Spalding, Francis M.

SPALDING, THOMPSON, ROSS, CASTLE, HENLE

Posted By: Volunteer Transcribers
Date: 2/14/2003 at 16:02:51

FRANCIS M. SPALDING 

Ranking seventh in point of service with the Chicago & Northwestern Railway Company is Francis M. Spalding, of Clinton, who has been in their employ since June, 1879. A native of Pennsylvania, he was born in Crawford county July 18, 1849, and is a son of Russell and Lucina (Thompson) Spalding, who were of Scotch-Irish ancestry. The father was born in Cattaraugus county, New York, in March, 1806, and throughout life followed farming. He cleared one hundred acres of timber land in Pennsylvania, where he followed his chosen occupation thirty-two years, and then removed to Indiana, where he died in January, 1886. In politics he was first a Whig and later a Republican, and was a quiet, unassuming man, who cared nothing for publicity. The mother of our subject died when about thirty years of age. In the family were six children, of whom one died in infancy. _____ died at the age of thirteen years. John, who was a railroad employe at Stoneboro, Pennsylvania, is also deceased; and Jasper S. died in Indiana at the age of thirty. Those living are: William L., a carpenter residing in Kentland, Indiana; and Francis M., our subject. The sons grew to manhood upon the home farm and received good common school educations.

After leaving school, at the age of seventeen years, Francis M. Spalding worked for two years on his father’s farm, and then followed various occupations until coming to Iowa in 1873. Locating at Ames, he worked at the mason’s trade for some time, and assisted in the erection of many of the houses of that place. In the summer of 1879 he began railroading out of Ames, as brakeman on the old narrow gauge railroad, and after serving in that capacity for twenty-six months he was promoted to conductor, running his first train in March, 1881. He was in the freight service until 1885, when he was given a passenger run, and was on the Des Moines division from 1879 until 1888, with the exception of one year, when he ran from Boone to Belle Plaine. He has been on several divisions of the road and under seven different superintendents, and since July, 1898, has been conductor on trains Nos. 4, 5, 1 and 2. Although he has been in several wrecks at various points, he has never been seriously injured. After living in Ames for sixteen years he removed to Clinton in 1890, and in May of the following year purchased his present residence on Tenth avenue, which is in a very pleasant location.

Mr. Spalding was married in Indiana, in 1871, to Miss Ida M. Ross, a native of Independence, Iowa, and a daughter of George R. Ross, who was a blacksmith by trade and was engaged in the implement business for a time. His last days wee spent in Ames, Iowa. Mrs. Spalding has two sisters living in Clinton, namely: Mrs. P. H. Castle; and Miss Louise Ross, bookkeeper for Howes Brothers. Of the seven children born to our subject and his wife one son died in early childhood. The others are George R., bookkeeper for the Clinton Paper Company; Clarence A., a locomotive fireman residing in Clinton; Lora, wife of John Henle, a machinist in the railroad shops at Clinton; Mabel, at home; and Fred and Clifford, twins, who complete the family. They acquired their education in the public schools of Ames and Clinton, and Mabel is now taking a special course in music and elocution, for which she possesses considerable talent. Mr. Spalding takes a just pride in his family, who are well liked socially. He is a member of the blue lodge of the Masonic order at Ames, and has been identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows since 1872, having taken five degrees in the latter fraternity. He was formerly a member of the Order of Railway Conductors at Ames. He is a man of many sterling traits of character and commands the respect and confidence of all who know him. 
Source: The 1901 Biographical Record of Clinton Co., Iowa, Illustrated published: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1901.
(The volunteer looked up this family in the 1850 census to see if she could discover the missing name of the child who died at age 13. Here is what she found:
1850 Summerhill Twp, Crawford County, PA page 27 enum 12 Sep 1850
56 56 Russel Spaulding 44 m farmer $1200 VT
Lucinda 27 f NY
Oscar 6 m PA
Otha 5 m PA
William 3 m PA
Francis 1 m PA
Anna 68 f VT 
Looked for them in Summerhill in the 1860 census but didn’t find them, so we still don’t know who the missing son was!)