1818-1881. US long-distance transport
pioneer. In 1844 he established with Henry
Wells (1805-78) and Daniel Dunning the first
express company to carry freight west of
Buffalo. Its success led to his appointment
1850 as secretary of the newly established
American Express Company, of which he was
president 1868-81. He also established Wells
Fargo & Company 1851, carrying goods express
between New York and San Francisco via
Panama. Fargo, a city on the Red River in
North Dakota, is named after him; population
(1980) 61,000.