Thomas Chalmers (1816 - 1903): machinist. Chalmers was born in Scotland. He was apprenticed as a machinist and rose to the head of the Glasgow & Greenoch Railroad Shops.  He came to America via New Orleans in 1843, arriving in Chicago in 1844.  One of his first jobs was to install heating apparatus for the Dearborn School on Madison Street. Chalmers worked for P.W. Gates and founded Fraser & Chalmers, Inc. in 1872. A branch factory opened in England and the company eventually merged into the Allis-Chalmers Company, a very well-known manufacturing firm. Chalmers gave generously to the public schools throughout his life.