JOHN T. WHARTON, Huntington, Indiana.
John T. Wharton was born at Tippecanoe, Harrison County, Ohio, on May 17, 1859. His father was J. B. Wharton, a substantial farmer of that neighborhood, and the young man attended the district school until he was 16 years of age, acquiring a first-class common school education. After leaving school he read medicine under Dr. E. Tope, of Harrison County, abxmt eighteen months, and then worked awhile on his father's farm, after which he entered the employ of a sawmill company. He was head sawyer for about four years, when he quit this place and went to Huntington, where he secured a position as stationary engineer in a planing mill. In the fall of 1884 he commenced firing for the Chicago & Atlantic Railroad. He fired freight two years and a half, and passenger six months, when he was promoted to roundhouse night foreman and engine dispatcher at Huntington. He held this position nearly two years, when his ability and good record were further rewarded by promotion to engineer. For the past eleven years he has been running freight between Chicago and Galion, and for some time back doing extra passenger work. He has never cost the company one cent for repairs from accidents, and his carefulness, coupled with excellent judgment has won him many commendations from his superiors, with whom he is popular, as well as with his fellow employes.

He was married December 14, 1881, to Miss Elizabeth Heaston, daughter of Isaac Heaston, a prominent farmer of Harrison County, Ohio. They have had two children; Bessie died at the age of 20 months; Walter I., aged 10, is attending Huntington public schools, and is one of the brightest scholars in his class. Mr. Wharton at one time was a member of B. of L. E., Division No. 221, but is not associated with the order now. He owns a fine cottage residence at the corner of First and Leopold streets, and both he and Mrs. Wharton are highly esteemed by their neighbors and many acquaintances.

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

J.F. WHARTON
Suspended 15 days for breaking cars in Huntington Yard, Dec. 7th, 1889. Report 629.

SOURCE: P. 209, Chicago & Erie Railroad Employment Summary Book, ledger book covering @ 1880-1905. Donated to this site courtesy of Nick Pappas. Transcription by Jim Sponholz (c) 2007.