John Hackett, 1884-1955

HACKETT

Posted By: Emmet County IAGenWeb Coordinator (email)
Date: 2/4/2009 at 18:50:38

John Hackett, Longtime City Resident, Dies

John S. Hackett, 71, longtime resident of Estherville who retired from the Rock Island railroad in 1949 after 47 years of service died last night [1 Sept. 1955] at 7:10 in Holy Family Hospital where he had been taken after suffering a heart attack Wednesday noon.

Mr. Hackett was born March 2, 1884 at Arnolds Park, Dickinson County, where he received his early schooling , later coming to Estherville as a young man. In Estherville he worked first as a "mule skinner" for the M. & St. L. Railroad which at that time was extending its lines through Estherville south.

In August, 1902, Mr. Hackett started work on the Rock Island Railroad as brakeman and was promoted to conductor in 1910. Although Mr. Hackett served some time during World War II on passenger trains 19 and 20, most of his railroad service was as a freight conductor.

Married to Nettie E. Parson Jan. 23, 1910 at Wapello, Mr. Hackett is survived by his widow, four sons and one daughter, Mrs. Art Irwin, Glenn, George and Clarence, all of Estherville and Leonard of Arnolds Park. Also surviving are one brother, George McCutchin, Jacksonville, Fla. and a sister, Mrs. Stella Lawler of Arnolds Park.

Services will be held Saturday at the Sandin Funeral Home at 1:30 p.m. and at 2 p.m. in the Presbyterian Church, the Rev. Thomas G. Melton officiation. Burial will be in East Side cemetery. Friends may call at Sandin Funeral Home after 6 o'clock this evening.

Contributed by: Ruth Hackett. Source: Estherville Daily News, Estherville, Emmet County, Iowa; September 2, 1955.