A Kentucky Genealogical Society member discovered new sources of information about her ancestors who worked for the Louisville and Nashville Railroad company. Here is what she found.
Edward E. Sweeney in his 3rd Street, Louisville, backyard garden in 1955.(5)
I have looked at these pictures of my great-grandfather, Edward E Sweeney (1884-1955), for years. I always focused on his face, his smile, his style, and the south Louisville garden in the background… but I never looked closely at what he was holding.
On a whim, I zoomed in and opened a door to an incredible array of resources for research I had never suspected existed. My grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great-grandfather, as well as many generations of uncles, cousins, and in-laws, worked for the railroad in and around Louisville, Nashville, and Cincinnati. Once I identified the title of the magazine, I soon discovered that there are multiple resources available for researching family members connected to the railroad in general and the L&N in particular.
Author’s great-grandfather received an award from L&N in 1947. Sweeney family shown in the front row of the audience.(7)
Initially, I conducted a Google search for the Locomotive Engineers Journal, a publication of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. Online searchable copies of the journal are available at HathiTrust (1) for most years between 1867 and 1924. Later editions, up to 1939, are searchable on the website; however, viewing articles requires a visit to a special collections library, such as those found at a university. There are also some digital volumes available at the Google Play website(2) which is where I found an article about my great-grandfather Sweeney receiving an award in Louisville, and this photo with my uncle, grandparents, and great-grandparents sitting in the front row.
The author’s great-uncle worked on a project to make Toy dogs from melted-down scrap foil, which were sold to benefit Kosair Children’s Hospital in 1934.(8)
I know there must be more resources I haven’t yet discovered that are linked to the railroad. The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers merged with the Teamsters in 2004 and then became known as the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen. They run an active website, although the last listed issue of the journal is from 2023. After an open Google search, I came across the Louisville & Nashville Railroad Historical Society(6), which holds regular conventions and publishes a quarterly magazine. One issue has an article that describes a day-in-the-life working with EE Sweeney as his fireman. The Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen published the Locomotive Fireman’s Magazine from 1886 to 1900. There are some open-access volumes available online at HathiTrust also at the Internet Archive. It’s on my to-do list to sift through them.
An article in L&N Railroad Magazine, March 2005, remembers the author’s grandfather.(9)
The Grand International Auxiliary (GIA) to the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers was established in 1887 as the women’s complementary group. I know from some of this research that my grandmother, great-aunt, and great-grandmother were members of the Louisville division, but I haven’t yet had the chance to delve deeper and see what all there is to find. A cursory search has revealed conventions, trips, and social service projects.
One of the great things about rabbit trails is that they are always leading somewhere. What this particular trail has taught me is to look closer at family photos, look in the foregrounds and the backgrounds. Consider the possibility that they may hold more than face-value memories. Take a moment to step back and consider what additional information a picture holds; it might give clues to a new trail to follow.
Citations:
(1) HathiTrust. https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/000536167
(2) The Filson Historical Society, Louisville,KY https://filsonhistorical.org/
(3) Google Play https://play.google.com/store/books
(4) Louisville & Nashville Railroad Historical Society. www.lnrr.org/
(5) Original photo taken by the author.
(6) L&N Employers’ Magazine, May 1930, p.27.Photo of article taken by author at the Filson Historical Society. Louisville, KY. General Book Collection, periodical, Louisville.
(7) “Div. 365 Honors Past Chief at Banquet,” Locomotive Engineers Journal, June 1947, p. 446. Source: Google Play, https://play.google.com/store/books (img. 442 of 962)
(8) “The Twin Brothers Sweeney, Tom and Ed,” L&N Employers’ Magazine, December1934, p.17-18. Photo taken by author at the Filson Historical Society archives. http://filsonhistorical.org/
(9) Morton, Joe. “Firing for Ed Sweeney,” L&N Magazine, March 2005, p.6. Photo of article taken by author.
