My grandfather, Walter Cleveland Newberry, supposedly worked as a railroad agent for a railroad in either Banks or Midland Alabama from 19?? to 1923 or 1924, when he died of acute indigestion (old name for heart attack). He was born in Banks Alabama in about 1885, but in 1923 he gave his Post Office address as Omega Alabama . I'm not sure which railroad he worked for, but believe it to be Central of Georgia, or Atlantic Coast Line or even Midland Railroad.

Question 1: Does anyone have any information regarding Walter Cleveland Newberry or his employment?

Question 2: If so, does anyone know how I might obtain his personnel files?

Any help, will be appreciated; Steven E. Newberry

-- Steven Earl Newberry (newberry@lakemartin.net), September 13, 2001

Answers

I echo what Buck has posted. It is a long, long shot to hope that anyone reading this now would have any knowledge of someone who retired nearly 80 years ago.

I can help to this extent - there is no "Midland, Alabama" that was rail served as of 1916. There is a "Midland City, Alabama" and both it and Banks, Alabama were served by the Atlantic Coast Line. It is possible, even probable, that your grandfather started work for the Alabama Midland (an ACL predecessor) and continued to work for the ACL when it absorbed the company in 1902.

Not much help, but possibly more information than you had.

Bob Hanson

-- Robert H. Hanson (RHanson669@aol.com), September 15, 2001.

I always hate to point this out, but most folks just skip the opening page of the Q&A forum anyway with our "comments" on Ancestor Searches. We (The Society) do not have any employment records; CSX or the Railroad Retirement Board might.

True, someone reading might have information, but your chances are much better through those other sources.

Buck Dean, Webmaster ACL & SAL Historical Society

-- Buck Dean (bdean@jngray.com), September 13, 2001.