Died at age 18 years 8 months 5 days
Thomas had a rough life. He started working in a mine at the age of 12 or 13. One day he went to transfer a belt to a different pulley and the belt caught his leg and severely injured it. His leg had to be amputated on his mother's kitchen table. Sometime after that, he had the opportunity to become a telegrapher on the railroad, which suited him well since he could perform most of his duties whilst sitting.
Thomas Argall in the Web: U.S., Mining Accidents, 1839-2006:
Name: Thomas Argall
Employment Place: Gage Vein, Pennsylvania, USA
Accident Date: 19 Dec 1879
Is Deceased?: Non-fatal.
Unfortunately, one of his duties was, periodically, to hand the locomotive engineer a dispatch as the train sped by. The story goes that, on one occasion, as he reached out with the dispatch pole, he lost his balance and fell into the moving train, killing him instantly. His parents were heartbroken and had his headstone made, which includede the telegrapher's key as well as a baby lamb. He was only 18. (Input from a correspondent prior to 2013).
DEATH: Died as a result of a railroad accident.
BURIAL: Thomas Argall is buried in the Odd Fellows Cemetery in Pottsville, PA. The stone is somewhat weathered but reads" THOMAS ARGALL DIED SEPT. 24 1882 AGED 18 YRS, 3 MONTHS 5 DAYS". Birth date is calculated from age on gravestone. By this time, he was a telegrapher because carved into a recess in the column is a telegrapher's key and receiver over which you can still decipher the words "In Life". Either the Cemetery officials or the family recognized the uniqueness of this gravestone because they did attempt to cover it with plexiglass as long as 40 years ago (i.e. about 1971). Unfortunately, half of this has now gone.
Contributor: Ian Argall (47809099) • [email protected]
Thomas had a rough life. He started working in a mine at the age of 12 or 13. One day he went to transfer a belt to a different pulley and the belt caught his leg and severely injured it. His leg had to be amputated on his mother's kitchen table. Sometime after that, he had the opportunity to become a telegrapher on the railroad, which suited him well since he could perform most of his duties whilst sitting.
Thomas Argall in the Web: U.S., Mining Accidents, 1839-2006:
Name: Thomas Argall
Employment Place: Gage Vein, Pennsylvania, USA
Accident Date: 19 Dec 1879
Is Deceased?: Non-fatal.
Unfortunately, one of his duties was, periodically, to hand the locomotive engineer a dispatch as the train sped by. The story goes that, on one occasion, as he reached out with the dispatch pole, he lost his balance and fell into the moving train, killing him instantly. His parents were heartbroken and had his headstone made, which includede the telegrapher's key as well as a baby lamb. He was only 18. (Input from a correspondent prior to 2013).
DEATH: Died as a result of a railroad accident.
BURIAL: Thomas Argall is buried in the Odd Fellows Cemetery in Pottsville, PA. The stone is somewhat weathered but reads" THOMAS ARGALL DIED SEPT. 24 1882 AGED 18 YRS, 3 MONTHS 5 DAYS". Birth date is calculated from age on gravestone. By this time, he was a telegrapher because carved into a recess in the column is a telegrapher's key and receiver over which you can still decipher the words "In Life". Either the Cemetery officials or the family recognized the uniqueness of this gravestone because they did attempt to cover it with plexiglass as long as 40 years ago (i.e. about 1971). Unfortunately, half of this has now gone.
Contributor: Ian Argall (47809099) • [email protected]
Died at age 18 years 8 months 5 days
Thomas had a rough life. He started working in a mine at the age of 12 or 13. One day he went to transfer a belt to a different pulley and the belt caught his leg and severely injured it. His leg had to be amputated on his mother's kitchen table. Sometime after that, he had the opportunity to become a telegrapher on the railroad, which suited him well since he could perform most of his duties whilst sitting.
Thomas Argall in the Web: U.S., Mining Accidents, 1839-2006:
Name: Thomas Argall
Employment Place: Gage Vein, Pennsylvania, USA
Accident Date: 19 Dec 1879
Is Deceased?: Non-fatal.
Unfortunately, one of his duties was, periodically, to hand the locomotive engineer a dispatch as the train sped by. The story goes that, on one occasion, as he reached out with the dispatch pole, he lost his balance and fell into the moving train, killing him instantly. His parents were heartbroken and had his headstone made, which includede the telegrapher's key as well as a baby lamb. He was only 18. (Input from a correspondent prior to 2013).
DEATH: Died as a result of a railroad accident.
BURIAL: Thomas Argall is buried in the Odd Fellows Cemetery in Pottsville, PA. The stone is somewhat weathered but reads" THOMAS ARGALL DIED SEPT. 24 1882 AGED 18 YRS, 3 MONTHS 5 DAYS". Birth date is calculated from age on gravestone. By this time, he was a telegrapher because carved into a recess in the column is a telegrapher's key and receiver over which you can still decipher the words "In Life". Either the Cemetery officials or the family recognized the uniqueness of this gravestone because they did attempt to cover it with plexiglass as long as 40 years ago (i.e. about 1971). Unfortunately, half of this has now gone.
Contributor: Ian Argall (47809099) • [email protected]
Thomas had a rough life. He started working in a mine at the age of 12 or 13. One day he went to transfer a belt to a different pulley and the belt caught his leg and severely injured it. His leg had to be amputated on his mother's kitchen table. Sometime after that, he had the opportunity to become a telegrapher on the railroad, which suited him well since he could perform most of his duties whilst sitting.
Thomas Argall in the Web: U.S., Mining Accidents, 1839-2006:
Name: Thomas Argall
Employment Place: Gage Vein, Pennsylvania, USA
Accident Date: 19 Dec 1879
Is Deceased?: Non-fatal.
Unfortunately, one of his duties was, periodically, to hand the locomotive engineer a dispatch as the train sped by. The story goes that, on one occasion, as he reached out with the dispatch pole, he lost his balance and fell into the moving train, killing him instantly. His parents were heartbroken and had his headstone made, which includede the telegrapher's key as well as a baby lamb. He was only 18. (Input from a correspondent prior to 2013).
DEATH: Died as a result of a railroad accident.
BURIAL: Thomas Argall is buried in the Odd Fellows Cemetery in Pottsville, PA. The stone is somewhat weathered but reads" THOMAS ARGALL DIED SEPT. 24 1882 AGED 18 YRS, 3 MONTHS 5 DAYS". Birth date is calculated from age on gravestone. By this time, he was a telegrapher because carved into a recess in the column is a telegrapher's key and receiver over which you can still decipher the words "In Life". Either the Cemetery officials or the family recognized the uniqueness of this gravestone because they did attempt to cover it with plexiglass as long as 40 years ago (i.e. about 1971). Unfortunately, half of this has now gone.
Contributor: Ian Argall (47809099) • [email protected]
Inscription
THOMAS ARGALL DIED SEPT. 24 1882 AGED 18 YRS, 3 MONTHS 5 DAYS
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