I found this E Howard with an interesting presentation.

Can any body identify the V V & S Co. R R?

The late Bill Meggers researched this one and could find nothing. Is it a private rail road or is it a 9 mile spur line?

2.

Desmond, beautiful watch. Close examination of the engraving appears to show VV&Y

Very Vivacious & Young!

So far I am drawing a blank on Mr B.F. Brown [Road Master] on the V.V.& S. Co. R.R. in 1901 given to him by his "crew" of track-men. Perhaps with a bit more digging ......

The case appears to be gold even though the crown appears to be gold filled and brassed. [Interesting to note that even a small group of hard working track-men/laborers would be able to afford a gold watch for their departing boss man. As RR jobs went, track-men were at the bottom of the pay scale]

We had a watch researched a couple weeks ago that was supposedly a RR presentation watch from two linked RR's to a man that was moving to another job with another RR and that case was silver...... Most well thought of employees that were presented a watch back in the heyday of watches and RR's, were given a gold watch as evidenced by Desmond's watch It also turned out that with a bit more research on that particular silver cased watch, the seller didn't want any more "prying/inquisitive" eyes or ears and opted out by saying the seller was a very "busy and very private man", uh~huh..... As a last straw, that little "red flag" would have had me running away far and fast

regards,
bb

I can't read the inscription that well, there isn't a chance it is marked V.V. & E is there? The Vancouver, Victoria and Eastern Railway.

A series IX split plate, Desmond? I can't make out the date of the presentation, but I'm guessing 1890s.

7.

Can't shed any light on the RR line, but I'm pretty sure that the last of the three letters is an S rather than a Y (or an E). Compare this Hamilton private label dial, which was made for William A. Sanderson, a jeweler and watchmaker in Ontario.

Thanks for the photo Desmond, I am still looking. With the initials B.F. Brown, I would lay odds his name was Benjamin Franklin Brown.

Tom

There was a B.F. Brown that was a roadmaster in 1907 in Woodsville N.H. for the B&M RR.

Still looking.

The railroad might be the Vermont Valley & Sullivan County Railroads (VV&S Co. RRds) ,I need to do some more digging but it looks like it might have also have been associated with the Boston & Maine that the B.F. Brown I mentioned worked for.

Tom

Benjamin F. Brown born about October of 1854 in New Hampshire.

In the 1900 US Federal Census he is living in Windsor, Windsor, Vermont & is listed as a roadmaster RR. He is married to Cora P. Brown

It looks like at times he is listed as Benjamin F. & others as Frank B., he married Cora Smith Sept 6, 1881 in Haverhill Gradfton NH.

He is listed as a roadmaster in 1900 in Windsor Vermont, also in 1910 in Lyndon Caledonia Vermont. 1920 as a roadmaster in Haverhill Grafton NH. Then in 1930 he is listed with no employment in Haverhill.

He died April 4, 1937 in Haverhill. Spouse was still Cora & his mother's name was Mary Thompson and his father was Dr. Samuel P. Brown. He is listed on the death record as Benjamin Franklin Brown or B. Frank Brown.

Desmond, if want any of the census records I found just drop me a line.

Great information Tom like always !!!

To add since Desmond inquired about track-age, in asset records from 1896-1902, The Sullivan County RR encompassed 42.08 miles of track. The Vermont Valley Railroad Company of 1871 encompassed 29.82 miles of track. For a total of 71.90 miles of incorporated track.

regards,
bb

From what I can find it would appear the Sullivan County RR & the Vermont Valley Railroad both ran a fairly straight line down through Vermont.

The Sullivan County Railroad continued south from Windsor to Bellows Falls, where it met the Cheshire Railroad towards Boston. At first it was operated by the Central Vermont, but later the Boston and Maine Railroad gained control of it, giving trackage rights to the Central Vermont. Similarly, the Vermont Valley Railroad, running south from Bellows Falls to the New London Northern Railroad in Brattleboro, was originally owned by the Rutland Railroad and later by the B&M.

This map is from 1879 & shows the towns mentioned above.

Thank you, always happy to search for history.

Thank you, Tom, for a job well done. Your 'forensic' prowess is second to none...