Samuel Wesley "Colonel" Fordyce (February 7, 1840 – August 3, 1919) was a prominent railroad executive of the American South. He served on several boards of directors and as president of a few railroads. Fordyce was also the receiver for several railroads when they declared bankruptcy. Early life Fordyce was born in Guernsey County, Ohio, to John Fordyce and Mary Ann Houseman, both of whom were from Pennsylvania. Samuel was one of ten children. He attended Madison College in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, and later studied at North Illinois University in Henry County, Illinois. Military career At the age of twenty, after completing his studies, Fordyce returned home to work as a station agent on the Central Ohio Railroad. After a year, he enlisted as a private in the First Ohio Volunteer Cavalry to fight in the Civil War. He was soon promoted to second lieutenant and then to a first lieutenancy of Company B, First Ohio Volunteers. In 1863, he was promoted to captain of Company H and soon after was made assistant inspector general of cavalry in the Army of the Cumberland. Fordyce was wounded three times and captured three times, but he was recaptured two of those times and managed to escape the other. Professional career After the Civil War, Fordyce relocated to Huntsville, Alabama, and established a banking house, Fordyce & Rison. Fordyce assisted in financing the North & South Alabama Railway from Decatur to Montgomery. In January 1876, Fordyce moved near Hot Springs, Arkansas, after being in bad health and knowing the reputation of Hot Springs as a health resort. While in Hot Springs, Fordyce contributed greatly to the development of the city. He assisted Senator John A. Logan in introducing a bill to build an Army and Navy Hospital on government reservation land in Hot Springs. Fordyce also helped to finance hotels, an opera house, water, gas and electric light works, street railcars, and other public enterprises. Fordyce soon turned his attention to building a network of railroads in the south and southwest. The St. Louis Southwestern Railway Company was built under Fordyce's management, which he operated for sixteen years. Fordyce served in many positions in the rail industry. For three years, he was vice president and treasurer of the Texas & St. Louis Railway. He was a receiver from 1885 to 1886 and president of the railroad, which was reorganized under the name St. Louis,