Looking for AR railroad info...

[MotoLinz]

This is off-topic, unless NS is the descendent of something that use to run in Arkansas, but...

My dad mentioned to me the other day that his maternal grandfather was a locomotive engineer for a while around the turn of the century in Arkansas. ...which would explain my four year old's innate fascination since my husband's great-grandfather was a locomotive engineer for L&N out of Etowah, TN, for the bulk of his life, giving my kiddo a connection on both sides.

Unfortunately, he doesn't know which railroad, and I'm wondering if anyone here can point me in the direction of any resources for researching Arkansas railroads of the time - between, say, 1880 and 1930. I just have no idea where to start and thought someone here might have a better idea than to just Google "railroads in Arkansas between 1880 and 1930." If anyone knows either a) anything about historic railroads in Arkansas, or b) a specific resource to start with, I would be much obliged.

[etalcos]

I'm sure I'll miss something obvious, but these are the major Arkansas Railroads from back in the day:

MP -- Missouri Pacific
SSW -- St. Louis - Southwestern -- "The Cotton Belt"
CRI&P -- Chicago, Rock Island, and Pacific -- "The Rock Island Lines"
SL-SF -- St Louis - San Francisco -- "The Frisco"
KCS/L&A -- Kansas City Southern/Louisiana & Arkansas

If you have a town where he lived or worked out of, I can probably help you narrow it down.

[E.M. Bell]

You might try the Arkansas RR museum as well. They may have resources that could point you in the right direction.

[lwjabo]

If you are not sure email me at and I will see if I can find him on the 1900 census. It's want give the name but at least we know what town and that will narrow it down.

[MotoLinz]

Thanks, all - I will check out all those suggestions.

Upon looking through my own genealogy information, the grandfather my dad is referring to was born in 1901 and is listed on both the 1920 and 1930 censuses (the newest I can view) as a farmer. So, I am guessing my dad was mistaken, unless he just preferred to list himself as a farmer. That grandfather's father, however, was born in 1883 and died in Colorado in 1913, although he was buried back in Arkansas. So, I am wondering if he isn't the railroad connection. Unfortunately, I can't find anything about the circumstances of his death, and I have yet to find him on the 1910 census (frustrating!). His wife and two children are listed on the 1910 census in Sharp County, AR, so I am assuming he was already somewhere between AR and CO at that time.

Did anything run through Jackson (Sharp County), AR? Both the grandfather and his father were based out of that area.

[lwjabo]

I will look and see what I can find on Sharpe C. Ark. The 1930 census is available and I think they release the 1940 census some time next year to the public. It is held for 72 years to protect the public. Would be a lot easier with a family name. I will go over the 1910 census and see what I come up with.

[MotoLinz]

Name was Charles C. Street, born 1883 in Gibson County, Indiana. Married in Sharp County, Arkansas, in 1900. Died 1913 in Denver, Colorado. I can't find him anywhere on the 1910 census. Because his wife and kids were listed back in Sharp County, Arkansas, on the 1910 census, I'm assuming he was already working elsewhere, but I don't know if he was in Colorado at that point or not. The Colorado death makes me wonder what he was doing out there, hence the impression that *maybe* he was the railroad guy and not his son.

His son, Perry C. Street, born 1901 in Arkansas, is listed on all available censuses as a farmer. He died in 1969 not too far from where he was born, so I'm assuming he'll be easy to spot on the 1940 census when it becomes available, as he didn't seem to stray too far from home.

[lwjabo]

Looks like the SLSF (Frisco) had at one time a line in Sharpe County.

[lwjabo]

 -1930 United States Federal Census 1930 United States Federal Census
Name: Perry C Street
Birth Year: abt 1903 farmer
Birthplace: Arkansas, father Indiana, mother Arkansas
Home in 1930: Jackson, Sharp, Arkansas
Relation to Head of House: Head
Spouse's Name: Grace M Street
Household Members: Name Age
Perry C Street 27
Grace M Street 27
Lillie M Street 3 7/12
Floid Bettie 3 6/12
Source Citation: Year: 1930; Census Place: Jackson, Sharp, Arkansas; Roll: 94; Page: 1A; Enumeration District: 10; Image: 440.0.

[MotoLinz]

Thanks - I have that for him and have only found the occupation of farmer listed on the available censuses. Still can't find Charles C. Street on the 1910 census, but I'm slowly mucking through the rest in my free (ha ha) time.

[MotoLinz]

Looking through all the albums that my dad obtained when my grandfather died, I found this railroad pass from 1906. I'm not sure where it departed from nor where it was headed, exactly, but I do know that its assumed carrier (Charles C. Street) ended up in Colorado at some point not long thereafter. I also found a Moffat Road folding postcard with a ton of train/rail-oriented postcards ("Scenes On the Moffat Road, Colorado") that was mailed from Charles C. Street in Talland (?), CO, in 1910. He died in Colorado in 1913.

At any rate, no idea, still, if he was at all railroad related, himself, or if he headed west with a different purpose, but the find was interesting, nonetheless.

[lwjabo]

I would think that a city the size of Denver has a city directory. When it started I have no idea. If you can find one for the period 1910 to 1913 he may be listed. If he was should give his occupation. The problem is if he is listed. The 1890 census was mostly destroyed and many genealogist use the city directory to place them. If you live near Denver a city library should have one. If you know someone who lives there to look it up for you. Let me know how what you find.

[lwjabo]

I looked at the pass and it states a B&B gang. Some how he went from Engineer to a B&B gang? Could it be he was a foreman on this gang rather than a Engineer? At a time when few had much of and education a foreman and members of a train crew and the Engineer and Fireman were required to be able to read and write.

[lwjabo]

Something else you might try is looking for a obit. Should be listed a few days after his death in a Denver newspaper. Might tell his employer and even was giving the funeral and more. Some newspapers have such on line. Will take time but you have that. Also a good place to post genealogy post for info is a General Forum/ Genealogy. When you get there look at the top right of the page and see the Jump to. Try what ever county in Colorado Denver is in. Also go to the family name Street and post the same question. Might be a cousin who has a copy of the obit and even a picture of him.

[MotoLinz]

Perry Street is the one who my dad told me was an engineer, although I've yet to confirm that. I have no idea what involvement Charles Street had, if any, beyond apparently taking a train west. I found an album with a ton of old-timey (technical term there) photos of railroad construction near San Carlos, CO. They have captions such as "Steam shovel working on double track joint of the Colorado and Southern and Denver and Rio Grande joint track near San Carlos, Colo." and something about the Phillips and O. Gara Construction Co. and a tunnel.

Unfortunately, there is no one's name attached to any of the photos, other than that the album is labeled "Street Family," but I suspect it should be easy enough to Google and pin to whichever Street fella was alive and in his working years during that construction when I have time. Interesting stuff, nonetheless. ...although I'm guessing the photo of the steam locomotive sideways in a ditch put them back a day or so.