Initiation Certificate for B F Kitchell into the
Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen
Dated Apr 15, 1893

Initiation Certificate into the Hazel Nelson, No.205, chapter of the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen, DeSoto, Mo. The chapter was organized April 17, 1886. The certificate is for B.F. Kitchell and is dated April 15, 1893-- both in pencil and in Caligraphy. The certificate is done in Caligraphy, pen & ink and water colors and appears to be in the original Frame with glass. The frame is made of oak with decorative adornments and looks to be from the period.
It is in great shape for being 119 years old. The frame is 25 1/5" by 17 1/2" and about 1" thick and weighs a little over 5 pounds,

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And last but most impressive.....

Skip:

A very nice piece of the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen memorabilia, I have a couple of examples in my collection one with the members photograph in the circle under B.F. Kitchell, that I will post later. These are very scarce and some I have seen have been in pretty rough condition. Although I am yet to find the source of these beautiful membership certificates, I would think it would have been one of the members with the calligraphy skills who would custom make them for a price.

Here is my membership certificate for John M. Cunningham initiated in C.A. Yoh Lodge, 736. Organized Sept 21, 1905 Chambersburg, Pa. This lodges charter was moved to Hagerstown, Maryland.

Back of frame

Photo of John M. Cunningham close-up

Bottom of membership document.

Also have his 35, 40, 45, and 50 year B of RT membership pins with calligraphy card.

Close-up

His Pennsylvania Railroad document that states "This Certifies that John M. Cunningham, Conductor, Philadelphia Division has been relieved of Active Duty after 45 11/12 years of Service and that his name is enrolled on THE ROLL OF HONOR, Philadelphia the 1st day of October 1953. Signed by the President.

You guys have such neat things!

I am trying to locate more info on B.F. Kitchell but so far no luck. I did see there are still Kitchell families living in De Soto Mo.

Tom

Larry

You probably already have this but here it is anyway.

Tom:

Thank you for the additional information.

Larry

Thanks Larry for posting your cert, I was wondering why at the top the name was written in. Suppose to be a picture there. Wonder if I can put a picture of great grand dad there?

Only kidding I would not change history.

Skip

quote:

B.F. Kitchell

Hey Tom if you can find B.F. Kitchell, I would like a picture of him so I can put it in my cert.

I don't ask for much LOL


Skip

You know Skip, I had the same thought after Larry posted his. I thought how great would that be to find a photo, so I am trying.

Tom

So far no photo but it looks like this might be Benjamin Franklin Kitchell, he was born Dec 24, 1873 in Annapolis, Iron County, Missouri. He died Oct 13, 1944 in Haileyville, Oklahoma.

This is his WWI draft card. He is listed as a Conductor.

In the 1900 Federal census he is living in St. Francois, Iron, Mo & is listed as a brakeman for the railroad.

In 1910 he is in Haileyville, OK & is listed as a Conductor Steam Railroad.

1920 same town listed as a Conductor Railroad

1930 Wister OK listed as Conductor Railroad.

Tom

Skip:

Nice piece! You may want to take it to a conservator to make sure it is preserved in a way that air/other elements do not deteriorate the paper.

Barry

B of RT Lodge 205 represented trainmen and conductors working on the Missouri Pacific Railroad.

Larry

I don't know anything about which railroad became what railroad. I am guessing that the initials on his draft card from WWI, CRI&P stood for the Chicago Rock Island & Pacific.

Tom

I purchased a vintage CRI & P conductor's cap badge at an auction outside of Kansas City, MO this summer; there are photos of it on my website, found by doing a search by "cap badge."

Barry

While BF Kitchell was initiated into Lodge 203 on April 15, 1893 when he was 20 years old in 1917 when he was 44 he had changed employers and more than likely transferred to Lodge 747 "New State" in Hailyville, Oklahoma that was chartered April 1, 1906.

I found the following information on Wikipedia DeSoto, Missouri was where the St. Louis Iron Mountain Railroad built a depot in 1874, the railroad was robbed twice by the JamesYounger gang in 1874, and the Dalton gang in 1893, 1883 it was acquired by the robber baron Jay Gould and merged into the Missouri Pacific Railroad, Union Pacific still operates a large car repair facility there today.

Hailyville, Oklahoma located 14 miles east of McAllister was part of the Choctaw Oklahoma and Gulf Railroad which laid tracks in 1889-90 and came under the control of the Chicago Rock Island and Pacific Railroad in 1902. So Brother BF Kitchell, followed the creed of Horace Greeley "Go West Young Man" relocating 443 miles south west sometimes after 1906.

Buchaneer

Thanks Larry for moving my posts, I feel like I'm with the Big Boys Now. I received my Certificate yesterday. It's 119 years old, did you have yours preserved and cleaned up at all? If so who do you remend? and how much would I expect to pay. My wife thinks I should leave it alone.

Skip

Thanks Tom, It's cool to see his WW1 Reg Card. That's the war that caused EVERY Amercan male to register Right?

If anyone can find a picture it would be you Tom.

Thanks again/

Skip