When Alexander F Whitney died suddenly of a heart attack, while in office, in July 1949, the torch of leadership was passed on to General Secretary Treasurer William Parker Kennedy, here is his biography:

KENNEDY, William Parker. Born in Huttonville, Ontario, near Brampton, April 3,1892, son of William James, a wool weaver, and Margaret (Parker) Kennedy, Lutheran; married Amy Hannah Berglund on January 21, 1913; four children, immigrated with his parents to Chicago, Illinois, in 1902 completed elementary school there; desirous for a career in railroading, obtained a job as a "news butcher" selling papers and magazines on the Rock Island line in 1907; became a freight brakeman for the Dakota division of the Great Northern Railway in 1909; joined the Wheat Sheaf Lodge 463 of the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen (B of RT) in Grand Forks, North Dakota in 1910; In 1911, he moved to Calgary, Alberta, where he works for the Canadian Pacific Railway as a switchman in their Alyth yard, and eventually joined the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railroad; transferred membership to Minnehaha Lodge 625, chartered April 6, 1902 in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1913 served as president and local chairman; elected secretary of the B of RT's general grievance committee for the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Pau and Pacific Railroad in 1920 and a year later was elected general chairman, serving in that capacity until 1935, elected to the B of RT board of trustees in 1928 and served as secretary until 1935, elected VP in charge of the B of RT's North Western territory in 1935, was placed in charge of the B of RT's super promotion department, 1944-1946; elected general secretary-treasurer in 1946 and, upon the death of Alexander F Whitney on July 16, 1949, became the President of the B of RT; served as national recording officer of the Railroad Retirement Board and Secretary on the Board of Trustees of the Home for Aged and Disabled Employees of America, 1946-1949; retired from union affairs in 1962; was a member of the Democratic Farmer-Labor party; died in Minneapolis, Minnesota, May 14, 1968; in his honor Minnehaha Lodge was renamed W.P. Kennedy. My research notes, Joel Seidman, The Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen; The Internal Political Life of a National Union (1962); Current Biography (1950); Who's Who in Railroading (1959); Labor, January 5, 1963, May 25, 1968.

A press photograph of William Parker Kennedy

Larry, your historical postings are amazing, but I think you are wrong about Richard Olney being "Governor General." That isn't a title used in the U.S. itself. Richard Olney was "Attorney General."

Hello Ethan:

Thank you for pointing that out to me, Richard Olney was definitely the Attorney General not the Governor General.

Larry

When I began collecting Brotherhood memorabilia in the 1980s, I subscribed to a small list that came out every month, one of the collectors lived in Cooperstown, New York, and was a collector of Delaware and Hudson kerosene railway switch lanterns, we had bought a collection from the estate of a railroad conductor Tom Rosenfeld, who was a member of Lodge No. 1 in Oneonta, New York. There were many items, including convention photos, medals, pin backs from the Brotherhood of Railroad Brakeman and the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen. When the B of RT merged with the B of LF & E, ORC, and SUNA in January 1969 to form the United Transportation Union, all the old materials became obsolete, so I was able to buy a lot of this for a very reasonable prices.

In the 1990s with eBay starting I was able to add to my collection, William Parker Kennedy retired in 1962 at 70 years old, and passed away in 1968, his wife must have hung on to his archives, and I was able to buy his library bound Railroad Trainmen Journals from 1922, until 1948, they then went to a tabloid newspaper publication, and I have all of them, from 1949 to 1962, it is a unbelievable archive of information on the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainman, I also have a substantial collection of the Journals from the 1890s to the 1920's is a photo attached shows.

Great Stuff, Larry!

On the back, it was awfully hard to photograph the
inscription, it actually looks MUCH better in hand.
THE DATE ON BACK IS 1937


www.myrailroadwatch.com

Looking for the End of the Year Contest for Tom's Hamilton Pocket Watch, I looked through my 1937. "The Railroad Trainman" from January to December, but found no mention of it.

With the help of my caregiver, Helen, we started going through my volume four 1938, we got to the April issue with an interesting cover showing a CPR steam powered freight train passing through the Mink Tunnel on the North Shore of Lake Superior. Perusing this issue I saw an interesting photo with Vice President William Parker Kennedy that caught my eye, when I find anything of interest, we put a sticky on it and run through my scanner where I can get a better look at it. This photo proved to be the holy grail of my searching the last couple of weeks.

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA:

On Monday, February 28, 1938, at the regular meeting of A.F. Whitney Lodge No. 464, B of RT, Minneapolis, Minnesota, six (6) winners of the "The End of the Year" Contest were each presented with a 23 Jewel, "Mainliner" Hamilton watch, by Vice President W.P. Kennedy, amid the applause of more than two hundred members of the Brotherhood from Lodge No. 464 (Lodge No. 464, was chartered December 8, 1929, and represented yardmen on the Chicago North Western and Great Northern Railway) and many other members from the surrounding territory. Brother C.B. Knoder, Local Chairman, Chicago Great Western Railway; William P. Irwin, Local Chairman, Omaha Railway; Local Chairman E.F. Matzka, Northern Pacific Railway (Member of Lodge 999); Local Chairman R.J. Smith, Soo Line Railway; Local Chairman J.E. Murphy, Great Northern Railway; L.F., Lyons I. R. Representative - all members of Lodge No. 464, were the winners this contest, which started October 1, 1937, and ended December 31, 1937.

Lodge No. 464, has jurisdiction over yardmen employed on five railroads in Minneapolis, and when this contest was announced, it was decided that all members would worked day and night to put A.F. Whitney Lodge No. 464, on top, and although it was a continuous battle in this "snake infested territory," (This refers to the Switchman’s Union of North America, whose nickname was yard snakes) nevertheless, with the cooperation of the officers and members, together with I.R. Representative Brother L.D. Eilers, and Organizer Brother E.J. Tappins, we came out on top.

In presenting these watches, Vice President Kennedy, representing the Grand Lodge, congratulated each of the Local Chairman and the Local I. R. Representative, for their untiring efforts, and, in addition, congratulated the officers and members of this lodge for their cooperation and assistance, and pointed out the progress made by the lodge, not only in the securing of new members, but also on the fact that this lodge was one of the outstanding lodges of the Brotherhood for the year of 1937 in "increase in premium" income; having a percentage increase of 26.78%.

Brother Kennedy also stated to the members present that this splendid victory was outstanding in the fact that each of the members who were presented with a watch, formerly held membership in the Switchman's Union of North America, and for many years, had opposed the Brotherhood, and are now numbered among the most progressive leaders, General Chairman P.C. Bradley, Great Northern Railway; General Chairman V.R. Furst, Northern Pacific Railway; General Chairman B.W. Fern, Chicago Great Western Railway; General Chairman F.R. Erickson, Minneapolis, Northfield, & Southern Railway; Organizer E.J. Tappins; Field Organizer L.D. Ellers, were present, together with officers, representatives, local chairman, and members from many other lodges throughout the district; all of whom spoke and congratulated the winners of the contest, and the officers and members of Lodge No. 464.

This lodge is safeguarding the rights of Yardmen in the Minneapolis District 24 hours each day, and we appreciate the fact that we have capable leaders in this district, and a great champion for the rights of Labor, in our President Brother A.F. Whitney, and it will be our purpose to support these officers, and the Brotherhood at every available opportunity, in closing, let it be with this slogan - "Went further contests are launched by the Brotherhood, please notify the officers and members of Lodge No. 464." - W.A., Russell, Agent, Official Publication A.F. Whitney Lodge No. 464.

1939 Railroad Trainmen's Directory cover

I even found E F. Matzka's address in Minneapolis, he wore two hats in his Lodge being the Treasurer and the Local Chairman .

I am totally amazed at the information that Larry's research has come up with on this watch. Super job Larry!!

If I was more into collecting US RR watches, Tom, I would immediately pay your price on this. How many of us have watches with that much info known about them?

Wow.

Larry;

Outstanding Job! I'm taking this off the market and selling one of my other two

This watch should be shown as a now documented authentic brotherhood watch...which is what I will do.



WOW...is all I can say...Thank you SO much for digging into this

My issue of The Railroad Trainman from April, 1941 with more contests, one celebrating Alexander F Whitney's birthday on April 12, Celluloid medallions, in color, showing a portrait of President Whitney and quoting one of many paragraphs he has uttered in speeches.

Mainliner Hamilton Watches to the Winners

To the Field Supervisor whose territory provides the greatest number of applications in proportion to the number of members as of December 1940, will go a 23 Jewel. Mainliner Hamilton Watch, suitably described, which sells regularly for $75.00. Another watch of the same kind will go to the member in the winning territory, who has produced the greatest number of applications. The name of the member must appear on the witness line of the application in order to be credited in order to the credited to him.

So this shows that there are at least two other Hamilton Mainliner 16 size, 23 jewel, 950E presentation pocket watches out there.

One of the colored celluloid AF Whitney "quotes" from my collection.

One of the Hamilton Watch advertisements from May 1941 issue of The Railroad Trainman, describing the new 992, 21 jewel pocket watch and how the demand for the new pocket watch have outraced production, and apologizing for the delays, it is also described as new 992 Elinvar is marked "Hamilton Railway Special" on the dial, and is furnished in a new plastic, cigarette case package, factory sealed for your protection. Railroad Model No. 11 (shown above) cased in 10K, natural yellow gold filled. Choice of dials.

In the September issue of The Railroad Trainman another Hamilton Watch Co. advertisement for "The Main Line of Defense" describing Hamilton's completely new 992B – a timekeeper unlike any other on the market. A little irony as this was three months before the United States entered World War II and declared war on the Axis on December 7, 1941.

Another one of my items in my B of RT collection is this inscription: "To W. Parker Kennedy," ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE . "Who began his illustrious career in the land of the Mounties" (referring to the time he worked for the CPR in Calgary, Alberta) "From Richard Neuberger, U.S. Senator – Oregon. March 24, 1956. With his business card attached

One of the big B of RT events was the 75th Anniversary held in Oneonta, New York on September 23, 1958. President William Parker Kennedy attended and is seen here besides the President of the Delaware and Hudson Railroad on his left, the view is taken in front of the D & H caboose shrine where they are commemorating a brass plaque that has been attached to the caboose with the names of all the Grand Masters and Presidents from 1883 to the present date in 1958.

Another view President W Parker Kennedy and other dignitaries attending the 75th Anniversary celebrations.

The guest of honor was Elmer Wessel who is presented the by President W Parker Kennedy with this Certificate of Appreciation, and the First 75 year Veterans Emblem on the Diamond Jubilee of the Brotherhood Railroad Trainmen

Elmer Wessel's September 1884 dues receipt from E V Debs Lodge No. 1 of the B of RB

Elmer Wessel's Certificate of Appreciation from the B of RT Diamond Jubilee on September 23, 1958

Elmer Wessel lived to be 95 years old, passing away on September 24, 1960 , a day after B of RT 77th Anniversary.