With the Christmas holiday coming up what is on everyone's with list for pocket watches?


John Johnson
IHC #743

Time!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Time to hug my children
Time to have a nice dinner with fun conversations
Time to laugh
Time to play a game
time to remember Christmas's of old with the kids
Time to laugh at each other
Time to be so full you fall asleep on the couch
Time to thank the Lord that we are all safe

A little different wish list for sure, so....

To answer your question, anything my children think of to get me, that is Watch related. Not picky at all.

I would have to agree with you Sheila and the thing I notice is that the older you get the more valuable time becomes. I have knocked back doing jobs for people recently that 20 years ago I would have pounced on. Only difference is now the time if worth far more to me than a few extra dollars. It would be a nice gift if I could find out about Mr Patric O'Shea but I don't think that will happen any time soon. A nice watch chain would go down well. I like watch accessories.

A nice Dudley would be great, but even more an Illinois 18 size Cheasepeake and Ohio pocket watch would be even better , why you may ask because my great grandfather worked on that railroad, Merry Christmas,Jeff

quote:

Mr Patric O'Shea

Stephan, I am so dumb I don't have a clue who, Mr Patric O'Shea is. Is that a down under thing?

Jeffery,

I too would like a Dudley, but I think that I will settle for a Swiss Army watchmaker's pocket knife. It even has a loupe on it.

Hello Phillip. I was refering to an inscription on a new watch I have obtained "To Patric O'Shea in appreciation of 25 years Loyal service C & L.E.RR." Would be a nice Christmas preasent to find out who this person was but tis not so easy. Alas no dates to pin this down to. We live in hope.
Scott, When my son was about 12 his mother bought a Swiss army knife for him to give to me as a Christmas gift. You have never seen a kid so reluctant to hand over a package. We got him one of his own next birthday.

Stephan,

This Site has some info on a C&LE. RR. Looks like they only operated for 7 years from 1930 to 37. That should narrow the time frame for the watch. Perhaps Patric started on one of the earlier roads that became C&LE or maybe this is not the correct RR

Joe

Thanks for that Joseph. I have a discussion about this in Tails from the Rails tails
To restate the interesting bits the watch was made in 1916 and how do you give 25 years service on a company that was only around 1930-39. Hence the date problem.

Stephan,
I found a few Patric O'Shea's, but I need to know where the RR was located, that may help to narrow it down. Let me know, and I will see if I can find a connection for you.

I should have also mentioned that sometimes when RR's merged, employees often maintained their time of service with the other RR, so it could come from the earlier service being connected.

Sorry, I will look at Ohio, and let you know.
Any idea where the others were from?

I think I found him!!!! In Ohio.

No question.... A RR Man!

I will post the file as soon as I get it to a size you can see.

Born in Ohio, in about 1858, parents, both from Ireland, Patrick O'Shea is listed as a Switchman, and has actually been with the Railroad longer than the years listed above, but was a Rail Man before becoming a switchman, so you tell me?

I have him listed in the 1880 Cnesus, was 21 at the time, listed as a Rail Man.

Listed in the 1910 Census in Lucas toledo Ward 11 District 138, listed as a Switchman there.

Listed in the 1920 Census, 62 years old, Lucas Toledo Ward 12 District 130, listed as a Switchman.

Merry Christmas! Looks like you may have your
Patric O'Shea after all!

More Information.

1930 Census has him at 71 years old, remarried, still listed as a Trainman, City Railway.

In the 1920 Census, it's listed that 3 of his sons were also working for the Railroad.

This is the 1920 Census, and I have it in the full size, and can send it to you.

Hello Sheila,
That is great news. You are amazing. I start to see why the company wanted to recognise his 25 years of service. Still working at 71 years old. I can also see that the presentation may have been made in the early days of the company which was only trading 1930-39. That would have been right in the middle of the depression years so it is not such a streatch to imagine they got a good quality second hand watch instead of a new one. The watch is still nice now so it would have been great in 1930. It does indeed add a new dimension to a watch when you can find out stuff like this. Again many thanks.
Steve steamcar@alphalink.com.au

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMm

Stephen, that's a beauty!

One additional item, by 1920 he had 5 sons working for the Railroad.

Will send all of them to you.

Lindell,

Don't ya just love it when it works out, and you find that ONE PAGE that tells it all?!!!!

Hi Folks

Like Stephan I would like some help with a watch inscription. It is on the inside back cover of a 1927 Ball-Illinois.

It was given to C.R.J. by the: "Boys of 117, Knights of Pythias, Mar 5 1929."

My understanding is that the Knights of Pythias are a benevolent society much like the Freemasons etc. They started in Washington in 1864 and are spread mainly in the USA and Canada.

I emailed the only two Chapter 117s of this organisation but have not had a reply. They are:
(1) Roth Lodge in Florida - Ray Harris,
(2) Cabit Lodge in Maine - Robert Merrill.

Can anyone shed any light on this.

Gordon