Joseph Ritter Martin TROUT was born 21 Mar 1881 in Norrisville, Hartford, Maryland, the son of Michael David TROUT, Sr. (1843-1900) and Jemima Ann DAVIS (1846-1910).
When Joseph came of age, he eventually found work sometime prior to July 1903 as a Lineman for the Pennsylvania Railroad working on telegraph and signal lines along the company right of way. On 4 Jul 1903, Joseph, age 22, married Flora M. CRAMER (1881-1932) in Mifflintown, Clearfield, PA, the daughter of Robert Lemon CRAMER and Sara Alice SHEARER. At least (3) children were born to this union, David R. (1905-1975); Ann Mary (1909-1988); and Harry T. TROUT (1911-1990).
= = =
"J. R." Trout (as he liked to be called) met a very tragic death in 1911 while working as a Lineman for the Pennsylvania Railroad. The Altoona Mirror (newspaper) ran a breathless two-column article on page 1 of their evening edition capped with the sensational headlines "RAILROAD LINEMAN INSTANTLY KILLED – J. R. Trout Plunges Headfirst onto Concrete Wall after Grasping Live Wires in Vain Attempt to Escape Fall from 35-foot Pole in the Local Yards – SKULL CRUSHED AND ARM BADLY BURNED."
Sparing no sensationalism, the article goes on in detail how J.R. Trout was working in the railroad yards between Second and Third Streets and was near the top of a 35-foot iron electrical pole, with one foot standing on the top of a ladder, and the other foot standing in the loop of a hanging rope which had been rigged to support him. Joseph was in the process of removing some dead signal lines, but in doing so, was expected to work around two live lines, carrying 2200 volts each. At some point, his foot slipped, and in an act of panicked desperation, he reached out and made contact with the two live lines, very badly burning his arms to the bone, and perhaps even causing his instant death by electrocution, hanging there briefly before he eventually resumed his fall headfirst into the edge of a low concrete wall, crushing his skull, and resulting in his death, if he was not dead already. There was no inquiry since the cause(s) of death were so obvious and witnessed by so many.
The article reports that J.R. Trout was born in Georgetown [sic], March 24, 1881, and resided with his wife and family at Mifflin, Pennsylvania (previously known as Patterson), and that he had been employed as a lineman by the Pennsylvania Railroad for several years.
Source: Altoona Mirror (newspaper), p1, c1-2, Tuesday, 23 May 1911, evening edition
= = =
Joseph Ritter Martin TROUT was born 21 Mar 1881 in Norrisville, Hartford, Maryland, the son of Michael David TROUT, Sr. (1843-1900) and Jemima Ann DAVIS (1846-1910).
When Joseph came of age, he eventually found work sometime prior to July 1903 as a Lineman for the Pennsylvania Railroad working on telegraph and signal lines along the company right of way. On 4 Jul 1903, Joseph, age 22, married Flora M. CRAMER (1881-1932) in Mifflintown, Clearfield, PA, the daughter of Robert Lemon CRAMER and Sara Alice SHEARER. At least (3) children were born to this union, David R. (1905-1975); Ann Mary (1909-1988); and Harry T. TROUT (1911-1990).
= = =
"J. R." Trout (as he liked to be called) met a very tragic death in 1911 while working as a Lineman for the Pennsylvania Railroad. The Altoona Mirror (newspaper) ran a breathless two-column article on page 1 of their evening edition capped with the sensational headlines "RAILROAD LINEMAN INSTANTLY KILLED – J. R. Trout Plunges Headfirst onto Concrete Wall after Grasping Live Wires in Vain Attempt to Escape Fall from 35-foot Pole in the Local Yards – SKULL CRUSHED AND ARM BADLY BURNED."
Sparing no sensationalism, the article goes on in detail how J.R. Trout was working in the railroad yards between Second and Third Streets and was near the top of a 35-foot iron electrical pole, with one foot standing on the top of a ladder, and the other foot standing in the loop of a hanging rope which had been rigged to support him. Joseph was in the process of removing some dead signal lines, but in doing so, was expected to work around two live lines, carrying 2200 volts each. At some point, his foot slipped, and in an act of panicked desperation, he reached out and made contact with the two live lines, very badly burning his arms to the bone, and perhaps even causing his instant death by electrocution, hanging there briefly before he eventually resumed his fall headfirst into the edge of a low concrete wall, crushing his skull, and resulting in his death, if he was not dead already. There was no inquiry since the cause(s) of death were so obvious and witnessed by so many.
The article reports that J.R. Trout was born in Georgetown [sic], March 24, 1881, and resided with his wife and family at Mifflin, Pennsylvania (previously known as Patterson), and that he had been employed as a lineman by the Pennsylvania Railroad for several years.
Source: Altoona Mirror (newspaper), p1, c1-2, Tuesday, 23 May 1911, evening edition
= = =
Family Members
-
![]()
Elizabeth Anna Mary Trout Almoney
1866–1939
-
![]()
Maria Emmaline "Emma" Trout Hulshart
1867–1960
-
![]()
Laura Catharine Trout Mitzel
1869–1957
-
![]()
Benjamin Franklin "Frank" Trout
1872–1940
-
![]()
Sarah Jane "Jennie" Trout Van Trump
1872–1928
-
![]()
Lottie S. Trout Miller
1875–1939
-
Balser Harble Trout
1877–1925
-
![]()
George Sylvester Trout
1879–1939
-
![]()
Martha J. Trout Bowman
1885–1963
-
![]()
Royal Glen Trout
1886–1914
-
![]()
David Michael Trout Jr
1888–1962
-
![]()
William Clifton Trout Sr
1889–1958
-
![]()
Fanny Rosalla Trout Kopp
1891–1984
