railroad men & women
of table rock
c. l. wemple
in charge of preparation for the building of the line for the republican valley railroad (later called the wymore line) that would connect table rock to denver & points west.
So many people connected with the railroad are buried here. One walks by their stones in the cemetery and knows nothing about them but their names and dates. They had interesting lives worth knowing about. C. L. Wemple is one of them.
Wemple spent important years of his life in Table Rock. It was home to him, even after he moved away. He died while living in Montana, but his earthly remains were returned to the town that had become his.
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April 1, 1881 Nebraska State Journal
mr. wemple also designed & built the methodist church in 1882 and supervised the big remodeling of that church in 1912.
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C. L. Wemple's obituary in the May 4, 1923 Table Rock Argus
Crowell Wemple was the son of Myndert I. Wemple and Elcy Ann Crowell. He was the youngest of six children and is the last surviving member of his immediate family. His father died when he was 6 years old and his mother died when he was 20.
He was born at Victor, New York March 13, 1844, and died at Dillon, Mont., April 23, 1923, being 79 years, 1 month and 10 days old. He was united in marriage to Emily Jane Wood at Conquest, New York, January 30, 1867. To this union three children were born, Mrs. Cora Schurr of Table Rock, and Earl and R. T. of Dillon, Mont. He leaves besides his wife and children, ten grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren and 2 nephews.
After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Wemple moved to Michigan, where they resided until 1876, when they came to Table Rock, making this their home. The past few years they have spent a part of the time with their two sons at Dillon, Mont.
Mr. Wemple early identified himself actively with the interests of his home town. He served this city in the capacity of marshal, constable, councilman and mayor. He was generous to a fault, never being able to see people in need without trying to relieve them. As an officer of the town he often met such and never failed to aid them even buying supplies and paying for them out of his own pocket.
He was a contractor and builder by trade. He was the architect and builder of the Methodist church and also supervised the rebuilding of the present building. It was just before the completion of this building that he suffered his first stroke of paralysis.
He was a member of this church, having united with it on September 3, 1876. He was a member of the Masonic lodge and an earnest believer in its principles and teachings. He joined Masonry in 1866 and was a charter member of Table Rock lodge No. 108, with which lodge he was affiliated at the time of his death.
He was a firm believer in the justice and mercy of God. A faithful member of the church; a loyal and active citizen of his town, a loving and indulgent husband and father. At the end of a long, eventful and useful life he came to his death, it can be said of him, "as a full, ripe, shocked corn in his season."
The remains were brought from Dillon to Table Rock for burial, being accompanied by the widow and eldest son, Earl. They arrived here Thursday afternoon and funeral services were held in the Methodist church at 10 o'clock in the forenoon and were conducted by the pastor, Rev. G. P. Trites, assisted by Rev. J. V. Bandy, of Humboldt. The Masonic Lodge took charge of the services at the grave and all that was mortal of Crowell Wemple was laid to rest in the grave.
To the mourning widow and children of the deceased the sympathy of the community goes out in unstinted measure. There are many outside the family circle who feel a deep personal loss in the death of Mr. Wemple, for in the days gone by a strong tie of friendship had formed between them and his ready sympathy and kindly aid will be greatly missed.
Crowell Wemple was the son of Myndert I. Wemple and Elcy Ann Crowell. He was the youngest of six children and is the last surviving member of his immediate family. His father died when he was 6 years old and his mother died when he was 20.
He was born at Victor, New York March 13, 1844, and died at Dillon, Mont., April 23, 1923, being 79 years, 1 month and 10 days old. He was united in marriage to Emily Jane Wood at Conquest, New York, January 30, 1867. To this union three children were born, Mrs. Cora Schurr of Table Rock, and Earl and R. T. of Dillon, Mont. He leaves besides his wife and children, ten grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren and 2 nephews.
After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Wemple moved to Michigan, where they resided until 1876, when they came to Table Rock, making this their home. The past few years they have spent a part of the time with their two sons at Dillon, Mont.
Mr. Wemple early identified himself actively with the interests of his home town. He served this city in the capacity of marshal, constable, councilman and mayor. He was generous to a fault, never being able to see people in need without trying to relieve them. As an officer of the town he often met such and never failed to aid them even buying supplies and paying for them out of his own pocket.
He was a contractor and builder by trade. He was the architect and builder of the Methodist church and also supervised the rebuilding of the present building. It was just before the completion of this building that he suffered his first stroke of paralysis.
He was a member of this church, having united with it on September 3, 1876. He was a member of the Masonic lodge and an earnest believer in its principles and teachings. He joined Masonry in 1866 and was a charter member of Table Rock lodge No. 108, with which lodge he was affiliated at the time of his death.
He was a firm believer in the justice and mercy of God. A faithful member of the church; a loyal and active citizen of his town, a loving and indulgent husband and father. At the end of a long, eventful and useful life he came to his death, it can be said of him, "as a full, ripe, shocked corn in his season."
The remains were brought from Dillon to Table Rock for burial, being accompanied by the widow and eldest son, Earl. They arrived here Thursday afternoon and funeral services were held in the Methodist church at 10 o'clock in the forenoon and were conducted by the pastor, Rev. G. P. Trites, assisted by Rev. J. V. Bandy, of Humboldt. The Masonic Lodge took charge of the services at the grave and all that was mortal of Crowell Wemple was laid to rest in the grave.
To the mourning widow and children of the deceased the sympathy of the community goes out in unstinted measure. There are many outside the family circle who feel a deep personal loss in the death of Mr. Wemple, for in the days gone by a strong tie of friendship had formed between them and his ready sympathy and kindly aid will be greatly missed.
william (peggy) glenn
he switched freight cars, pumped water for locomotives
Photo 618
A Story About Peggy Glenn
(Sharla Cerra, 2016) Last year, Fran and Bob Blecha and I gathered pictures from the Argus Newspaper Museum. The Argus was to be remodeled, and we were moving the extensive photograph collection to a safe place. Huge numbers of photos, virtually all labeled, had been stapled to the wall. Many more had been tucked away – boxes, drawers, between the pages of the books. It was February and freezing in the building but we worked steadily. I came across an amazing picture of a steam engine. Four men stood by the steam engine, two more stood on it. It was the stuff of expensive coffee table art books. I put the photo on top of a stack so I could look more closely at it in the future. One day as I scanned photos I came across it. Was this beautifully rendered photograph actually taken in Table Rock? So it seemed. It looked like our coal chute in the background. Were these Table Rock men? George Allen, Rufus Mapes, Nate Myers, Peggy Glenn. Four names on a tag, probably the four men on the ground. I didn’t know the names. That was not surprising because railroad families often followed their jobs to other places. I scanned the photo and gave it a number. Photo 618. At the 2015 Historical Society banquet, I posed trivia questions. For one I asked, “Which one is Peggy Glenn?” You can imagine the speculation about gender until someone spotted his peg leg. Oh my. One day, Historical Society member Jon Woods shared some family photos. They included one with Jon’s aunt Bernice Woods Glenn. Bernice, born in 1891, had lived in Table Rock. Her father-in-law’s name was William Henry Glenn. Another day, I was reading the paper. The Argus, of course. The Historical Society has pdf copies of all surviving editions. A November 8, 1923 article about William Glenn of Table Rock caught my eye. It was reprinted from the Geneva (Nebraska) Signal and referred to a highly-regarded bank employee there. The Signal’s editor praised the employee’s father, William Glenn of Table Rock, producing such a child. The Signals’ editor then pointed out that Glenn had also given the world a private secretary, a dispatcher, and a “second trick” telegraph operator (i.e., one who worked the evening shift). “Speaking of locomotives, if no one else does it first, I hope one day to start a hall of fame for Nebraska’s teaming celebrities. I should wonder if I began with William Glenn, who lives down in Table Rock.” Then came the revelation about William Glenn: “For thirty-one years, most of the time on one foot, William Glenn switched freight cars and pumped engine water…..” Was this our man? Were Peggy and Wllliam the same? Jon Woods did not know; Jon’s aunt Bernice had married one of William’s sons, that’s all Jon knew. I tracked down a relative of William Glenn, Ann Keith. William Henry Glenn, who she called “Billy” Glenn, had married Ann’s first cousin three times removed. She knew nothing more. Then I found John Glenn of Alaska. Yes, his grandfather -- William Henry Glenn of Table Rock -- had been a railroad man. And yes…..William had lost a foot in a railroad accident. How or when John did not know. John produced an 1885 photograph of Glenn with two feet and a new wife, Pleasant – she went by Pleasy. I had found our Peggy. His real name was William Henry Glenn. This is what I put together. Peggy was born in Illinois weeks before the Civil War began and died here weeks before Pearl Harbor. In between, he was a railroad man. He began in 1882, little more than a decade after the first train pulled into our depot. At some time after his 1885 marriage to Pleasy in Missouri, he lost a foot, which was replaced with a peg. He lived down the line at Rulo for some years, and between 1887 and 1895, he and Pleasy had four children, first in Kansas and then in Richardson County, Nebraska. In 1900, they moved their home to Table Rock, where he continued working for the railroad. In 1968, Peggy and Pleasy’s last surviving child passed away. Thus receded into history the last immediate link with a man who had served his railroad well, a man who folks in Table Rock must have known well. and regarded well. However, since Peggy lived until 1941, there may be people yet who knew him in their youth. My question – who was Peggy Glenn – has been answered. Others likely never will be. Who took that amazing photo? Whatever happened to that magnificent train? Who were those other men? Wait! I’ve learned something about one of those other men. But that’s a story for another time. |
Peggy Glenn, a detail of Photo 618
 November, 1923 Argus
Wedding picture of William and his wife Pleasant May (buried as May S.) This was shared by his grandson John Glenn (Ancestry tree RGlenn68).
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milton "buster" carter
Buster Carter was a brakeman on the Wymore line and is still remembered by retired railroad man Pete Hedgepath, who started his railroad job beginning in the mid-1950s. We don't have any pictures of Buster as an adult, but here he is as a kid playing with Mike McCourtney on a rail inspector's car. Buster is at the helm.
Photo 659, shared by Delores McCourtney, Mike McCourtney's daughter.
k. e. cleaveland - conductor, killed on the job in 1917
July 26, 1900 Argus. The "B&M" was the north-south line, soon to be the CB&Q. Cleaveland was leaving town. He started his railroad career in about 1887. He died on the job in 1917.
He had two children. His daughter Annie married Edward Lyman, and their son was Link Lyman, an early inductee into the professional football hall of fame. His son Howard Cleaveland made his home in Table Rock and became a railroad brakeman, but after nearly killed in a job accident went on to become a college coach.
He had two children. His daughter Annie married Edward Lyman, and their son was Link Lyman, an early inductee into the professional football hall of fame. His son Howard Cleaveland made his home in Table Rock and became a railroad brakeman, but after nearly killed in a job accident went on to become a college coach.
September 26, 1917
October 6, 1917
howard cleavland, son of k. e. cleaveland - brakeman
July 6, 1903 Kansas City Gazette
article about howard cleaveland from historical society newsletter 2017 #2
b. fred muscheites
a signalman
On June 11, 1885, his father Frederick arrived by ship in New York, listed as a Prussian farmer, one suitcase. He was 26. He made his way to Thayer County, Nebraska. The next year, he married. They had five children. The third, Bruno Frederick, was born in 1891.
B. Fred Muscheites found employment with the CB&Q railroad, based out of Lincoln. As his granddaughter Terry Korrell remembers, he was a signalman with the CB&Q, using a lantern to tell the engineer when to stop and go. In 1917, he married Ruth McCoy, whose mother and grandparents were of the Table Rock pioneer people, the Purcell family. They followed the railroad to Colorado but by the 1920s were in Table Rock; they eventually ended up in Pawnee City. He was the Pawnee County Clerk for many, many years. But he was a railroader first. Listed as a Prussian Farmer. Was 26 years old and had I bag. |
B. Fred Muscheites when he was a fireman on the railroad. Photo 47, shared by granddaughter Terry Korrell.
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Photo 1563, Fred at his desk in the county clerk's office, shared by his granddaughter Terry Korrell. The calendar behind him features a Burlington locomotive.
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B. Fred Muscheites and his son, Jr. Muscheites, playing ball at the Purcell farm north of Table Rock.
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j. c. layden
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The Layden family In 1945 -- J.C. Dorothy and Beverly with children Betty, twins Lois & Larry, and Beverly. Photo 3476, shared by J. C.'s son Larry.
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October 1962 -- after the last official passenger came through, the railroad brought a steam locomotive through for an excursion. J. C. wrote about it (He was a great historian and wrote many things about the railroad here and in other places where he worked.)
william billings - section foreman, retired in 1938
William Emery Billings, one of the children of first-wave pioneer Hiram Billings, was a section foreman for the Burlington. His obituary:
TABLE ROCK ARGUS, July 19, 1951.
WILLIAM BILLINGS DIES OF HEART ATTACK
RETIRED RAILROAD MAN DIES TODAY; FUNERAL ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON
William E. Billings, 78, died suddenly early this morning at the Pawnee County Hospital, following a heart attack. He had returned from the hospital on Monday and was improving when another attack early this morning resulted in his death.
Funeral services will be held at the Kovanda-Beethe Funeral Chapel in Table Rock on Saturday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. Burial will be made in the Table Rock Cemetery.
Mr. Billings lived in this community for many years and was a retired section foreman of the Burlington railroad.
TABLE ROCK ARGUS, July 19, 1951.
OBITUARY- WILLIAM BILLINGS
William Emery Billings was born January 21, 1873, three miles north of Table Rock. He was the son of the late Hiram and Rosetta Billings.
He was employed by the C.B.& Q. Railroad for 48 continuous years. He retired in 1938 and has lived in Table Rock since his retirement. Mrs. Billings preceded him in death.
He passed away July 12, 1951, at the Pawnee County Hospital, having reached the age of 78 years.
He married Mrs. Florence Miller, the former Florence Hansmire of Fairbury, on December 12, 1925, who survives her husband.
Mr. Billings served as mayor of Table Rock and served several years on the town council.
In his passing, he leaves to mourn his children, E. L. Billings of Falls city, Guy L. Billings of Cortez, Colo., Ethel Jondrow of Gardner, Montana, Wilda Foley of Falls City, and Virgil of Portland, Oregon; one brother, Charles Martin Billings of Seminole, Okla., a half-sister, Nancy Higginbotham at Akron, Colo.; 7 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held at 2:30 Monday afternoon at the Kovanda-Beethe Funeral Home, with Rev. Ward Merritt in charge. Burial was made in the Table Rock Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Marvin Bonham, Paul Diehm, Merton Smith, Arthur Horton, A. N. Aylor,Sr., and Ray Ribble. Singers were Virginia Reed and Alycene McClarnen, accompanied by Mrs. Guy Bonham.
Out-of-town relatives in attendance at the funeral included Mr. and Mrs. Steve Coupe and son of Falls City, Mrs. Edna Matthews of Portland, Oregon, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Brock of Tecumseh, Mrs. J. A. McCord of Ashton, Idaho, Mr. and Mrs. Glen McCord of Martell, Nebr., Mr. and Mrs. Bob Foley and children of Falls City, Mr. and Mrs. Lemoyne Billings of Falls City, and Virgil Billings of Portland, Oregon.
nick goodenkauf
Nick is #2 in this circa 1876 photograph taken at the first depot, built in 1871.
Nick Goodenkauf, undated. Photo 8073, shared by Sandi Knippelmeyer
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Photo 6911, donated by Delores McCourtney Penkava. The back of the photo has three names (#1 is "Ryan," presumably section foreman Edward Ryan, #2 Nick Goodenkauf, #3 Charles Chambers. The handwritten annotation adds, “This depot in 1871 and this photo about 1876. This depot was 7 or 800 feet north of the present depot in 1939.”
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c. w. chambers - depot agent
In this same circa 1876 photo, colorized by Steve Bixenman, C. W. Chambers is the man at the far right. His obituary says he was the first depot agent for the Pawnee City depot, but Pawnee City had two rail lines and two depots, and it doesn't say which. It would have been around 1881, when work began on the Wymore line that went through Pawne City.
chambers in 1880:
Charles W. Chambers in 1880, shared by Marilyn Smith.
In later years, Ward and wife Ida and their children Ward, Ruth, and James.
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Chambers' obituary says he spent 20 years with the railroad, most of the time as the station (depot)_ agent -- and that he was the first depot agent. In the photo above, he was a single man.
Table Rock Argus, Oct. 19, 1939. |
martin cumro - depot agent
vess harris
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Detail of Photo 888, Vess Harris on the far left (the others are not identified).
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john harris
farming -- and railroading
Wife May, married in Feb. 1901.
Father of 10 children: two died in infancy; others are Howard, Melvin, John, Lester, Ernest, Wayne, Clifford "Pete" & Arthur. Farmer and did railroading. (Posted courtesy of the Table Rock Historical Society.) Table Rock Argus, May 9, 1974. John D. Harris, 94, Dies At Pawnee City... SERVICES HELD WEDNESDAY. John D. Harris, 94, of Pawnee City, died May 6th in the Pawnee County Hospital. Born December 20, 1879, he had farmed most of his life until retiring. He was a resident of this area and of Table Rock for a number of years. Funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon at the United Methodist Church in Pawnee City. The Rev. Kenneth Garrison officiated. Interment was in the table Rock Cemetery. Survivors include seven sons: Lester of Table Rock; Howard and Arthur of Omaha; Melvin of Fairbury; Wayne of Bonner Springs, Ks.; Clifford and John, both of Pawnee City; one brother, Earl of Wymore; seventeen grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife in 1968. |
Three of the five men of this railroad studio photo are identified, but not which is which -- Wm Ellis, John Harris, W G Carter. However, John Harris's dscendants are pretty confident that he is the one that is 2nd from left. Photo 620.
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marvin ebeler - agent
bill carter
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Detail from Photo 634, a family reunion picture.
Bill's son Buster (right) playing on a railroad inspector's handcar with Mike McCourtney. Photo 557, shared by Delores McCourtney Penkava.
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charlie mccourtney
among many other things, he built and moved railroad lines
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Charlie McCourtney moves a railbed is how this picture is labeled. Charlie is the fellow on the right, down the embankment. Photo 581, shared by his granddaughter Delores McCourtney Penkava.
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roscoe zink
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July 8, 1948
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edward ryan - section foreman
This circa 1876 photo identifies man #1 as "Ryan," presumably Edward Ryan, as the Nebraska census of 1885 for Table Rock precinct shows him as a section foreman, and there were no other Ryans on the census or yet known.
Photo 6911, donated by Delores McCourtney Penkava
harry wright - killed on the job in 1909
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TABLE ROCK ARGUS, Feb. 11, 1909.(pg.5)
Funeral of Harry Wright-The remains of Harry H. Wright, who was killed in a railroad accident at Green River, Wyo., on Monday of last week, were brought to Table Rock on Sunday morning for burial, and were accompanied here by Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Wood, the widow, Mrs. Edith Wright, and the three children. For some weeks past Harry was employed as a switchman in the yards of the Union Pacific railroad at Green River, Wyo., and it was while in the performance of his duties in this connection that he met his tragic death. Just how it happened no one seemed to know. A passenger train was being made up, and Harry was making the coupling; he signaled the engineer to back up, and he did so, but the coupling apparatus did not work, and when the second hit was made, Mr. Wright was caught in the contact,(description of injuries omitted)-death resulting instantly. The fellow workman of Mr. Wright and citizens generally of the city of Green River did everything in their power to lesson the sorrow of the stricken wife and little ones, and during the time of the short funeral services held in that city all railroad work was suspended for thirty minutes. Mrs. Wright will never forget the uniform kindness and help of people of Green River. Harry H. Wright was born November 11, 1876, in Brooklyn, N.Y.; came to Nebraska in 1898; was united in marriage to Miss Edith A. Wood September 4, 1901; three children, the oldest being six years and the youngest four months old, and a widow survive him. Funeral services were held in the Methodist church at 3 o'clock Monday afternoon, the sermon being preached by Dr. J. E. Kemper, former pastor of Mrs. Wright, and the remains were buried in Table Rock cemetery. There were many beautiful floral tributes. At the cemetery the services were conducted by the Knights of Pythias, of which deceased was a member, and members of the order acted as pallbearers. To the bereaved wife and little ones of the deceased the sympathy of the community is extended in this hour of their darkest sorrow. The Green River Star, gives the following report of the sad affair:"Last Monday evening, while endeavoring to couple two Pullman coaches on No. 2, Henry H. Wright was caught between the vestibules and (Injuries omitted), death resulting instantly. Mr. Wright came to this city with his family less than a year ago and was for some time clerk in the yard-master office, but for the past five months has been switching. He was a young man of exemplary habits and respected by all who knew him, and his untimely death was made doubly sad by the fact that his home was in quarantine for scarlet fever, his family had not seen him for several days and was expected home the next day, but fate had not so decreed, and instead of a happy home coming, sorrow entered instead. Wright was between 25 and 30 years of age and leaves a wife and three small children, the youngest being but three months old. Funeral services were conducted by Rev. Cone over the remains this afternoon and taken to Table Rock, Nebraska the home of Mrs. Wright's parents, for interment. The body was accompanied by Mrs. Wright and children, Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Wood, parents of Mrs. Wright, and Mr. Wright of St. Joe, Mo., a brother of the deceased. The Star joins with the citizens in extending sympathy to the bereaved wife and fatherless little ones. |
w. g. shepherd
proprietor of railroad hotels by the depot
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Photo 242, the Hotel Murphy.
Shepherds daughters standing in the yard of the Hotel Murphy, with the depot in the background. The depot was their view from home.
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larry layden
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Larry, a lifetime member of the Historical Society, is the Society's "go to" guy for railroad information and lore.
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al gold
Al Gold (right) with brother Norris
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