| Notes |
- HIRAM D. BICKNELL. Hornellsville, New York
Hiram D. Bicknell was born in Tioga, N. Y., on October 21, 1837, and
his father was Dana Bicknell, a farmer, who was also a sub-contractor
on the construction of the Erie, between Owego and Corning, in 1848.
The young man drove a team at the age of 12 during the building of the
Erie, and later left school at the age of 16 to team again for his
father, entering upon his railroad career in the fall of 1855 as a
brakeman on the Susquehanna Division of the Erie. After a year in this
branch of the work he was advanced to fireman, and served two years on
freight and four years on passenger, running on the same division. He
was promoted to engineer in June, 1862, and ran in the freight service
until December, 1867, when he went to the Northern Central Railroad as
an engineer, returning to the Erie in 1869. In 1891 he was advanced to
passenger and for three years pulled trains 7 and 10. In 1894 he was
given trains 5 and 8, the New York and Chicago Flyer, and has had this
run for the past five years. The importance of Mr. Bicknell's run is
silent testimony of the Company's regard for his qualities as an
engineer, while personally he has the esteem and friendship of all.
During his career as an engineer he has had but one bad wreck, that
being a head-end collision at Chemung Junction in 1862, in which both
engines and fifteen cars were burned on account of a car of oil which
was next to Mr. Bicknell's engine-an old wood burner-taking fire.
Mr. Bicknell was married on October 31, 1861, to Miss Jane Scott,
daughter of Wiliam Scott of Hornellsville. Twelve children have been
born to them, eight of whom are living. Carrie M. is the wife of Mr.
Jackson, a photographer of Newton, N. J.; Stella N. resides at home;
Hiram D., Jr., aged 20, is a brakeman on the Erie; William Lewis, aged
17, is an apprentice in the Erie shops at Hornellsville; Mary J.,
Boyd, Benjamin Harrison, and Earl are attending public school; Charles
P. and Scott, both of whom were firemen on the Erie, died at the age
of 19 and 22 respectively; Eva Jane and Ralph Waldo both died in
infancy. Mrs. Bicknell is affiliated with the Protective Legion, while
Mr. Bicknell belongs to Maple City Lodge No. 16, A. 0. U. W. He owns a
fine residence at 7 Mill street, and is regarded as one of
Hornellsville's best citizens.
Excerpted from: "American Locomotive Engineers, Erie Railway Edition,"
H.R. Romans Editor; Crawford-Adsit Company Publishers, Chicago, IL
1899.
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d. 13 Dec 1918, Hornell, Steuben Co., New York, USA