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Contribution #321 of 365
William D. Matthews
Leavenworth Freight and Transportation Entrepreneur
1850s–1860s
The contribution
How this work helped shape America
Born free in Maryland in 1829, William D. Matthews built a freight and transportation enterprise from Leavenworth, Kansas, during the growth of western commerce. He operated wagons and freight routes, employed workers and invested in property while participating in the city's Black business community. His work connected frontier settlements and markets through the movement of goods across long distances.