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Michael Joseph Farrell
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The following is a copy of an item in the Reynoldsville, PA Star
in December, 1912.
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M.J. FARRELL ROUNDS OUT FIFTY YEARS OF SERVICE
We mentioned some time ago that M. J. Farrell would round out
fifty years of service with the Pennsylvania railroad Dec. 1st and
would be retired on a pension at that time. The company has acted
and Mr. Farrell is now one of the retired veterans of the service.
From the company's official record we take the following.
Mr. Farrell commenced work as helper in the shops at Conemaugh, Pa.,
August, 1860. May, 1861, became messenger boy at Johnstown, Pa.,
under Andrew Carnegie, Sup't. of Telegraph. While in this position
he learned telegraphy. In 1863 was transferred to Tyrone and worked
as shop clerk, clerk to supervisor, fireman, and engineer at shop,
working in these various positions until 1875, when he was
transferred to Low Grade Division as agent at Pancoast, remaining
there until July, 1882, when he was appointed agent at
Reynoldsville, in which position he remained until he was
pensioned December 1, 1912.
Mr. Farrell is a man of sterling habits and worthy of the reward
he has earned and his many friends and neighbors join in wishing him
much comfort and happiness, as well as many years of continued good
health, to enjoy his well earned rest.
- (RE Malloy)
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Following is the text of a longhand resume written by the above.
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Name M.J. Farrell Reynoldsville, Pa.
Date July 18, 1905
Position Station Agent and Yardmaster, Reynoldsville, Pa.
Marital Status Married
PRR Sup't James E. Kane
(Other words here were unclear)
Where Born Johnstown, Pa., 1847
First service was at Conemaugh in 1860, cleaning bricks &
lightwork during second half of roundhouse - Redmond Garn, Master
Mechanic.
Jan, 1861 Began learning telegraphy under Andy Munson -
operator, and messenger boy from the station
same time Johnn Henry went on the retired list-
knows me.
In 1862 was moved to Tyrone Division with my father and
been at Tyrone as Track repairman - Willis
Purvis - Supervisor.
June 23, 1863 was drawn into service as emergency man during
war and was appointed to "watch bridges".
Nov. 1863 was appointed supervisions clerk over bin
storekeeper of M/W supplies.
Feb. 1865 became fireman on board Freight - Tyrone to
Bellafonte, Pa.
May 1865 became Ass't Engineer - Tyrone Shops -
N. Russel of Pgh. knows me.
Nov. 1865 Became Engineer - Tyrone Shops and then
remained until
Aug. 1873 went into store business for myself.
(Out of Company service)
Aug. 1875 became partner with Brokerhof Bros. & Co. and
moved to Pancoast, Pa.
June 1876 was appointed agent at Pancoast, Pa., and also
Postmaster with the store.
July 1882 was transferred to Reynoldsville, Pa., and have
been in continuous service to
July 1905 date of this application.
(s) M.J. Farrell - Station Agent, PRR
Reynoldsville, Pa.
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The above was copied and sent to me in February, 1971, by my
cousin Rush F. Howe, (2.031). He had copied it from a "tissue print".
At the time the original was written, carbon paper was either
unavailable or not in general use. As a twelve-year-old, Rush had
made tissue prints at our grandfather's office at Reynoldsville's
PRR station. It was a tedious, low production process with unpre-
dicable results and Rush described it thusly:
"The original was written with indelible pencil and placed atop a
moist linen cloth in a press. A tissue sheet was put on top of this
"master' sheet. The press wheel was spun, compressing the items for
a specific period of seconds (or minutes). Then the wheel was spun
back, the tissue and master sheets lifted off and separated. Hope-
fully, a good print resulted. Only a few such transfers were
possible and, if more copies were needed, a new master sheet would
be written and the process repeated."
The purpose of the resume was not indicated, other than as an
"application". One assumption is that M.J. Farrell was applying for
a job with another employer. At the time, however, he was 58 1/2
years of age, so it may be that he was applying for a loan as needed
to go back into business for himself. (See next paragraph). In any
event, it is an excellent portrayal of the rapid upward progress of
a young man who started out at age 13 and, without formal education
beyond the seventh grade, had a successful carreer, reared eight
children and, for a time, provided a home for several grandchildren.
Retiring from PRR, December, 1912, M.J. Farrell owned and
operated a variety store on Atwood St., in the heart of Pittsburgh's
Oakland district, near his temporary home in the Oakwood Hotel. He
was active every day in this enterprise and in Oakland community
affairs up to the time he was stricken just outside the hotel
entrance in October, 1915.
(R.E. Malloy, 1/82)
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