What a different world it must have been in 1937.
My Great Grandfather was a Pennsylvania Railroad Conductor. He worked for the Railroad for 49 years. First as a Brakeman, later as a Conductor.
He lived in the small town of Sunbury, Pa from his birth in 1875 until his passing in 1936. His obituary reads like an article. It was originally published in the Sunbury newspaper. I found a copy in my Grandmother's attic before her house was sold. It was better than finding treasure to me.
This article is regarding Joseph Bright son of Joseph Ritner Bright & Ann Isabel Irwin Joseph Ritner Bright was son of Jacob Bright & Mary Keller.
This article/obituary was in my Grandmother's attic. My Great Grandmother was Muriel Withnall Bright.This is from Sunbury's newspaper, no date is on article itself, on back of this article is an article title "15 Families Snowbound on Mountain Top" Uniontown, Pa Jan.28th, 1937. I HAVE NOT corrected the article's mistakes. I typed it as it was printed.
JOSEPH BRIGHT FALLS DEAD ON MARKET STREET
Retired Penn.Railroad Employe And Veteran of Spanish American War Victim of Heart Attack
Joseph R. Bright, retired Penn. Railroad conductor, and veteran of the Spanish-American War, was fatally stricken while walking on Market Street at 9:40 o'clock last night, following his return from the banquest of the Williamsport Consistory,Scottish Rite Masons.
He had come down with other 32nd degree Masons of the city on the Pa. Railroad train from Williamsport, and was enroute to the American Legion Hall to meet Mrs. Bright, who was attending the meeting of Corporal William Campbell Camp, United Spanish War Veterans.He had tranversed less than two blocks when he fell in front of the Triangle shoe store.
Men with him supported him and the Americus Community ambulance was summoned. He was dead when he was placed in the ambulance. The body,however, was taken to the Mary M. Packer hospital, and kept there until removed by R.L Davis, Northumberland mortician.
A sufferer with a heart condition for more than a year, he had been examined by a physician on Monday who said: "Dont hurry". However, it was difficult to break the habits of a life time, and for years he had always walked briskly. He was walking at his normal pace when stricken.
Officers Campbell and Fetter,of the city police, hearing that a man was stricken on Market street, went to the scene and called the ambulance. When word reached the Shamokin barracks of the state motor police this morning, Officer Hockreider made inquiry of Chief of Police Michael Surgent, who replied that death was due to a heart attack and further inquiry was not necessary.
Several years ago Mr. Bright's health failed, and when his condition became serious two years ago, he was given treatment for a period of three weeks at the Geisinger hospital. On his return he was much improved. When a heart condition developed later, he was compelled to retire from the Penn. service in 1937.
He had a service record within a few months of 50 years, and had it not been broken by his previous illness, it would have exceeded a half century.
He entered the service December 1,1886, a youth of 16, to carry the mail for the local offices. He transferred to the Sunbury shop in 1889. He left the shop in 1895 to become a brakeman, and was promoted to conductor in 1906. He held that post on the Williamsport Division until his retirement.
Last June, with others on the retired list, he was presented at the Williamsport offices with a certificate bearing the signature of the company president, Martin Withington Clement, who had been a close friend in his youth, and a fellow chorister in th St. Matthew's Episcopal choir. His certificate bore the message: "Dear Joe: Hullo and best wishes. Winny."
He served with Company E, 12th Regiment, National Guard of Pennsylvania, in the Spanish-American War in 1898. He was one of the active members of Corporal Campbell Camp, United Spanish War Veterans, and at its last meeting was appointed treasurer. He also was chairman of the committee for the annual Maine Day banquet to be held in February.
He was born in Sunbury in 1870 the son of Joseph Ritner and Isabel Ann Irwin Bright, and resided here his entire life.
April 10, 1919, he married Muriel Withnall, who survives him, together with two children, Marjorie Josephine,wife of John Orwig, and Muriel Joyce Bright. They reside at the family home 347 Walnut Street. One brother, William Bright, of Race street, also survives. A brother, Edward, and a sister, Mrs. Katherine Leiby, preceded him to the grave.
He was a member of Maclay Lodge 63, F. and A.M., of this city, Irem Temple, of WilkesBarre, and the Williamsport Consistory. He had gone to Williamsport on the noon train yesterday for the closing events of the mid-winter Conisitory meeting.
He was a life-long member of St .Matthew's church in which his family is active, his wife and daughters being members of the church choir.
Short services will be held Tuesday afternoon at 2 o'clock at the home on Walnut street. Further services with be held at 2:30 o'clock at St. Matthew's church. Rev. A.G. VanElden, rector of the church. will officiate.Burial will be in Pomfret Manor Cemetary.
This article/obituary was in my Grandmother's attic. My Great Grandmother was Muriel Withnall Bright.This is from Sunbury's newspaper, no date is on article itself, on back of this article is an article title "15 Families Snowbound on Mountain Top" Uniontown, Pa Jan.28th, 1937. I HAVE NOT corrected the article's mistakes. I typed it as it was printed.
JOSEPH BRIGHT FALLS DEAD ON MARKET STREET
Retired Penn.Railroad Employe And Veteran of Spanish American War Victim of Heart Attack
Joseph R. Bright, retired Penn. Railroad conductor, and veteran of the Spanish-American War, was fatally stricken while walking on Market Street at 9:40 o'clock last night, following his return from the banquest of the Williamsport Consistory,Scottish Rite Masons.
He had come down with other 32nd degree Masons of the city on the Pa. Railroad train from Williamsport, and was enroute to the American Legion Hall to meet Mrs. Bright, who was attending the meeting of Corporal William Campbell Camp, United Spanish War Veterans.He had tranversed less than two blocks when he fell in front of the Triangle shoe store.
Men with him supported him and the Americus Community ambulance was summoned. He was dead when he was placed in the ambulance. The body,however, was taken to the Mary M. Packer hospital, and kept there until removed by R.L Davis, Northumberland mortician.
A sufferer with a heart condition for more than a year, he had been examined by a physician on Monday who said: "Dont hurry". However, it was difficult to break the habits of a life time, and for years he had always walked briskly. He was walking at his normal pace when stricken.
Officers Campbell and Fetter,of the city police, hearing that a man was stricken on Market street, went to the scene and called the ambulance. When word reached the Shamokin barracks of the state motor police this morning, Officer Hockreider made inquiry of Chief of Police Michael Surgent, who replied that death was due to a heart attack and further inquiry was not necessary.
Several years ago Mr. Bright's health failed, and when his condition became serious two years ago, he was given treatment for a period of three weeks at the Geisinger hospital. On his return he was much improved. When a heart condition developed later, he was compelled to retire from the Penn. service in 1937.
He had a service record within a few months of 50 years, and had it not been broken by his previous illness, it would have exceeded a half century.
He entered the service December 1,1886, a youth of 16, to carry the mail for the local offices. He transferred to the Sunbury shop in 1889. He left the shop in 1895 to become a brakeman, and was promoted to conductor in 1906. He held that post on the Williamsport Division until his retirement.
Last June, with others on the retired list, he was presented at the Williamsport offices with a certificate bearing the signature of the company president, Martin Withington Clement, who had been a close friend in his youth, and a fellow chorister in th St. Matthew's Episcopal choir. His certificate bore the message: "Dear Joe: Hullo and best wishes. Winny."
He served with Company E, 12th Regiment, National Guard of Pennsylvania, in the Spanish-American War in 1898. He was one of the active members of Corporal Campbell Camp, United Spanish War Veterans, and at its last meeting was appointed treasurer. He also was chairman of the committee for the annual Maine Day banquet to be held in February.
He was born in Sunbury in 1870 the son of Joseph Ritner and Isabel Ann Irwin Bright, and resided here his entire life.
April 10, 1919, he married Muriel Withnall, who survives him, together with two children, Marjorie Josephine,wife of John Orwig, and Muriel Joyce Bright. They reside at the family home 347 Walnut Street. One brother, William Bright, of Race street, also survives. A brother, Edward, and a sister, Mrs. Katherine Leiby, preceded him to the grave.
He was a member of Maclay Lodge 63, F. and A.M., of this city, Irem Temple, of WilkesBarre, and the Williamsport Consistory. He had gone to Williamsport on the noon train yesterday for the closing events of the mid-winter Conisitory meeting.
He was a life-long member of St .Matthew's church in which his family is active, his wife and daughters being members of the church choir.
Short services will be held Tuesday afternoon at 2 o'clock at the home on Walnut street. Further services with be held at 2:30 o'clock at St. Matthew's church. Rev. A.G. VanElden, rector of the church. will officiate.Burial will be in Pomfret Manor Cemetary.
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( Maclay Lodge 63, F. and A.M., of this city, Irem Temple, of WilkesBarre, and the Williamsport Consistory,Scottish Rite Masons.)
I do have his Spanish American War Discharge papers. It was also interesting to me to read he was on the way to meet my Grandmother, after she attended a meeting in his place. Busy Man...lol
I do Genealogy Research, for myself, friends and others. I have found much more than I expected on my own tree. Joseph R. Bright, in the above article comes from a long line of Pa Dutch, German, early settlers of Berks County, Pa. His line can be traced back to the 1600's.