From Surveying Railroads to Designing Durable Clothes

One of the Academy’s early members realized through his brief career as an engineer that those who worked outside needed more durable gear. He combined his engineering experience with his entrepreneurial instinct to establish a company that has become a lasting brand in the fashion industry.

Published March 19, 2025

By Nick Fetty
Digital Content Manager

David T. Abercrombie was an engineer, outdoorsman, entrepreneur, and member of The New York Academy of Sciences (the Academy) who lived from 1867 to 1931. After a medical condition sidelined his engineering career, he applied his experience working on the railroads to the field of outdoor outfitting and eventually the war effort.

Early Career

Abercrombie was born in Baltimore in 1867. He graduated from Baltimore City College, prior to enrolling at Maryland Institute, School for Art and Design (known today as the Maryland Institute College of Art) where he studied engineering. This was during an era when engineering as a profession and field of study was in its relative infancy.

Upon graduation, Abercrombie worked as a surveyor and civil engineer for various railroad companies. He mapped previously unexplored areas of Appalachia from North Carolina to Kentucky. To handle the rough terrain and unpredictable elements, Abercrombie fashioned gear for his crew that would be able to stand up to these rough conditions.

Poor vision sidelined Abercrombie’s engineering career when he was just 25, but despite this setback, Abercrombie did have a clear vision of what his next steps would be.

Engineer Turned Entrepreneur

Abercrombie established the Abercrombie Company in 1898 and operated “a small waterfront store on South Street in Lower Manhattan.” He sold firearms, outdoor clothing, fishing gear, and camping supplies. His own designs were featured in some of his products.

The company quickly found success with prominent clients such as explorer Robert Peary, author Ernest Hemmingway, and aviator Charles Lindbergh. This client base even included two American presidents. Theodore Roosevelt and his Rough Riders were outfitted with Abercrombie gear during the Spanish-American War, while John F. Kennedy was a fan of the company’s chinos-style pants.

A lawyer named Ezra Finch was also a fan of the rising brand, so much so that he left his practice to run the company with Abercrombie. In 1904 the company’s name was changed to Abercrombie & Fitch. However, the two men quickly found out that they had different visions for the company’s future. Finch wanted a more generalized store that would appeal to a wider customer base, while Abercrombie insisted focusing on their core product of high-quality outdoor gear. This rift led to Abercrombie leaving the company in 1907.

Abercrombie’s Next Endeavor

With the United States’ involvement in World War I becoming an inevitability, the U.S. Army recruited Abercrombie for the war effort. Abercrombie served as a Major in the Quarter Master Reserves where he led a team of civilians in producing military uniforms. According to the July 1919 issue of Popular Science Monthly, Abercrombie’s ingenious packaging and folding processes saved the U.S. military nearly $85 million. His technique not only protected clothing from water damage, but it also enabled gear to be packed tightly, compressing twenty cubic feet into four, according to Popular Science Monthly. He was discharged from the Army with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.  

By the mid-1920s Abercrombie was semi-retired and became active with several scientific and scholarly organizations, which included active membership in the Academy. During this time he also constructed a 25-room castle-like mansion located on a 22-acre property overlooking the Hudson River in Westchester County, roughly 40 miles north of the city. The mansion was named ELDA, an acronym for the Abercrombie’s four children: Elizabeth, Lucy, David, and Abbot.

Abercrombie died in 1937 after succumbing to rheumatic fever. He was 64 years old.

Also read: Leading the Fight Against Tuberculosis and Syphilis

This is part of a series of articles featuring past Academy members across all eras.