Mr William Hull Botsford

• Name: Mr William Hull Botsford
• Born: Tuesday 23rd November 1886
• Age: 25 years
• Last Residence: in Orange New Jersey United States
• 2nd Class passenger
• First Embarked: Southampton on Wednesday 10th April 1912
• Ticket No. 237670 , £13
• Destination: Orange New Jersey United States
• Died in the sinking.
• Body Not Recovered

As a boy he was educated at Horseheads High School one of only two boys in a class of eight 3.

After leaving school at the age of sixteen Botsford worked for two years in the architectural office of Pierce and Bickford in Elmira 4 as well as a firm based in Rochester, NY.

After his work experience Botsford went to study at Cornell University College of Architecture. He demonstated great drawing ability, indeed one of his works was hung in the library there. His skills also led to a commission for the cover of The Cornellian, the University yearbook in 1910. While at college William developed an interest in wrestling. A lightweight, he gained national and state honours in YMCA tournaments after leaving college. He was also a keen singer.

After graduating Botsford become chief designer for the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad. He designed many stations in the New York and New Jersey area including those at Elmira, Bath, New Village, Hopatcong, Basking Ridge, Watessing, Bloomfield, Syracuse, Utica, Hoboken and Ithaca. The last station Botsford would design was at Montclair. After his death a memorial stone and window was erected there.

During his time with the DL&W Botsford lived in Orange, New Jersey. He taught night classes sponsored by the YMCA and occasionally contributed to architectural magazines.

Botsford's last and most substantial work was the Tunkhannock Viaduct (aka Nicholson Bridge) near Nicholson, PA. Half a mile long and 100 feet higher than the Brooklyn Bridge the viaduct was designed to carry the Lackawanna railroad. The design was only accepted by the railroad board just as Botsford was leaving for home. His ship was the Titanic.