McCunes were members of the Plymouth Brethren Christian church. In 1851, after a church meeting in the McCune home, two sailors who were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints converted the McCunes to Mormonism.

Source: Wikipedia