JOSEPH H. LESLIE, Susquehanna, Pennsylvania.
Joseph H. Leslie, son of John Leslie, a prominent farmer of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, was born November ll, 1848, and received a good education in the public schools near his home. At the age of 16 he left his studies and devoted his entire attention to farming for the ensuing three years, entering the employ of the Erie in fall of 1869. For three years he worked as a fireman in the winter and as a bridge carpenter in the summer. In July, 1872, he was given a regular run on a freight between Susquehanna and Hornellsville, continuing until 1879, when he was advanced to a passenger run on the same division. Two years later, in 1881, he was promoted to engineer and ran for a short time between Susquehanna and Hornellsville, and then, owing to slack business, went back to firing, running on the Susquehanna, Delaware and Jefferson Divisions. In 1884 he took leave of absence and went south, where for six months he ran an engine for the Florida Railroad & Navigation Company between Jacksonville and Tallahassee, Florida. Returning north in the fall of 1885, he again went to work as a fireman on the Erie, and in 1890 was given a regular engine which he has since run in the freight service on the Jefferson Division.
On November ll, 1878, Mr. Leslie was united in marriage to Miss Marcella Pickering, daughter of Charles W. Pickering, a farmer of Susquehanna County. They have two promising children, Baer, aged 14, and Ruth, who is 8 years of age. Mr. Leslie is a member of Starrucca Lodge, No. 137, B. of L. E., and Thompson Lodge. No. 866, I. 0. 0. F. He owns a nice residence in which he resides with his family, and is considered one of the city's best citizens.
Excerpted from: "American Locomotive Engineers, Erie Railway Edition," H.R. Romans Editor; Crawford-Adsit Company Publishers, Chicago, IL 1899.
From the August 1, 1890 issue of the Hornellsville Weekly Tribune:
Joe Leslie, one of the swale engineers (Susquehanna Division), can knock all other swalers silly telling stories.
From the February 17, 1906 issue of The New York Times:
Binghamton, NY, Feb. 16 -- Joesph Leslie, engineer of a fast freight train on the Susquehanna Division of the Erie Railway, was found dead at his post on a "Mother Hubbard" locomotive early this morning at Wellsburg. No damage was done, because of the alertness of the train's crew.
Leslie reached out of his cab in Corning to catch orders when his head struck some projection and presumably he was instantly killed. Passing through Elmira his body hung out of the cab, the head striking semaphores and gates. The towermen noticed something wrong from the fact the freight was running a mile a minute and cleared the track ahead. The conductor made his way over the train and set the air brakes.
From the March, 1906 issue of Erie Railroad Magazine:
Joseph Leslie, who was found dead in the cab of engine 861 on train 86 at Wellsburg, Feb. 16 (1906), is supposed to have been killed soon after he reached out from the cab at Corning and failed to catch orders handed up to him. It is supposed his head struck a gate arm, as his cap was found a short distance from it and that death was instantaneous. At Elmira the towerman noticed that something was wrong as the train ran through the yards at top speed instead of pulling up. Telegraphic orders kept a clear track until stop signals were shown at Wellsburg. Conductor C.E. Stickles then applied the emergency air, stopped the train and discovered Leslie's body, his skull being fractured. Leslie had been in Erie service since 1888, and a regular engineer from 1890. He had a reputation of being one of the most absolutely fearless men on the whole system.