PETER KNOBLOW, Meadville, Pennsylvania.
A quiet and unassuming man, yet who is one of the best and most popular of the Erie's engineers is Peter Knoblow, who was born in Buffalo, New York, August 7. 1858. His father was Jacob Knoblow, a farmer who moved to near Meadville, in 1860, where the subject of this sketch attended school until he was 16 years of age. After leaving school he embarked in the coal business in Meadville, and was very successful; but in 1883 he secured a position as fireman on the Erie and gave up all other business connections in order to devote his entire energies to his new situation. He fired six years on freight and one year on passenger, his promotion coming in August, 1890. He was immediately assigned to a through freight run, and has held the same ever since.
While firing Mr. Knoblow was laid up five weeks from an injury he received in a head-end collision near Saegertown, Pennsylvania, which resulted from a mistake in orders. Since he has had his promotion he has had no accidents, and as he is careful, diligent and efficient, he stands high in the estimation of the officials.
He owns fine residence property in West Street where he resides with his wife and one child, having been married in September, 1880, to Miss Lucy Hamilton, daughter of James Hamilton, a carpenter and farmer of Crawford County, Pennsylvania. Ruby C., their only child, is attending school. Mr. Knoblow is affiliated with B. of L.E., Division 43; B. of L.F., No. 207, and Crawford Lodge, No. 734, I.0.0.F.
Excerpted from: "American Locomotive Engineers, Erie Railway Edition," H.R. Romans Editor; Crawford-Adsit Company Publishers, Chicago, IL 1899.
From the July, 1928 issue of Erie Railroad Magazine:
Peter Knoblow, 72 years old, an Erie locomotive engineer for the past 45 years, died recently at Meadville. He is survived by his widow, two daughters, two granddaughters, and by eight other grandchildren, two brothers and two sisters. Mr. Knoblow was a member of St. Paul's Reformed Church; Crawford Lodge 743, I.O.O.F.; Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers; and the L.O.O.M.