Fantastic site ... I need some help ...
I have been trying to find out more about a Special Agent for the Southern Pacific Company, around 1903-1909, named O.J. Meade. He was in the San Joaquin Division, Bakersfield, California, in 1909.
I have two pieces of ephemera from him. One is a letter [See the first document below] to the Sheriff post marked July 7, 1903, about some stolen mirrors from different train cars.
A dispatch written on January 12, 1909, [is] asking Marshall Kelly for help in stopping the "hobo's" from burning the empty cars. [See the second document below.]
I am having a hard time finding any information on him. I am going to put these two pieces up for auction and need a bit more background. Can you possibly help me in finding more of this man? I appreciate all of your help. You have a grand website; I have learned a lot of new things here ... Thanks again.
—George Marshino
From: "Paul S Martineau" pmart7421@sbcglobal.net
ReplyDeleteGoogle "O. J. Meade"
—Paul Martineau, Reno, NV
One place to look for information about Southern Pacific Company Special Agent O.J. Meade is in the local newspapers during that period of time. (Perhaps the U.S. Newspaper Project, the National Digital Newspaper Project, the California Newspaper Project, or The California Digital Newspaper Collection might be useful.)
ReplyDeleteFrom: "Tink & Dawn" g.marshion@comcast.net
ReplyDeleteRe: Fantastic site ... I need some help ...
Thanks a lot ... hey it is Sunday ... shouldn't you be fishing or (if the sun is out) picnicking or something like that? Tell them I said you can go home and get paid for today and if there is any problem just tell them to call me I will straighten it out!!
—George
That would be terrific, except, we're all-volunteer.
ReplyDeleteFrom: "Larry Mullaly" lmullaly@jeffnet.org
ReplyDeleteI have always found railroad employement records somewhat spotty. The 1900 US Census (found on Ancestry.com) shows "Special Detective RR" Oliver J. Meade living on H Street in Fresno. He was born in Virginia in January, 1858, and married Ida Meade in 1877, and has daughter Stella born in 1880 living at home.
The California State Railroad Museum has an interesting set of Railroad Police case files that go through this period, but these are system wide and limited to a few select incidents. It is one way, however, of understanding how railroad law enforcement efforts were organized at this time.
There may be some relative personnel files listing names and date of employment at CSRM but I do not recall anything from this period.
You might also check the California Digital Newspaper Collection for this period searching for the name OJ Meade.
Hope this is of some help.
—Larry Mullaly
Also see, Special Detective railroad Oliver J. Meade.
ReplyDeleteFrom: "'Nam Vet" namvet45@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteI’d also check with the Fresno County Historical Society, and the Fresno Library. ...
—John Snyder, Proprietor, Shady Grove Farm