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I realize that this may not be the best place to post this request, but it was recommended to me as the best place to try to find an answer to my question. I had a ggg grandfather that worked his way up to engineer in NH in the 1880's. He was killed in a wreck in 1886. The article does not specify what the line was called ("Northern" is as close as they get). I was given a lantern that has engraved on it "B L & C RR". Can anyone point me in the right direction as to where I might find what line that might have been? I would be very grateful!
Sincerely, KBryan
TwinStarRocket Member # 2142
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I have a reprint of a 1928 Railroad Atlas. At that point in time there was no "B L & C RR" in the US. But as of 1928 almost every rail line in New Hampshire was part of the Boston and Maine, and it is very possible this railroad acquired some smaller lines.
On a web search I found a historical society for the Boston and Maine RR at http://library.uml.edu/clh/bmarch.html that says it has info on some railroads absorbed by it, and some of the dates go back to 1878. There are some mailing addresses at the bottom of the web page.
North American Railroader Member # 3398
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I looked in my 1900 Official Guide reprint, the only line which I could find that may have used those initials was the Black & Cache River Railroad, however, this line was in Arkansas, and from your article it sounds like this was in New England. I'll be sure to be on the look out if I see anything.
If the above does not work go to Google and type in ---- Wikipedia + Boston and Maine Railroad.
Tons of info on the railroads that ran from Boston, MA up to Concord, NH through various MA and NH routes . Most of these at some point merged with Boston and Maine RR. Buried in this wonderful info you may find the answer you seek or many places to check further. (If nothing else you can get lost in the site for a large chunk of time --- fascinated by the history.)
KBryan Member # 4051
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I would like to say thank you to everyone that read my post and especially those that gave me places to look. It seems that I am the only one now with the family history, as my dad passed away without either knowing it of telling his other children.
Again, Thank you very much,
Kim Bryan
George Harris Member # 2077
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Do you know what town he lived in? In those days you had to live close to your work, so if you know this is should narrow the field a lot. However, people moved around in those days a lot more than you might think, particularly if he worked for a railroad. It might even be from another part of the country. If jobs were scarse, at least in the post War Between the States South, it was quite common to leave the family at home and go to some other part of the country and work for a few months, sending money home by Western Union when you got enough. Sometimes, if your character wasn't strong enough, the temptation to stray led to the trip being one way. After all, in those days records were poor, and you could change your name and evaporate. Also, sometimes the hazards fo the job or the place could get you and the family never know for sure what happened. We had at least one of each in the family during that era. (Not railroaders. The dissapeared went several years in a row to work on the docks in Galveston and wrote letters regularly. The runaway went to work on the Panama Canal and turned back up much later.
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