HENRY FURTNEY
Austin Democrat
Austin, Minnesota
February 1, 1894

The subject of this sketch is known as one of the careful and fearless engineers of the Milwaukee road who always comes into the station on time. He is also said to be able to get as much out of an engine as any of the many excellent men in the service.
Henry Furtney was born at Port Elgin, Canada, July 12, 1858, and is consequently not yet 35 years of age. His boyhood was spent mainly in Michigan, Wisconsin and Iowa, and his father was a saw mill owner and a millright. Henry came to Austin at the age of ten years, and five years after began railroading as fireman. After firing for five years he was promoted to engineer on the Milwaukee road.
Like all sensible young men, Henry took it into his head to get married and on May 6, 1885, he married Miss Bessie Mills, an estimable young lady of North Manchester, Ind. They began housekeeping in Austin, living here one year, after which they moved to Minneapolis, where Mr. Furtney pulled the varnished cars on the short line between the twin cities for fifteen months. After this they moved to Owatonna and Mr. Furtney was engineer on the Owatonna accommodations for three years. Since then Mr. Furtney has been running passenger on the I. & M. division with his home at Austin. Two years ago Mr. Furtney built a fine residence on Bridge Street, and himself and family are among our nicest citizens, whom all are glad to know.
All engineers on the railroad have many interesting experiences, as well as hairbreadth escapes. Mr. Furtney tells of one some years ago when he was in the freight service. An intoxicated farmer living north of Faribault on returning home managed to get upset on a crossing. The wagon was turned over and the man lay underneath, the horses being astride the track facing west. The train was coming east about 9:30 p.m. with twelve cars, and the engineer noticed something ahead on the track, which he thought was stock. Coming closer he saw it was a team of horses, and he called for brakes and reversed the engine. The train coming closer, the horses wheeled to the left, and the pilot caught the wagon back of forward wheels. The wagon was smashed to smithereens, and the driver lay at the end of the ties just in the clear, lifeless ~ apparently. Mr. Furtney felt for his heartbeats, and the old man opened his eyes. In answer to the question, "what are you doing here?" the old man said "phwat in the divil is the matter wid you?" Just then his two sons arrived and said, "O, father is dead." Mr. Furtney said, "no, he is not hurt or your horses either; but your wagon is a total wreck." The trainmen resumed their stations, and went their way rejoicing that it was no worse, although a very narrow escape.
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OBITUARY
Austin Daily Herald
Friday, November 5, 1943
HENRY FURTNEY Dies
at Home in St. Paul, Minnesota
Henry Furtney, former Austin resident, died this morning at his home, 1798 Princetown Avenue, St. Paul. Services will be conducted at Oakwood cemetery in Austin Sunday at 3 p.m.
Mr. Furtney at one time was a Milwaukee engineer, working out of Austin. He and his family lived here for a number of years. He is survived by his wife, a son, Robert, and a daughter, Bess.

My Story
by Eleanor Furtney Martin
Daughter of Henry and Bessie Mills Furtney
My father, Henry, was born in 1858 in Port Elgin, Ontario, Canada. They lived on the shore of Lake Huron and my folks went back there on a visit sometime in the late twenties.
Some interesting sidelights. Dad told about an Indian coming to the house with a deer slung over his shoulder which he would trade for something his mother, Charlotte ( Joseph B's wife) had made.
They left Canada when my father was just a child because he said they were in Chicago the day President Lincoln's funeral train went through and they saw that. (April 1865)
My father's mother, Charlotte Hilker Furtney, was born in a small town near Leipzig, Germany. She arrived in Canada the day Victoria was crowned queen of England. (June 28, 1838)