High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Lewis Nixon I (April 7, 1861 — September 23, 1940) was a naval architect, shipbuilding executive, public servant, and political activist. He designed the United States` first modern battleships, and supervised the construction of its first modern submarines, all before his 40th birthday. He was briefly the leader of Tammany Hall. He started an ill-fated effort to run seven major American shipyards under common ownership as the United States Shipbuilding Company, and he was the chair of the New York City commission building the Williamsburg Bridge.