Sir Sandford Fleming Sandford Fleming was born at Kirkcaldy, Scotland in January 7, 1827. Sandford died at Halifax in July 22, 1915. He was a civil engine er. He was Canada's foremost railway surveyor and construction engine er of the 19th century and a distinguished inventor and scientist. He came to Canada in 1845 and , after studying science and eng ineering in both Scotland and Canada, joined the engineer staff of the Ont ario, Simcoe and Huron Ry, becoming engineer in chief of the successor Northern Ry in 1857. In 1863 the Canadian government appointed him chief surveyor of the first portion of a portion of a proposed railway from Que