“Goodbye” William George Fargo – Died 3 August 1881

William George Fargo (May 20, 1818 – August 3, 1881), pioneer American expressman, was born in Pompey, New York.

He became a freight agent for the Auburn & Syracuse railway company at Auburn in 1841, an express messenger between Albany and Buffalo a year later, and in 1843 a resident agent in Buffalo.

In 1844 he organized, with Henry Wells (1805–1878) and Daniel Dunning, the first express company (Wells & Co.; after 1845 Livingston & Fargo) to engage in the carrying business west of Buffalo.

In March 1850 the American Express Company was formed, Wells became president and Fargo secretary. In 1851, with Wells and others, he organized the firm of Wells Fargo & Company to conduct an express business between New York and San Francisco by way of the Isthmus of Panama and on the Pacific coast.

He died on August 3, 1881 and was buried in ForestLawnCemetery.