I. S. LANNING, Hornellsville, New York.
I. S. Lanning came near ending his railroad career on the descent of Big Shanty hill, near Bradford, on one occasion. A wheel broke and thirty-five cars were dumped into the ditch, Mr. Lanning escaping in some miraculous manner. He was born in Rathbone, New York, on April 28, 1862, and took service with the Erie in 1881 as a fireman on the Allegheny Division. He was promoted to engineer in December, 1886, and has run in the freight service since that time.

Mr. Lanning was married in September, 1885, to Miss Stella Merlett of Woodhull, New York, and they have one child, Harley M. He is very prominent in Masonic circles, belonging to the Blue Lodge, Council and Commandery, and is Past Master of both the Blue Lodge and Council. He is also affiliated with Lodge No. 345, B. of L.E., of Olean, and takes an active interest in its affairs.

Excerpted from: "American Locomotive Engineers, Erie Railway Edition," H.R. Romans Editor; Crawford-Adsit Company Publishers, Chicago, IL 1899.

From the March, 1941 issue of Erie Magazine:
Mrs. Estella A. Lanning, wife of Isaac S. Lanning, retired engineer of 49 years service on the Allegany and Bradford Divisions, died Jan. 20th (1941) at her home in Silver Creek, NY, and was buried at Sheridan. She was born in 1864 and would have been 77 on April 1. She was a member of Sheridan Grange and O.E.S., Belmont, NY. Besides her husband she is survived by a son, Harley M. Lanning.

From the July, 1943 issue of Erie Magazine:
Isaac S. Lanning, 81, retired Allegany Division engineer, died in a nursing home at Manatee, FL, May 27 (1943) following a stroke. For the past two years he had made his home with his son, Harley, his only survivor, at Palmetto, FL.

Mr. Lanning was born at Rathbone, NY. When he was 19 he worked in a quarry, getting out stone to build the foundation for the Hornell shops. Later that year (1881), he began firing on the Allegany Division. He was out of Erie service between June and December 22, 1882, but worked continuously thereafter until 1930 when he retired.

In 1896 he served as Master of Evening Star Lodge, F & AM, at Hornell, NY.

Burial was at Sheridan, NY, his former home, near the graves of seven other Erie engineers of the days of the woodburners, link and pin, and hand brakes. One of these is Henry Trask, engineer of the train on which Mr. Lanning made his last trip as fireman.