USA > Indiana > Allen County > Fort Wayne > Valley of the upper Maumee River, with historical account of Allen County and the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Volume II > Part 9
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Sylvester McMahan, the oldest passenger conductor running out of Fort Wayne, on the P., Ft. W. & C., was born in Lake township, Allen county, November 24, 1842, son of Jackson McMahon, a native of Maryland, born in ISIS, who came to Lake township in 1836, with his parents. In about 1839 he went to Licking county, Ohio, and married Elizabeth Larmore, then nineteen years of age, and returning, made his home on the farm in Lake township, where he resided the balance of his life, following farming. He died in 1868, and his widow in IS7S. To their union eleven children were born, eight of whom survive. Sylvester McMahon remained on the farm until his twentieth year, and attended the common schools. In 1862 he went to work on the section force of the P., Ft. W. & C. R. R'y, laying track. He was so engaged
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seven or eight months, and subsequently came to Fort Wayne and was employed as a brakeman on a freight train of the western division of the Pittsburgh road. He continued at this about three years, and was then promoted freight conductor. In 1872 he was promoted passenger conductor, and was given a run between Fort Wayne and Chicago. He now has the run known as Nos. I and 4, which is the through mail train. Mr. McMahan is a member of Fort Wayne lodge, No. 19, F. & A. M., and of Fort Wayne chapter, No. 19, and also of Wayne lodge No. 19, A. O. U. W. He and family are members of the First Baptist church, of which he is one of the trustees. He was married September 26, 1867, to Mary A., daughter of Peter and Catherine Miller, old settlers of Allen county, who were natives of Pennsylvania. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. McMahan two daughters have been born, Ella and Dora.
An old and well-known passenger conductor on the western division of the P. Ft. W. & C., railroad, A. W. Adkins, was born near Toronto, Canada, June 16, 1835. He came to Fort Wayne about 1843, and was reared in and near the city. He began railroading July 20, 1859, as brakeman on the P. Ft. W. & C. road. After about three years of this occupation, he was promoted to a freight conductorship, and in December, 1870, he was promoted passenger conductor, and he now drives the express and mail between Fort Wayne and Crestline. In politics he is a staunch republican .. He was married in 1861, to Mary E. Garrison, who was born in New York, and is the daughter of Albert Garrison, one of the pioneer citizens of Fort Wayne, died about June I, ISS9. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Adkins five children have been born, one of whom is deceased. Laura, wife of Harry Shafer, Clara, wife of William Holbrock, Albert C., and Jessie E., wife of Fred Gardner.
Lyman Blakesley, a well-known citizen of Fort Wayne, and one of the veteran passenger conductors on the western division of the P., Ft. W. & C. railroad, was born in Putnam county, Ohio, March 14, 1842. He is the son of J. B. Blakesley, who was a native of New York, but resided during.the most of his life in Ohio, being employed as a railroad bridge contractor. He died in ISSI or ISS2. Lyman was reared in Sandusky City, but when ten years of age left home and for five seasons was a sailor on the lakes, attending school during the winter months. At about the age of seventeen years he began railroading as a brake- man with the old Sandusky, Dayton & Cincinnati railroad. In June, 1861, he enlisted in Company E, Seventh Ohio regiment, and served three years. At Cross Lane, W. V., he was taken prisoner August 26, 1861, and for nine months was in prison at Richmond, New Orleans and Salisbury, N. C. He was honorably discharged at Cleveland in June, 1864, and returned to railroading on the S. D. & C. R. R., where he remained until 1867, and then came to Fort Wayne and entered the ser- vice of the P., Ft. W. & C. R. R., as brakeman. One year later was promoted to freight conductor, and in 1872 he was promoted to passen- ger conductor, and has since been on the run between Fort Wayne and
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Chicago. The time covered by Mr. Blakesley's service in the P., Ft. W. & C. R. R., amounts to twenty-two years, and he is one of the oldest passenger conductors running out of Fort Wayne. He was married September 8, 1864, to Miss Mary J. St. John, who was born near Tiffin, Ohio, July 21, 1844; she died December 4, 1888. To their union three children were born: Harry A., Laura D. and Ralph. The latter died in infancy, and Laura D. died March 15, 1889. For fifteen years Mr. Blakesley has been a member of the Order of Railway Conductors, and he is the oldest ex-chief conductor in Indiana. He is a member of the Third Presbyterian church of which Mrs. Blakesley was also a member, and he is one of the executive committee of the railroad department of the Y. M. C. A.
Among those who have held honorable positions in the railway ser- vice should be included James P. Gray, who is also well-known in busi- ness circles as a member of the hardware firm of Gruber & Gray. He was born at Wheeler, Steuben county, N. Y., April 22, 1850, son of Daniel Gray and his wife Lydia Myrtle, who were both natives of the Empire state, and born in the same year, 1812. Daniel Gray, now a resident of Goodland, Ind., whither the family removed in 1868, is a prominent republican, and in 1860 and 1862, was elected to represent Steuben county in the general assembly of New York. He took an active part in the Harrison campaign of 1888. He had ten children. James P., our subject, received a common school education in his native state, and after farming with his father two years, came to Indiana, and in 1870, made his home at Fort Wayne, and entered the employment of the Pennsylvania railroad company as brakeman. A year later he was promoted to freight train conductor, and after three years' experience in that capacity, was given the position of passenger conductor in 1875, having charge of fast trains. In this capacity he is a faithful and popu- lar officer. In 1883, he formed a partnership with Joseph L. Gruber, in the hardware business at 364 south Calhoun street, and they are doing a prosperous business. He is a worthy citizen and prominent in busi- ness circles. Mr. Gray was married in 1871, to Jane Blackburn, of Goodland, who was born in 1853, at Decatur, Ind. They have one child: Ada L. Mr. Gray was made a Mason in 1879, at Wayne lodge, No. 25, thirty-second degree and commandery in 1888, being member of the Indianapolis consistory and Fort Wayne commandry, No. 4.
A. Johnson, an engineer on the western division of the P., Ft. W. & C., railroad company, holding the position of trial engineer, was born in East Wallingsford, Rutland county, Vt., April 26, 1831. He is the son of James and Nancy (Sweetland) Johnson, the father being a native of New Hampshire, and the mother of Vermont. The parents located in Lexington, Ohio, in 1839, and resided there until 1846, and then removed to Republic, Seneca county, Ohio. They next removed to Leasville, Crawford county, Ohio, and three years later removed to Sandusky City. In about .1850, they removed to Springfield Ohio, and subsequently resided at Dayton, Patterson, Hardin county,
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Ohio, and next at Lima, Ohio. In about 1875 they removed to Chicago, where the father died; the mother then came to Fort Wayne, where she died. Mr. Johnson began railroading in 1848, on the Mad River & Erie railway, and in 1851, was promoted engineer on the same road. He next spent a year on the Dayton & Greenville railroad, and in 1856, went into the service of the P., Ft. W. & C. railroad on the eastern division, running between Pittsburgh and Crestline, Ohio. In 1858, he went on the Central Ohio railroad, running between Columbus and Bellaire, where he remained until 1863, and then went on the Penn- sylvania Central railroad. Ten years later in 1873, he came to Fort Wayne, and took an engine on the west division. He ran an engine until about 1883, when he was given the position of trial engineer. His duties are to take in charge new engines and get them in running order, when they are turned over. Mr. Johnson has been railroading forty- one years. He is a member of Harmony lodge No. 19, I. O. O. F. Mr. Johnson was married on January 1, 1857, to Margaret Letts, who was born in Mecklinburg, N. Y. To their union six children have been born, three of whom survive, Flora Bell, Carrie A., wife of Seward Morgan, of New York city, and Lizzie E., now the wife of Thomas C. Warner. Mrs. Johnson and two daughters are members of the First Baptist church, and one daughter is a Presbyterian.
Anthony Kelker, a trustworthy and popular engineer of the Pitts -. burgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago railroad, was born at Lebanon, Penn., March 1, 1835. His father, David Kelker, of an old Pennsylvania German family, moved when "Tony" was a year old, to Waynesboro, Penn., and five years later to Butler, Penn. Three years later the fam- ily moved into Ohio and resided successively at Alliance, New Lisbon, Damascus Bank and Lucas. At Damascus Bank the father became a contractor and graded four miles of the road between Pittsburgh and Alliance. At this place Tony Kelker also began railroading as the boss of a gang of graders. Removing from Lucas to Crestline the father graded two miles more of the road, and between the latter place and Van Wert, the son helped to lay the track. In 1854 Mr. Kelker began work as a brakeman on the Ohio & Indiana road, and a year later became fireman of a construction train. From this position he became fireman on the locomotive "Pioneer," the first owned by the Fort Wayne & Chicago road, now divisions D and E. In the spring of 1856 he was promoted engineer by D. B. Strope, master mechanic. He had made his home at Fort Wayne on the 18th of the preceding August. In 1858 he took charge of a passenger engine, and has ever since been entrusted with this responsible position. His assignment at this time is the running of trains Nos. 2 and 9, between Fort Wayne and Crestline. His pet locomotive is No. 199, built in Fort Wayne, after the best pattern of the Boone engines. . With this powerful machine, Mr. Kelker in 1870, made a trip from Fort Wayne to Chicago which is memorable in the railroad annals of the world. Photographs of the engine and its gallant driver, and a statement of the record were hung in the offices of the railroad
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magnates of the land, and pointed to with pride as an example of the mechanical perfection and physical nerve of the great west. On Sep- tember 14, 1870, Mr. Kelker pulled passenger train No. I, with one baggage car and three coaches, from Fort Wayne to Chicago, 14612 miles, with eleven stops, in two hours and forty-seven and one-half minutes. Making allowance for three minutes at each stop, the speed made by Mr. Kelker was seventy-five and twelve nineteenths miles per hour. Other fast runs he has made are from Plymouth to Chicago, October 2, 1879, with four cars, over eighty-two miles in one hour and thirty-three minutes; seven days later with four cars from Van Wert to Chicago, 179 miles, in three hours and thirty minutes; and several shorter runs at the rate of a mile a minute or faster. In spite of seem- ingly dangerous speed Mr. Kelker has never had a collision, and the only accident he has encountered was caused by the breaking of a wheel on the forward truck. He escaped unhurt, but his brother-in-law, who was firing, was killed. Mr. Kelker's private life is interesting and happy. Strictly temperate, abstaining entirely from tobacco, he is always clear in mind and ready for prompt action in any emergency. His home is a beautiful one, and he is known as one of the finest amateur florists in the state. He was married March 8, 1857, to Lydia A., daughter of John Arnold, ex-councilman, and a pioneer of the city, having settled here about 1837. They have had three children: Francis A., died June 2, 1869, at the age of twelve; Nannie D., wife of H. S. Rodeheaver, and Harry O., an engineer on the Pittsburgh road. Mr. Kelker is an active republican, and in 1885, running as an independent candidate in the fourth ward, was elected councilman in that democratic stronghold, and re-elected in 1887. He is a Master Mason of Sol D. Bayless lodge, and a worthy member of the Wayne Street Methodist church. His unfailing kindness, uniform courtesy and manly character have made him hosts of friends wherever he is known.
William M. Glenn, a brave soldier of the republic and one of the most prominent locomotive engineers of the west, began his railroad career near Alleghany City, his boyhood home. At nine years he en- gaged as water carrier on section twelve of the Alleghany valley rail- road, one of the oldest in the country. Afterward at Lima, Ohio, he carried water for a construction gang on the Ohio & Indiana, now P., Ft. W. & C. railroad. In 1857 he rose to the rank of brakeman on a gravel train of the latter road, at Lima, and in the following year he went to Upper Sandusky, and held similar positions as well as conductor on extra gravel trains. May 2, 1859, he arrived at Fort Wayne and took the position of fireman on the " Shanghai " engine, " Fort Wayne," a single driver machine of the Richard Norris build. He was thus engaged mostly with passenger trains until August 8, 1862, when he enlisted in the Eleventh Indiana battery, and went to the scene of war. His battery was stationed at Nashville, in the army of the Cumberland, but owing to a blockade, he, with other recruits, was stationed for three months at West Point, Ky., guarding the Ohio river. Joining the bat-
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tery at Nashville in December, 1862, they remained there until the early part of January, 1863, when they moved to the field of Stone river, but arrived too late to take part in the action. They were then assigned to Lytle's brigade, Sheridan's Third division, Twentieth army corps, and took part in all the engagements of the army of the Cumberland, about Chattanooga, including Chickamauga. He was in the siege of Chatta- nooga, and during the winter of 1863, was one of a party of twenty-five men, who started from the town with three days rations, consisting of a little hardtack, bacon and coffee. to take 125 horses over the mountains to Bridgeport, a distance of 104 miles by that route. The hardships of the trip may be judged from the fact that all but fifty horses died on the road from starvation. A week later the party returned to Bridgeport on foot. He and his battery shelled the enemy on Moccasin point, in the battle above the clouds, and shelled them also from Fort Wood. He was next at Tunnel Hill, Buzzard Roost, Resaca, Cartersville, the Chat- tahooche river, and for thirty-two days and nights, threw a shell every two minutes into Atlanta. They accompanied Sherman as far as Jones- boro, and then returned to Gen. Thomas at Nashville. Thence they did scouting duty and subsequently the battery was discharged, but Mr. Glenn and others were assigned to the Eighteenth Indiana battery, being discharged at Indianapolis, July 3, 1865, he again became a fireman on the Pittsburgh road in September. In the following March, he was pro- moted freight engineer (No. 155), between Fort Wayne and Valparaiso, was transferred to engine 113 in 1869, and April 7, 1871, was given a passenger engine on division C. For twelve years he ran the Lima accommodation train, and in 1883, entered the through passenger service, running between Fort Wayne and Crestline. He began running the limited express in 1885, and now runs the limited west and the fast mail west of Fort Wayne. His best time was made from Crestline to Fort Wayne, 131 miles, in two hours and thirty-two minutes. Mr. Glenn was born in Morgan county, Ohio, May 2, 1842. His parents, Robert and Ann Smyth Glenn, natives of Ireland, of Scotch descent, immigrated in 1835, and settled at Pittsburgh. They resided afterward successively in Morgan county, Ohio, Alleghany city, Lima, Ohio and in 1862, removed to Van Wert, where the father died in 1877 and the mother in 1884. Mr. Glenn was married February 22, 1872, to Mary E. Curtis, who was born August 23, 1854, and died October 2, 1883, leaving four children out of six born, Grace C., Robert Burr, Carrie A. and Eliza F. He was mar- ried November 28, 1888, to Frances Wright, of Fort Wayne, and they reside at the handsome residence at No. 26, Dewald street. Mr. Glenn is a prominent Mason, being a member of Summit city lodge, 170, F. & A. M., life member of Fort Wayne chapter, No. 19, Wayne coun- cil, No. 4, Fort Wayne commandery, No. 4, K. T., Grand lodge of Per- fection, Sariah council, Prince of Jerusalem, Indianapolis chapter Rose Croix, and Indiana consistory, 32nd degree.
William T. Jackson, a veteran' passenger engineer on the western division of the P., Ft. W. & C. railroad, was born in Detroit, Mich.,
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July 30, 1832. His parents removed to Erie, Penn., when their son was quite young, and it was in that city he spent his boyhood and attended the common schools. He began railroading in 1853, as firemen on the Erie & Northeast R. R., a road running nineteen miles from Erie to the New York state line, having only three locomotive engines. He was in the railroad war, in about 1854, between the roads in and about Erie, which was caused by the citizens of that city attempting to prevent the consolidation of the Buffalo & Erie and Cleveland & Erie roads, by tear- ing up the tracks of the Erie & Northeast road. Mr. Jackson was next engaged on the Chicago & Rock Island road, and in about 1855 was promoted to a switch and construction engine on that road. About one year later he was promoted to a freight train, and continued in that capacity for about two years. He then came to Fort Wayne and run a freight engine on the Wabash railway about twenty-two months. He was next on the Terre Haute & Alton railway about four months, and on the Burlington & Quincy railway, between Chicago & Galesburg, about ten months, and then returned to Fort Wayne, where his family were residing. On March 1, 1862, he entered the service of the P., Ft. W. & C. R'y Co., as freight engineer, and has remained with that com- pany up to the present time. In 1865 he was made passenger engineer and ran passenger trains on both divisions until about 1870. In that year the fast trains were put on between Chicago and New York, and he was given an engine on the fast run between Crestline and Fort Wayne. His was the second engine to be equipped with the Westinghouse air brakes on the western division, in July, 1870. On June 11, 1870, while braking by hand, he made the run between Crestline and Fort Wayne, a distance of 131 miles, in two hours and forty-seven minutes. The run was phenomenal at that time, as the track was not so level as now, the Westinghouse brakes were not in use, and wood instead of coal was used for fuel. The record made then was unbroken for a number of years, but recently, with more favorable conditions, it has been beaten, Mr. Jackson himself making the same run in two hours and thirty-six minutes. Even that has been beaten by William M. Glenn, who has made the run in two hours and thirty-two minutes. In 1871 Mr. Jack- son was taken sick and for about eight and one-half months was off duty. Upon his recovery he took charge of the round-house as fore- man for about twenty-two months. In 1881 he was given the engine on the limited express, between Chicago and Crestline, and has been on that run ever since. Mr. Jackson is a member of Wayne lodge, No. 25, F. & A. M., which he joined in 1869. He was married December 5, 1852, at Westfield, N. Y., to Mary A. Groat, and they have had six children, four of whom survive: Ada R., wife of George Burger, engineer on the P., Ft. W. & C .; Alice, now Mrs. Albert Cattingham, of Iona, Mich .; Lillie M. and Edwin T., bookkeeper. Mr. Jackson's family are members of the Congregational church.
Frank P. Higgins, one of the oldest passenger engineers in the service of the P., Ft. W. & C. railroad, was born in Ireland, January 14,
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1837. He is the eldest son of John Higgins, who removed with his family to America about 1845, and settled in Massachusetts. Frank P. was left with his grand-parents in Ireland, and did not come to Amer- ica until 1850. His first work was on a farm in Massachusetts, where he put in three years, and then learned the trade of a shoemaker. Upon coming to Fort Wayne, in the winter of 1860, Mr. Higgins entered the service of the P., Ft. W. & C. railroad, as a fireman on freight and passenger engines. Two years later he entered the machine shops and worked about one year, and was then given an engine in the summer of 1864. He ran a freight engine about six years, and in 1870 he was promoted to passenger engineer. The period of Mr. Higgins' service with the Pennsylvania company is twenty-nine years, about nineteen of which has been as a passenger engineer. In 1881 he was assigned the engine drawing the limited express between Fort Wayne and Chicago. Mr. Higgins was married at Webster, Mass., in 1861, to Margaret A. Carney, who was born in Ireland. To their union a son and daughter have been born. The family are members of the Catholic Cathedral. In 1880 Mr. Higgins erected a handsome two-story brick residence at No. 143 East Jefferson street, where he and family reside.
A worthy gentleman now retired from active business, who has faith- fully occupied posts of danger, both as soldier and locomotive engineer, is Andrew McClure of Fort Wayne. He was born in Blair county, Penn., November 12, 1841, the son of Joseph and Martha Ann ( Am- brose) McClure, natives of Pennsylvania. At the opening of the civil war he entered Company D, Fourteenth Pennsylvania regiment, and served three months, first as private and then as first lieutenant. In February, 1862, he re-enlisted in Company H, One Hundred and Thir- teenth Pennsylvania regiment, and served with it two years as private and as second lieutenant. He was appointed captain, but, for some rea- son, his commission failed to reach him. In the second battle of Bull Run he was taken prisoner, but escaped about eighteen hours later. He was also in the battles of South Mountain and Antietam. He was dis- charged at Winchester, Va., in June, 1864. Returning to Pennsyl- vania, he soon became engaged as locomotive engineer, and remained in that capacity with the Pennsylvania company until 1872, when he re- moved to Fort Wayne. Here he was employed as engineer for the Wabash company. In 1877, on account of exposure during the war, he had the misfortune to lose his eyesight, and he has ever since been totally blind. From 1877 to 1886 his attention was given to hotel keep- ing. Mr. McClure was married in November, 1861, to Eliza Zeth, a native of Blair county, Penn., the daughter of Jacob and Sophia Zeth. They have one child, Mary E. McClure. Mr. McClure is a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and the G. A. R. In politics he has been a lifelong republican.
Michael F. Shea, railway engineer, is a native of County Cork, Ire- land, born September 29, 1851. His parents, Patrick and Mary (Lynch) Shea, came to America when he was but a year old leaving him in Ire-
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land, fearing, on account of poor health, he would not then stand the trip. His parents located in New Haven, where they still reside. After having been here about nine years they sent for their son, who came to this country in company with Daniel Shannahan, whose passage was paid by the parents of Mr. Shea. Michael joined his parents at New Haven and remained with them until he was fifteen, when he was ap- prenticed to a shoemaker in Fort Wayne, and spent two years learning the trade. Not being satisfied, he returned home and spent one year on a farm to which his parents had removed. In May, 1869, he secured a position as brakeman on the Pittsburgh road, and held it two years and nine months. He then obtained a similar place on the Wabash road and at the expiration of three months was promoted to freight conductor, and held that position one year. Returning to the Pittsburgh road he was employed for a time as switchman, and for five years as fireman. In IS7S he was promoted to engineer, a position he has held ever since. He was married June 22, 1875, to Bridget Broderick, who was born in Jefferson township, August 31, 1851. She is the daughter of John and Ellen (Meehan) Broderick, natives of Ireland, who were married at Fort Wayne. Mr. and Mrs. Shea have had eight children: Joseph P., John S., Dennis (deceased), Helen C., Mamie L., Michael F., Anna A. (deceased), and another that died in infancy. He and wife are mem- bers of the Roman Catholic church, and he is a member of the Brother- hood of Locomotive Engineers.
A trustworthy passenger engineer, residing at Fort Wayne, J. R. Anderson, is engaged on the southern division of the Grand Rapids & Indiana railroad, and runs between Fort Wayne and Richmond. Mr. Anderson was born on East Wayne street, November 23, 1852, the son of Alexander M. Aderson, who came to Fort Wayne from Ohio, his native :state, about 1830. He made his home about six miles west of the city on the Yellow river road, the Indians still being numerous, and began the work of clearing a farm. Subsequently he was employed in the shops of . the Pittsburgh company. The son, J. R. Anderson, was reared to youth on the farm, and at the age of seventeen entered the employment of the Pittsburgh railroad company in the shops, at machine work. This occu- pation he exchanged four years later for that of fireman, on the Grand Rapids & Indiana road. In 1879 he was promoted to freight engineer, and in ISS8, to passenger engineer. He is a member of the Third Pres- byterian church; of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, and of the republican party. He was married September 6, ISSI, to Elizabeth Lopshire, who was born in Lafayette township, a daughter of William Lopshire, who was one of the earliest settlers of that township.
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