JOHN W. ASHBAUGH, RETIRED PENNSYMAN, CALLED BY DEATH
John W. Ashbaugh, aged 71, a veteran railroader and a former resident of Kittanning, died Wednesday afternoon at 2:20 o'clock at his home 850 Fifth avenue, New Kensington, where he had resided the past two years. Mr. Ashbaugh was born near Braeburn October 21, 1858. He had been in the employ of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company 48 years and had served 45 years continuously as baggagemaster on the Allegheny division between Oil City and Pittsburgh. Deceased leaves a widow, Mrs. Emily Hutchison, and one son, Harry, of Oil City; also five stepsons and one stepdaughter; Charles Hutchison, Santa Monica, Cal.; Arthur A., Brownsville; Howard, Earnest George and Mrs. Marion Dosch of New Kensington, He is also survived by two sisters, Mrs. Elizabeth Rowe, Mrs. Harry McGinnis, of Braeburn. Funeral services will be held in the late home Friday evening at 8 o'clock. Services will also be held on Saturday afternoon at 2 o'clock in the First Baptist church of Kittanning. Interment in Kittanning cemetery.
From: The Simpson's Leader-Times, Kittanning, Pennsylvania, on Thursday August 1, 1929, Page 1
Two Veteran P.R.R. Passenger Trainman Go On Honor Roll
John J. Bailey of Oil City , is placed on the Roll of Honor of Pennsylvania railroad today, Feb. 7, Mr. Bailey reach the age of 70 and automatically brought to an end his active railroad career which extends back over a period of 48 years.
Born at Allegheny City, now north side, Pittsburgh in 1857, he was one of a family of 13 children of Richard Bailey, a well-known shoemaker who later became foreman of the shoe-making department of old Allegheny penitentiary, but not through any process of law or justice.
At the end of the sixth harvest, John kicked the sod from his shoes and went back to Pittsburgh. Superintendent David McCargo gave him a job braking on the famous "valley of death," as the main line of the Allegheny division was known as in the early days. For 35 years he worked between Oil City and Pittsburgh on every train and never got hurt.
Mr. Bailey started in when railroading was a man's job. Trains were started with steam and stopped with man power. It might startle some of the younger generation of Allegheny division employees to learn that their crack midnight flyers now running between Buffalo and Pittsburgh, once ran only from Pittsburgh to Oil City and hauled 20 cars of freight along with a baggage car, day coach and Pullman, but that is just what they did when John Bailey and a lot of older old veterans railroaded forty years ago.
"We left Pittsburgh at 9 p.m. after picking up 20 cars of freight and stringing a bell cord from the baggage car to the engine where the cord was tied to a bell. When the train parted the rope would ring the bell and warn the engineer who in turn would whistle brakes and the crew would stop the rear part with and brakes on the coaches.
Mr. Bailey was promoted to conductor October 9, 1882 and to passenger conductor October 11, 1892, and ran a passenger train for 22 years. Ten years ago he was transferred to the office of the supervisor at Oil City where he rounded out his active railroad career.
He was married to Miss Lillian Frazier, of Pittsburgh, April 1, 1882. Mr. Bailey has made his home in Oil City for the past 35 years. After the death of his wife last July, he broke up housekeeping and will make his home with relatives in Verona.
He is an excellently preserved man for his age and contributes his good health to eating and sleeping regularly, a habit which he has practiced all his life.
Forty-five years of continuous service in a baggage car is the record of John W. Ashbaugh, well known baggagemaster of Kittanning, Pa., leaves behind as he takes his place on the Roll of Honor of the Pennsylvania railroad today.
Mr. Ashbaugh is 63 years old. He had planned to work the limit until he reached the age of 70, but ill health forced him to end his active railroad career after almost 48 years of service on
(Continued on Page Eight)
From: The Simpson's Leader-Times, Kittanning, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday Mar 1 1927, Page 1
the Allegheny division between Oil City and Pittsburgh.
"I hate to quit but I guess I must reconcile myself to it. Railroading was my chosen occupation when I was a boy and my highest ambition was obtained when I got a job from Robert McChesney in 1879. I always loved railroading and although it is almost half a century since I began, it seems like yesterday."
Mr. Ashbaugh was born on a farm near Blairsville, October 28, 1858. He reached his 21st birthday October 28, 1879 and that day found him pounding on the door of the old Allegheny Valley railroad office in Pittsburgh. He went to work as freight brakeman and liked it. A year later he was promoted to passenger brakeman and liked that still better. "In those days there was little formality to promotion. I met the superintendent October 31, 1881, and he told me I would go out on the night express tomorrow as a baggagemaster with Conductor Albert Maple. Mr. Maple is still living in Oil City. He is almost 90 years old. Well, I went out on the night express and I have been a baggermaster ever since."
Mr. Ashbaugh married Nov. 15, 1881 to Miss Carrie Starr whose home was on a farm where the city of Ford City now stands. Miss Starr was a sister of Samuel Starr, crossing watchman Corry, and of John Starr, former passenger conductor, now deceased. They took up housekeeping at Braeburn but only lived there a short time until they moved to Oil City and resided there for several years.
Thirty-four years ago he transferred to Kittanning and Pittsburgh run and moved to Kittanning where he has resided and worked ever since. The Ashbaughs had one child, Harry, an engineer, now residing in Oil City. Mrs. Ashbaugh died March 19, 1920. Mr. Ashbaugh was married to Mrs. Emily Moody Hutchison, formerly of East Brady, June 25, 1923. They expect to move April 1 and make their home in the Pittsburgh district.
Mr. Ashbaugh retires with excellent record. He never had any desires to be anything more than a baggagemaster and when promotion to conductor was offered him he asked to be left in the baggage car.
"If you are looking for important happenings in the railroad life, there are none. I never experienced anything out of the ordinary. All I ever did was work. I ran the baggage car on every passenger run between Pittsburgh and Oil City for 45 year, did it the best I knew how and now I am through, but sorry it is all over so quickly."
From: The Simpson's Leader-Times, Kittanning, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday Mar 1 1927, Page 8
Married: Caroline H. "Carrie" Starr, in Nov. 15, 1881
Married: Emily H. (Moody) Hutchison, March 19, 1920
John W. Ashbaugh, aged 71, a veteran railroader and a former resident of Kittanning, died Wednesday afternoon at 2:20 o'clock at his home 850 Fifth avenue, New Kensington, where he had resided the past two years. Mr. Ashbaugh was born near Braeburn October 21, 1858. He had been in the employ of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company 48 years and had served 45 years continuously as baggagemaster on the Allegheny division between Oil City and Pittsburgh. Deceased leaves a widow, Mrs. Emily Hutchison, and one son, Harry, of Oil City; also five stepsons and one stepdaughter; Charles Hutchison, Santa Monica, Cal.; Arthur A., Brownsville; Howard, Earnest George and Mrs. Marion Dosch of New Kensington, He is also survived by two sisters, Mrs. Elizabeth Rowe, Mrs. Harry McGinnis, of Braeburn. Funeral services will be held in the late home Friday evening at 8 o'clock. Services will also be held on Saturday afternoon at 2 o'clock in the First Baptist church of Kittanning. Interment in Kittanning cemetery.
From: The Simpson's Leader-Times, Kittanning, Pennsylvania, on Thursday August 1, 1929, Page 1
Two Veteran P.R.R. Passenger Trainman Go On Honor Roll
John J. Bailey of Oil City , is placed on the Roll of Honor of Pennsylvania railroad today, Feb. 7, Mr. Bailey reach the age of 70 and automatically brought to an end his active railroad career which extends back over a period of 48 years.
Born at Allegheny City, now north side, Pittsburgh in 1857, he was one of a family of 13 children of Richard Bailey, a well-known shoemaker who later became foreman of the shoe-making department of old Allegheny penitentiary, but not through any process of law or justice.
At the end of the sixth harvest, John kicked the sod from his shoes and went back to Pittsburgh. Superintendent David McCargo gave him a job braking on the famous "valley of death," as the main line of the Allegheny division was known as in the early days. For 35 years he worked between Oil City and Pittsburgh on every train and never got hurt.
Mr. Bailey started in when railroading was a man's job. Trains were started with steam and stopped with man power. It might startle some of the younger generation of Allegheny division employees to learn that their crack midnight flyers now running between Buffalo and Pittsburgh, once ran only from Pittsburgh to Oil City and hauled 20 cars of freight along with a baggage car, day coach and Pullman, but that is just what they did when John Bailey and a lot of older old veterans railroaded forty years ago.
"We left Pittsburgh at 9 p.m. after picking up 20 cars of freight and stringing a bell cord from the baggage car to the engine where the cord was tied to a bell. When the train parted the rope would ring the bell and warn the engineer who in turn would whistle brakes and the crew would stop the rear part with and brakes on the coaches.
Mr. Bailey was promoted to conductor October 9, 1882 and to passenger conductor October 11, 1892, and ran a passenger train for 22 years. Ten years ago he was transferred to the office of the supervisor at Oil City where he rounded out his active railroad career.
He was married to Miss Lillian Frazier, of Pittsburgh, April 1, 1882. Mr. Bailey has made his home in Oil City for the past 35 years. After the death of his wife last July, he broke up housekeeping and will make his home with relatives in Verona.
He is an excellently preserved man for his age and contributes his good health to eating and sleeping regularly, a habit which he has practiced all his life.
Forty-five years of continuous service in a baggage car is the record of John W. Ashbaugh, well known baggagemaster of Kittanning, Pa., leaves behind as he takes his place on the Roll of Honor of the Pennsylvania railroad today.
Mr. Ashbaugh is 63 years old. He had planned to work the limit until he reached the age of 70, but ill health forced him to end his active railroad career after almost 48 years of service on
(Continued on Page Eight)
From: The Simpson's Leader-Times, Kittanning, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday Mar 1 1927, Page 1
the Allegheny division between Oil City and Pittsburgh.
"I hate to quit but I guess I must reconcile myself to it. Railroading was my chosen occupation when I was a boy and my highest ambition was obtained when I got a job from Robert McChesney in 1879. I always loved railroading and although it is almost half a century since I began, it seems like yesterday."
Mr. Ashbaugh was born on a farm near Blairsville, October 28, 1858. He reached his 21st birthday October 28, 1879 and that day found him pounding on the door of the old Allegheny Valley railroad office in Pittsburgh. He went to work as freight brakeman and liked it. A year later he was promoted to passenger brakeman and liked that still better. "In those days there was little formality to promotion. I met the superintendent October 31, 1881, and he told me I would go out on the night express tomorrow as a baggagemaster with Conductor Albert Maple. Mr. Maple is still living in Oil City. He is almost 90 years old. Well, I went out on the night express and I have been a baggermaster ever since."
Mr. Ashbaugh married Nov. 15, 1881 to Miss Carrie Starr whose home was on a farm where the city of Ford City now stands. Miss Starr was a sister of Samuel Starr, crossing watchman Corry, and of John Starr, former passenger conductor, now deceased. They took up housekeeping at Braeburn but only lived there a short time until they moved to Oil City and resided there for several years.
Thirty-four years ago he transferred to Kittanning and Pittsburgh run and moved to Kittanning where he has resided and worked ever since. The Ashbaughs had one child, Harry, an engineer, now residing in Oil City. Mrs. Ashbaugh died March 19, 1920. Mr. Ashbaugh was married to Mrs. Emily Moody Hutchison, formerly of East Brady, June 25, 1923. They expect to move April 1 and make their home in the Pittsburgh district.
Mr. Ashbaugh retires with excellent record. He never had any desires to be anything more than a baggagemaster and when promotion to conductor was offered him he asked to be left in the baggage car.
"If you are looking for important happenings in the railroad life, there are none. I never experienced anything out of the ordinary. All I ever did was work. I ran the baggage car on every passenger run between Pittsburgh and Oil City for 45 year, did it the best I knew how and now I am through, but sorry it is all over so quickly."
From: The Simpson's Leader-Times, Kittanning, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday Mar 1 1927, Page 8
Married: Caroline H. "Carrie" Starr, in Nov. 15, 1881
Married: Emily H. (Moody) Hutchison, March 19, 1920
JOHN W. ASHBAUGH, RETIRED PENNSYMAN, CALLED BY DEATH
John W. Ashbaugh, aged 71, a veteran railroader and a former resident of Kittanning, died Wednesday afternoon at 2:20 o'clock at his home 850 Fifth avenue, New Kensington, where he had resided the past two years. Mr. Ashbaugh was born near Braeburn October 21, 1858. He had been in the employ of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company 48 years and had served 45 years continuously as baggagemaster on the Allegheny division between Oil City and Pittsburgh. Deceased leaves a widow, Mrs. Emily Hutchison, and one son, Harry, of Oil City; also five stepsons and one stepdaughter; Charles Hutchison, Santa Monica, Cal.; Arthur A., Brownsville; Howard, Earnest George and Mrs. Marion Dosch of New Kensington, He is also survived by two sisters, Mrs. Elizabeth Rowe, Mrs. Harry McGinnis, of Braeburn. Funeral services will be held in the late home Friday evening at 8 o'clock. Services will also be held on Saturday afternoon at 2 o'clock in the First Baptist church of Kittanning. Interment in Kittanning cemetery.
From: The Simpson's Leader-Times, Kittanning, Pennsylvania, on Thursday August 1, 1929, Page 1
Two Veteran P.R.R. Passenger Trainman Go On Honor Roll
John J. Bailey of Oil City , is placed on the Roll of Honor of Pennsylvania railroad today, Feb. 7, Mr. Bailey reach the age of 70 and automatically brought to an end his active railroad career which extends back over a period of 48 years.
Born at Allegheny City, now north side, Pittsburgh in 1857, he was one of a family of 13 children of Richard Bailey, a well-known shoemaker who later became foreman of the shoe-making department of old Allegheny penitentiary, but not through any process of law or justice.
At the end of the sixth harvest, John kicked the sod from his shoes and went back to Pittsburgh. Superintendent David McCargo gave him a job braking on the famous "valley of death," as the main line of the Allegheny division was known as in the early days. For 35 years he worked between Oil City and Pittsburgh on every train and never got hurt.
Mr. Bailey started in when railroading was a man's job. Trains were started with steam and stopped with man power. It might startle some of the younger generation of Allegheny division employees to learn that their crack midnight flyers now running between Buffalo and Pittsburgh, once ran only from Pittsburgh to Oil City and hauled 20 cars of freight along with a baggage car, day coach and Pullman, but that is just what they did when John Bailey and a lot of older old veterans railroaded forty years ago.
"We left Pittsburgh at 9 p.m. after picking up 20 cars of freight and stringing a bell cord from the baggage car to the engine where the cord was tied to a bell. When the train parted the rope would ring the bell and warn the engineer who in turn would whistle brakes and the crew would stop the rear part with and brakes on the coaches.
Mr. Bailey was promoted to conductor October 9, 1882 and to passenger conductor October 11, 1892, and ran a passenger train for 22 years. Ten years ago he was transferred to the office of the supervisor at Oil City where he rounded out his active railroad career.
He was married to Miss Lillian Frazier, of Pittsburgh, April 1, 1882. Mr. Bailey has made his home in Oil City for the past 35 years. After the death of his wife last July, he broke up housekeeping and will make his home with relatives in Verona.
He is an excellently preserved man for his age and contributes his good health to eating and sleeping regularly, a habit which he has practiced all his life.
Forty-five years of continuous service in a baggage car is the record of John W. Ashbaugh, well known baggagemaster of Kittanning, Pa., leaves behind as he takes his place on the Roll of Honor of the Pennsylvania railroad today.
Mr. Ashbaugh is 63 years old. He had planned to work the limit until he reached the age of 70, but ill health forced him to end his active railroad career after almost 48 years of service on
(Continued on Page Eight)
From: The Simpson's Leader-Times, Kittanning, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday Mar 1 1927, Page 1
the Allegheny division between Oil City and Pittsburgh.
"I hate to quit but I guess I must reconcile myself to it. Railroading was my chosen occupation when I was a boy and my highest ambition was obtained when I got a job from Robert McChesney in 1879. I always loved railroading and although it is almost half a century since I began, it seems like yesterday."
Mr. Ashbaugh was born on a farm near Blairsville, October 28, 1858. He reached his 21st birthday October 28, 1879 and that day found him pounding on the door of the old Allegheny Valley railroad office in Pittsburgh. He went to work as freight brakeman and liked it. A year later he was promoted to passenger brakeman and liked that still better. "In those days there was little formality to promotion. I met the superintendent October 31, 1881, and he told me I would go out on the night express tomorrow as a baggagemaster with Conductor Albert Maple. Mr. Maple is still living in Oil City. He is almost 90 years old. Well, I went out on the night express and I have been a baggermaster ever since."
Mr. Ashbaugh married Nov. 15, 1881 to Miss Carrie Starr whose home was on a farm where the city of Ford City now stands. Miss Starr was a sister of Samuel Starr, crossing watchman Corry, and of John Starr, former passenger conductor, now deceased. They took up housekeeping at Braeburn but only lived there a short time until they moved to Oil City and resided there for several years.
Thirty-four years ago he transferred to Kittanning and Pittsburgh run and moved to Kittanning where he has resided and worked ever since. The Ashbaughs had one child, Harry, an engineer, now residing in Oil City. Mrs. Ashbaugh died March 19, 1920. Mr. Ashbaugh was married to Mrs. Emily Moody Hutchison, formerly of East Brady, June 25, 1923. They expect to move April 1 and make their home in the Pittsburgh district.
Mr. Ashbaugh retires with excellent record. He never had any desires to be anything more than a baggagemaster and when promotion to conductor was offered him he asked to be left in the baggage car.
"If you are looking for important happenings in the railroad life, there are none. I never experienced anything out of the ordinary. All I ever did was work. I ran the baggage car on every passenger run between Pittsburgh and Oil City for 45 year, did it the best I knew how and now I am through, but sorry it is all over so quickly."
From: The Simpson's Leader-Times, Kittanning, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday Mar 1 1927, Page 8
Married: Caroline H. "Carrie" Starr, in Nov. 15, 1881
Married: Emily H. (Moody) Hutchison, March 19, 1920
John W. Ashbaugh, aged 71, a veteran railroader and a former resident of Kittanning, died Wednesday afternoon at 2:20 o'clock at his home 850 Fifth avenue, New Kensington, where he had resided the past two years. Mr. Ashbaugh was born near Braeburn October 21, 1858. He had been in the employ of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company 48 years and had served 45 years continuously as baggagemaster on the Allegheny division between Oil City and Pittsburgh. Deceased leaves a widow, Mrs. Emily Hutchison, and one son, Harry, of Oil City; also five stepsons and one stepdaughter; Charles Hutchison, Santa Monica, Cal.; Arthur A., Brownsville; Howard, Earnest George and Mrs. Marion Dosch of New Kensington, He is also survived by two sisters, Mrs. Elizabeth Rowe, Mrs. Harry McGinnis, of Braeburn. Funeral services will be held in the late home Friday evening at 8 o'clock. Services will also be held on Saturday afternoon at 2 o'clock in the First Baptist church of Kittanning. Interment in Kittanning cemetery.
From: The Simpson's Leader-Times, Kittanning, Pennsylvania, on Thursday August 1, 1929, Page 1
Two Veteran P.R.R. Passenger Trainman Go On Honor Roll
John J. Bailey of Oil City , is placed on the Roll of Honor of Pennsylvania railroad today, Feb. 7, Mr. Bailey reach the age of 70 and automatically brought to an end his active railroad career which extends back over a period of 48 years.
Born at Allegheny City, now north side, Pittsburgh in 1857, he was one of a family of 13 children of Richard Bailey, a well-known shoemaker who later became foreman of the shoe-making department of old Allegheny penitentiary, but not through any process of law or justice.
At the end of the sixth harvest, John kicked the sod from his shoes and went back to Pittsburgh. Superintendent David McCargo gave him a job braking on the famous "valley of death," as the main line of the Allegheny division was known as in the early days. For 35 years he worked between Oil City and Pittsburgh on every train and never got hurt.
Mr. Bailey started in when railroading was a man's job. Trains were started with steam and stopped with man power. It might startle some of the younger generation of Allegheny division employees to learn that their crack midnight flyers now running between Buffalo and Pittsburgh, once ran only from Pittsburgh to Oil City and hauled 20 cars of freight along with a baggage car, day coach and Pullman, but that is just what they did when John Bailey and a lot of older old veterans railroaded forty years ago.
"We left Pittsburgh at 9 p.m. after picking up 20 cars of freight and stringing a bell cord from the baggage car to the engine where the cord was tied to a bell. When the train parted the rope would ring the bell and warn the engineer who in turn would whistle brakes and the crew would stop the rear part with and brakes on the coaches.
Mr. Bailey was promoted to conductor October 9, 1882 and to passenger conductor October 11, 1892, and ran a passenger train for 22 years. Ten years ago he was transferred to the office of the supervisor at Oil City where he rounded out his active railroad career.
He was married to Miss Lillian Frazier, of Pittsburgh, April 1, 1882. Mr. Bailey has made his home in Oil City for the past 35 years. After the death of his wife last July, he broke up housekeeping and will make his home with relatives in Verona.
He is an excellently preserved man for his age and contributes his good health to eating and sleeping regularly, a habit which he has practiced all his life.
Forty-five years of continuous service in a baggage car is the record of John W. Ashbaugh, well known baggagemaster of Kittanning, Pa., leaves behind as he takes his place on the Roll of Honor of the Pennsylvania railroad today.
Mr. Ashbaugh is 63 years old. He had planned to work the limit until he reached the age of 70, but ill health forced him to end his active railroad career after almost 48 years of service on
(Continued on Page Eight)
From: The Simpson's Leader-Times, Kittanning, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday Mar 1 1927, Page 1
the Allegheny division between Oil City and Pittsburgh.
"I hate to quit but I guess I must reconcile myself to it. Railroading was my chosen occupation when I was a boy and my highest ambition was obtained when I got a job from Robert McChesney in 1879. I always loved railroading and although it is almost half a century since I began, it seems like yesterday."
Mr. Ashbaugh was born on a farm near Blairsville, October 28, 1858. He reached his 21st birthday October 28, 1879 and that day found him pounding on the door of the old Allegheny Valley railroad office in Pittsburgh. He went to work as freight brakeman and liked it. A year later he was promoted to passenger brakeman and liked that still better. "In those days there was little formality to promotion. I met the superintendent October 31, 1881, and he told me I would go out on the night express tomorrow as a baggagemaster with Conductor Albert Maple. Mr. Maple is still living in Oil City. He is almost 90 years old. Well, I went out on the night express and I have been a baggermaster ever since."
Mr. Ashbaugh married Nov. 15, 1881 to Miss Carrie Starr whose home was on a farm where the city of Ford City now stands. Miss Starr was a sister of Samuel Starr, crossing watchman Corry, and of John Starr, former passenger conductor, now deceased. They took up housekeeping at Braeburn but only lived there a short time until they moved to Oil City and resided there for several years.
Thirty-four years ago he transferred to Kittanning and Pittsburgh run and moved to Kittanning where he has resided and worked ever since. The Ashbaughs had one child, Harry, an engineer, now residing in Oil City. Mrs. Ashbaugh died March 19, 1920. Mr. Ashbaugh was married to Mrs. Emily Moody Hutchison, formerly of East Brady, June 25, 1923. They expect to move April 1 and make their home in the Pittsburgh district.
Mr. Ashbaugh retires with excellent record. He never had any desires to be anything more than a baggagemaster and when promotion to conductor was offered him he asked to be left in the baggage car.
"If you are looking for important happenings in the railroad life, there are none. I never experienced anything out of the ordinary. All I ever did was work. I ran the baggage car on every passenger run between Pittsburgh and Oil City for 45 year, did it the best I knew how and now I am through, but sorry it is all over so quickly."
From: The Simpson's Leader-Times, Kittanning, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday Mar 1 1927, Page 8
Married: Caroline H. "Carrie" Starr, in Nov. 15, 1881
Married: Emily H. (Moody) Hutchison, March 19, 1920
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