I have always liked the watches that were prsenented too employees of the various railroad ..

This one a series 10 was presented to mr Burkley (can,t figure out the complete name)on christmas eve 1923 by the baltimore and ohio rr employees ..This is inscribed on the dust cover and the insdie of the back cover.

I belive the charleston division was in Ind.

Inside the back lid.

series 10 movement

The dial has some damange i plan on replacing it.

Very nice watch, you know I like those engraved ones.

I will see if I can find anything on the owner, I do believe the Charleston Division of the B&O was out of Charleston West Virginia. But I could be wrong.

Tom

There was a H. J. Burkley that was a Master Mechanic for the B&O RR.

This may be the guy. From the Cumberland Evening Times Cumberland Maryland 08/02/1940

Wow Tom Thank you,, that,s great information,These watches have always be of great interest too me ,a lot of railroad history in these.

Harry J. Burkley was born about 1891 in West Virginia. In the 1920 census he is living in District 20, Union, Marshall, WV. He is listed as a General Foreman Railroad. He is married to Nettie E. born about 1885 in Ohio

WWI Draft Card

1930 census District 20, Washington, Daviess, Indiana. He & his wife are living there, he is listed as a Mechanic B&O Railroad

Looks like he died Nov 29, 1974 in Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio

Beautiful watch Samie, and a very interesting thread of information about the owner. The B&O has always been my favorite railroad. My father was an attorney in Cleveland and represented the B&O for more than 30 years, until the Chessie took over in the early 60's. They say that the B&O, the nation's oldest railroad, is everybody's second favorite!

Helping these watches "talk" a little more is part of the rewards of this organization! The draft card with age 26 suggests that was an offspring of the main subject.

At 26 years, the 1917 draft card, seems to be for the same owner of the aforementioned Howard presentation watch, at least IMHO

regards,
bb

The Harry J. listed on the draft card was a master mechanic for the B&O apparently at an early age. According to the newspaper article I posted was dated 1940 & he apparently was still employed by the B&O then.

His father was Harry E. & did work for the railroad in the 1880's but in 1910 is listed as a blacksmith with his own shop & in 1920 is listed as the owner of a hardware store. The father was born in 1866.

So I doubt it was the father since the middle initial is different & he had left the railroad at least 10 years prior to the watch be presented. Also the newspaper article I doubt would have been about him he would have been 74 at the time.

Maybe there was another Harry J. Burkley that worked for the B&O not related to this one?

Tom

Nice presentation watch Samie:

I have one from the same year presented by the company to an employee with 60 years service, that would go back to the Civil War, not too many were presented by the company to employees, it will be interesting to see what Tom Brown can find of about him.

Hamilton 16 size, 21 jewel, Grade 992, Serial No. 1640347 Manufactured 1922-1923 Double Sunk bold Arabic dial, 14 karat yellow gold Roy case engraved on the back "PRESENTED TO Marshall M. Sayre BY THE MANAGEMENT OF THE BALTIMORE & OHIO RAILROAD COMPANY IN RECOGNITION OF 60 YRS. FAITHFUL SERVICE 1923"

Larry

Case trademark

Initials MMS on case back

Hamilton Movement Serial No. 1640347.

Hamilton dial

Larry

Beautiful watch as usual!

Marshall M. Sayre according to the 1920 Federal Census was living in New Creek Mineral Country West Virginia. He was born about 1848 in WV & was married to Mary E. born about 1854 in WV, living with them was a daughter Hallie M. born about 1879 in WV. Marshall is listed as a conductor for the B&O railroad.

I will see what else I can find later this evening.

Tom

Amazing work Tom..Now, if you can help me find this guy... Last seen leaving a Boeing 727 east of Seattle....Heres a picture, aka D.B. Cooper...I’ll split the reward with ya

Larry that is a beautiful watch and for 60 years service that,s a great piece of railroad history..

Larry

Here is something you don't find too often, the newspaper article about him being presented that watch. It was published in the Cumberland Evening Times Cumberland Maryland 06/20/1923 page 16.

I have also emailed you the entire page in PDF formant

So very cool, beautiful and touching to be able to hold a man's life in your hand like that, when you have the inscribed watch and the other provenance to tie it in to the biographical events.

This is just OVERWHELMING to be able to piece the historical events with such precision even down to the actual wordings that are indeed inscribed on the very watch

Hats off to Tom and I'm buying the next round so bellyup to the bar



regards,
bb

Samie and Larry - you both have beautiful watches with incredible stories to go with them! You are lucky to have found them and can be their caretakers.!

And thank you, Tom, for the sleuthing out the bits of information that you find that adds the personal details of the previous owners to the watches we now cherish!

Buster - is that next round for all of us or just Tom? If all of us, I'll have an Amarula!

BARTENDER !!

Bring Mary Ann a double, and keep them coming

regards,
bb

Here is an obit. from when one of his daughters passed away in 1912;

SAYRE, Miss Frances Batten

Miss Frances Sayre, aged 31 years, died at 11:30 am, November 21, 1912, at the Hoffman Hospital. About one week ago, Miss Sayre underwent an operation for appendicitis. She was daughter of Marshall Sayre, the old and well known B&O conductor, and was one of the most popular young women in Keyser. She was employed as a stenographer in the office of J. J. Z. Terrell, local B&O agent. Aside from her parents, she is survived by a sister, Miss Hallie Sayre; employed in the post office. Funeral arrangements have not been made.
Keyser Tribune, November 22, 1912

Thank you Tom:

I appreciate the full-page newspaper from June 20, 1923. It sure gives me provenance about this pocket watch, and the time when it was presented. It would be great to go back in a time machine, and have a conversation with Marshall about his long career with the B & O Railroad.

Larry

...especially about his service on the road during the Civil War, as if my math is right, he hired on in 1865.

West Virginia came to be during the conflict, and the B&O was considered a Federal railroad.

THOSE stories would have been fascinating!

Regards! Mark