Thomas Jefferson Cram (March 1, 1804 – December 20, 1883) was an American topographical engineer from New Hampshire who served in the United States Army Corps of Topographical Engineers from 1839 to 1863 and the United States Army Corps of Engineers from 1863 to 1869. He served as General Superintendent for harbor works on Lake Michigan and the construction of roads in Wisconsin Territory. He led surveys to determine the border of Michigan and Wisconsin Territory in the Upper Peninsula, to explore Oregon and Washington Territories, and to determine the feasibility of a water route to the Pacific through Central America. He served under General Zachary Taylor in the Army of Occupation during the Mexican American War and conducted coastal and river surveys in Texas. He participated in the United States Lake Survey and led the survey section between Green Bay, Wisconsin and Chicago, Illinois. He conducted multiple river, canal and harbor improvement assessments including for the Fox and Wisconsin River in Wisconsin, the Ohio River in Louisville, Kentucky and the St. Louis, Missouri harbor on the Mississippi River. He assisted the United States Coast Survey in New England from 1847 to 1855 and in North Carolina from 1858 to 1861. During the American Civil War, he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and Colonel and served as aide-de-camp to General John E. Wool. Biography Cram was born in Acworth, New Hampshire. He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 1826 and taught mathematics and natural and experimental philosophy at the Academy from 1829 to 1836. He was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the 4th U.S. Artillery. In 1835 he was promoted to 1st Lieutenant and resigned his commission in 1836. He worked as an assistant engineer for the railroad industry in Maryland and Pennsylvania for two years and returned to Army service as a captain in 1838. In 1839, he was assigned as the General Superintendent for harbor works in Lake Michigan and road construction in Wisconsin Territory with Howard Stansbury and Lorenzo Sitgreaves assigned to assist him. He made improvements to the harbors of Chicago, St. Joseph and Michigan City and built new harbors at Kenosha, Calumet, Milwaukee and Racine. Cram built seven roads in Wisconsin and used timber truss bridges designed by Stephen Long for all spans greater than 20 feet long. As part of the settlement of the Toledo War, between Michigan and Ohio, most of the