Railroading: A Way of Life

Indiana is often called the "Crossroads of America". Given that, it seems only appropriate that so many men in my family served for the railroad on both sides of my line.

L & N Railroad Company (courtesy of Willard Library)

One of my father's favorite stories to tell is the day he left from the train depot in Evansville to go to the front during World War II. As the train left the station it needed to slow a little further down the street, where his father, a crossing watchman was working. My father came to the window and addressed his father who was not known for open emotion. My grandfather saluted him in response before the train gained speed and headed west. What a moment that must have been.

Dad at spot of his father's stand

Last year, our family learned that the spot where my grandfather's stand stood for years was being demolished due to new interchanges on a Highway through the city. I contacted our mayor's office who in turn contacted the railroad and the demolition company and we gained permission to take one of the metal poles that the stand had been built upon as a momento both of that special day but also because of the tie it held for my father to his father, who had died many years ago. Mr. Tucker had the opportunity for a promotion that meant the family would move to Mascoutah, Illinois, but due to the pleas of his children who did not want to move, he turned down the promotion.

My father grew up at what he calls the L & NY in Evansville, a series of section houses actually placed between the tracks at the railroad company. According to the 1930 United States Federal Census for Pigeon Township, Vanderburgh County, Indiana conducted on April 15 there were 18 households living between those railroad tracks with a total of 68 men, women, and children. I can only imagine how those section houses must have rocked every time a train came through.

Israel McDaniel as Watchman

My father's grandfather, John Rankin Tucker, once worked as a section worker near his home in Maunie, Illinois My father's maternal great-grandfather, Israel McDaniel, worked for the railroad in both Maunie, White County, Illinois and later in Evansville, Indiana. A cousin speaks of coming over on the train to visit Israel. His favorite activity was to put a record on his player for their listening pleasure. Israel and his wife Clyde Bell McDonald still had two sons living at home while he worked in Evansville- Roy and Harry. He would leave a list of tasks for them to do in Maunie and as he left the depot in Maunie Israel would immediately be calling down the street for his sons about these same tasks if they were not completed.


(Note: This photo is well damaged and needs some TLC to be upgraded, but I had to inlcude it in this entry)




All of those who have read the entries of the journal by my maternal great-grandfather, John James Raley, may not know that most of that was written while he was away from his family working at one his positions for the railroad. John becamed trained in telegraphy as a young man at a drugstore in Ohio County, Kentucky after attempting farming. At one point John also ran a "hotal and bar room" in Ohio County, but he always returned to the railroad.   The train companies he worked for included The Southern Express Compnay, the CO & SW Railroad Company, the Ohio Valley Railroad Company, and the Newport News & Mississippi Railroad Company. In the course of his job he and/or his family moved more than 20 times throughout Kentucky, Tennessee, and Southern Indiana. At one time John moved his wife, Caroline, and their 3 young sons they had at the time into a rented room in Warrick County, Indiana while he went to work in Rilpey, Tennessee. How she was able to do that I do not know! Later, one of their sons followed his father into the same career.                   

The railroad has played an important role in the lives of my ancestors, both professionally but also in the ways that their families lived. Many memories are still shared around the dinner table at special events about these days. I am grateful for the ties that bind us all, just as the trains themselves bind us throughout the country, especially in its hey dey.

This entry was written in conjunction with The Blogger's Almanac available through FamilyCurator.com.

Amanuensis Monday- John James Raley Journal April 2010

A day late I know, but health has kept me to a minimum of late, but I wanted to at least write a small entry from my great-grandfather's journal today to stay focused.

So, here goes: "My mother's people, my Grandfather John Cannan was of German descent, as the way he spelled  his name would imply. Grandfather John Cannan had two brothers, George Cannan and William Cannan and one half-brother, Charles Cannan. They were all raised in Bell County, Kentucky. I do not know anything of their parents or where they are from. Uncle George Cannan, Grandfather John Cannan's brother, was born, raised, lived, and died a farmer in Bell County, Kentucky. He was near the 80th milestone of his age at the time of his death, which was on the 19th day of March, 1878, so I was told by my aunt Nancy Cannan, Uncle William Cannan's widow. I never saw Uncle George Cannan or any of his family, but I have understood from good authority that he had quite a large and interesting family of boys and girls and they are all well educated, and quite an intelligent set of folks. Some of his boys are lawyers, some doctors, and some stock dealers, and all are right well to do folks."

"Uncle William Cannan came down to Ohio County, Kentucky with grandfather when they were young men 21 or 22 years of age. I think it was about the year 1825, and bought up some 500 or 600 acres of land. Uncle William Cannan took quite a sum of money and left for the state of Illinois to buy land. That was about 1830. He was never seen or heard of by any of his people from the time he left. On one nice, pretty, sun shiney morning in the month of May 1830, up to the present time, Monday evening, July the 24, 1911, I will say that it has always been suppossed or thought that he was killed for his money. He had somewhere between $ 3000 and $ 5000 on his person when he left.."

Note:  This obviously leaves me with a family story of intrigue that must be followed up with to determine if I can find out what really happened to what would be my 3rd? great uncle William Cannan around 1830 between Ohio County, KY and Illinois.

Happy hunting!

Amanuensis Monday- John James Raley Journal

Some of you know that I am fortunate enough to be in the possession of my great-grandfather's journal dated between July 1911 and March 1912. John James Raley wrote about the family history under such entries that he titled "My Fathers People",  "My Mothers People", and "My Wifes Father" in the index, events in his life, including "I taught one school", Cannon's Hogs", and world events such as "Roosevelt was President", and "The Titanic.'

I started including some of his entries on this blog before I became aware of the Monday theme Amanuensis Monday that John Newark began on his blog  TransylvanianDutch Genealogy and Family History. Amanuensis definition: a person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another. This is an excellent idea and an avenue for ensuring that I stay focused on sharing other entries from this journal (300 pages) as well as other treasures that my ancestors left behind.

Today's entry

"I will endeavor to tell you a little something or as much as I know at least of my wife, Mrs. Carrie Raley's people, where they came from, their nationality, their business, and so on. They are German people and all of the older ones came from Germany. I cannot say that ever I saw a German person until I was in my 20th year, that was in the year 1874 on the 13th day of November. I went from my fathers up in Ohio County, Kentucky to my Aunt Cassa McCord in Warrick County, Indiana, to live with her and Uncle John Allen McCord, her husband. My wife, Mrs. Carrie Raley, is of German descent. I met her at my Aunt's, Mrs. Cassa McCord's, the wife of John Allen McCord, on their farm in Warrick County, Indiana, which is 3 miles northeast of Newburgh, Warrick County, Indiana, some time in the fall of 1874.

I went to my Aunt's on the 13th day of November, 1874, from Oho County, Kentucky, where I was raised, which is about 30 or 35 miles east of the city Owensboro, Daviess County, Kentucky, where I stayed and went to school to one Jessie Edgeington in the school house near old Sharon Church, made fires and fed Uncle's stock during the winter for my board, horse feed, washing, mending, and making. And the next spring, that is, on the 1st day of March 1875, I went to work on the farm for Uncle John Allen McCord. He gave me $13.00 per month and I did not have to work hard either. I had my own way about everything. I very rarely ever had to work on Saturday evening or in the rain or bad weather of any kind, as Uncle John made it a rule not to work on Saturday afternoon or in bad weather without there was something very urging.

I owned a horse and a good one too. He was four or five years old at the time. My father Jonathan Raley acted as my Guardian and at my Grandfather John Cannan's sale after his death on the 17th of April 1872, bought the Colt at $ 57.00. He was then three years old and an iron Gray. I got the Colt--$ 20.00 in money and 76 acres in land--- for my part of Grandfather's estate."

Note: John James Raley had inherited his mother, Deborah Ann Cannan's fifth of John Cannan's estate since his mother died when John Raley was only two months.

Tombstone Tuesday- John James Raley

This is the tombstone of my great-grandfather, John James Raley, author of my treasured family journal. Born In Ohio County, Kentucky, worked all his life for the railroad, and finally settled in Evansville, Vanderburgh County, Indiana. He is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery.

John James Raley Journal Part III

I was looking over some of the past entries in this blog and realized that some time had passed since I last quoted from the journal of my great-grandfather, John James Raley. For those of you new to this blog, or just passing through, this journal is one of my greatest treasures. JJ, as I call him in order to keep him separate from all the other men with the same name in his pedigree, started writing this journal on Wednesday, July 19, 1911. The last two entries, one regarding the "Titanic Disaster" on page 273, were dated Monday, March 25, 1912.

He wrote about the family, the news of the day, his favorite sayings, and included poems he sent to his wife and his children when he was away from them because of his job with the railroad. I have quoted as he has written to this point, grammatical errors and all, but I am hesitant when it leaves an ancestor in what their descendants might consider an unfavorable light. I know that we could have several discussions about that and maybe this is a good time to have one, but in the meantime I have a decision to make.

One of the themes that runs throughout my great-grandfather's journal is the ability for members of his family, close or distant, to take care of themselves, be able to earn a good living, and to be responsible to one another. he doesn't mix words regarding these themes, and I sure if I could meet with the good people of Ohio County, Kentucky in the early 1900's they would say the same things. So, I will qoute the positive and the somewhat questionable, asking you to remember the era, the culture, and the man.

The current entry returns to his Uncle Wesley RALEY who is the son of John RALEY and Nancy WILSON, both born in and raised in Kentucky. Uncle Wesley, actually James Wesley RALEY is the brother of JJ's father, Jonathan RALEY. This entry discusses Uncle Wesley's children.

"He has several of his children living near him on farms and I suppose look after his needs. His oldest child by his first wife lives in Louisville, Kentucky and is wealthy now, and in the year 1883 he did not have one dollar and boarded with me at Big Clifty, Grayson County, Kentucky, and went to school and I waited on him for my board money until he could teach a school and earn it. He taught one or two schools then worked as a clerk in a dry goods store for one R. J. Daniel at Caneyville, Grayson County, Kentucky, 84 miles west of Louisville Kentucky on the I. C. Railroad. He went from there in to what was known as the Kentucky Joans Clothing Manufacturing House at Louisville, Kentucky and worked there as a clerk for several months and ran a boarding house near a medical college and boarded the students. he made money almost like finding it, then he quit the Kentucky Joans Clothing Company and secured a position as postal clerk on the train running from Louisville, Kentucky to Memphis, Tennessee. I heard my father say just a few days ago that cousin William Raley's income was said to be nearly one thousand dollars per month at that time, Harah for Bill!  Will close for today, Wednesday July 19th, 1911."

I think he included that last part with just a small bit of sarcasm, but as we all know, those little pieces of daily life, such as current income or the company a ancestor worked for all serve to fill out the story of their lives.

Thanks for listening,
Kim

Advent Calendar- Springerles

Since today is a grab bag topic, and I did not get the opportunity to write on the day about Christmas cookies, I had to use this opportunity to discuss one of the mosr beloved and precious memories and traditions that existed in my family for years- the one of the Springerles.

My grandmother, Jettie Raley, died when I was 8, and lived with us until we lost her. She was an amazing woman, very creative and much like her father, John James Raley, believing in the benefits of scrapbooks, family history, the written record,  family, and tradition. One of my basic memories came over the years at Christmas.

She would get out this special, strange to me at the time, rolling pin and would mix this and mix that (they didn't really follow their recipes back then) and lay out these fancy cookies. I did not understand as a child why they did not go into the oven, but was fascinated with all the tables throughout the kitchen and lower floor of our home as she let them sit overnight. How I still miss her making those every year!

I was blessed a few years ago when my mother gave me that precious rolling pin! I keep asking for her the handwritten recipe book so I can take the recipe out and get them framed together, but no luck so far. I do not make these cookies. Somehow they are too deep into my heart for that, but I always make sure to purchase some every year and lay them out with Grandma's rolling pin. It's like having her here for Christmas every year. I think Grandma would approve.

Continuation of a Journal

When I began this blog, one of my goals was to have a place to dedicate to writing about the discoveries I would find down the road regarding my family history, as well as to share information with others regarding the many facets of genealogy. Unfortunately, neither one of these has happened in the past 2 weeks and i have missed this blog, so new in my life. I have quickly discovered that maintaining a blog has other benefits, such as helping me to keep my efforts focused on genealogy, and in delighting in all the avenues that we all know encompass this great "hobby".

Hard to believe, considering that just a few months ago I found blogs unnecessary and time consuming!

The purpose of today is to return to one of my early entries which is to quote entries that my great-grandfather John James Raley made into a journal he wrote about the family in 1918. I know this is a gift that should be shared, and I would be beggind if I learned that a cousin had such a treasure as well. So, I am going to commit myself to writing at least one entry a week, writing it just as my great-grandfather did spelling errors amd all.

"My Grand Father John Raley his brothers and sister all raised large families they were all Farmers most all of their lives except his brother James Raley who quit farming when he was about 45 years of age and engaged in the general merchandise business he also dealt quite largely in Tobaco at one time and at one time since I can remember was said to be worth several thousand dollars he was better fixed in a financial way than any of his brothers or his sisters husband Robert Wilson in fact he was very much better fixed than any Raley except my cousin William Raley of Louisville Kentucky whose in come is said to be some thing like or nearly one thousand dollars per month at this time in rents on his property he is a young man too something like 45 years of age and started out 26 years age without a dollar."

The Opening of the Journal

The journal written by John James Raley opens with the simplest of words, simply reciting the origin of his family through time, and it is the beginning of drawing me into this great world of genealogy. As stated before, I plan on placing some of his writings throughout time on this blog so I decided today was a good time to start. If it is within quotation marks, then I have not changed any spelling, grammar, etc. Please enjoy.

"My great Grand Father on my Father's side was named Jonathan Raley his Father's people so my Father told me once was brought in to the state of Kentuky either from Ireland or Scotland my Father did not know which by a Catholic Priest and settled in Bell County Kentucky. Some time in the seventeenth century but my Father does not know in what year they were brought here. My Great Grand Father Jonathan Raley moved with his family from Bell County Kentucky down in to Ohio County Kentucky in what was known as the Taylor neighborhood near the town of Cromwell on Greene River about the year 1793. "

" he had quite a large family. There was my grandfather whose name was John Raley and his brother James, William, and Benjamin Raley and one sister whose name was Nancy Raley, who married a man named Robert Wilson."

This is just the beginning of a large section that goes on to explain the Raley side of the family, and I am forever grateful to a man who decided the family was important enough to pass down through the ages. I hope that sharing parts of his story will help others. i know it is opening doors to me for family history purposes and I will continue to bring portions to you.

The Love of the Written Word

JOHN JAMES RALEY was an incredible man. While working away from home for the Railroad Company, he decided that he was going to start writing a book about the history of the family, as well as other news events that he deemed important.

As a result, in the early 1900s he began what would become a 300 page long book in a tall ledger. This book is a gift beyond measure for the family, not only for the obvious family references, but also beacuse he decided to write his feelings about events of the time, included poems he wrote to his wife and children, and included copies of newpaper articles.

I plan to write about some of these contents in the upcoming weeks in the spot, but for now it is such a stark reminder for all of us to begin making our own historical record.