THOMAS HINCHEY. Buffalo, New York.
Another Buffalo man, who can almost be called a native of the Queen City, is Thomas Hinchey. Although born in Attica, in 1854, his parents removed to Buffalo six months later, and there he has resided ever since, most of the time in the Fourth Ward, formerly the Third. With the other youngsters of the neighborhood, "Tom" attended the public schools, proving an apt scholar. He early manifested, however, a spirit of independence, a longing to go to work, and support himself. So it is that we find him, when only 14 years old, on the payroll of the section, and, a year and a half later, switching in the yards. Here, after three months' service, his partner was killed, and Hinchey's father demanded his son's discharge. This was given on Saturday, June 2, 1872, and for the next six weeks the boy worked in the coal pockets, after which he was put on night work, wiping engines. He then became helper to the hostler, and also fired extra, until 1878, when he was given a regular engine to fire. After two years' service on the rounds he spent a like term on a passenger engine on the Niagara Falls branch, Tony Briggs, engineer. On September 10, 1882, he received his promotion, and the man who, as a boy, had done a laborer's work on the section, whose partner had met death at his post, and who had never flinched from duty, no matter in what capacity, breathed a sigh of well-merited content as he realized that at last, at the comparatively early age of 28, he was master of the engine, and the controller of the destinies of those behind it!

Truly, there is, in his example, a lesson of patience and perseverance well worthy of emulation. For nearly ten years Engineer Hinchey remained on the rounds, finally being given the Lockport way freight, which he ran until August 6, 1893 when he returned to the rounds for another four years. On August 7, 1897, he was given the switching engine at Black Rock, which he ran until July 17 of the following year, when he was transferred to the Attica pusher for two months, after which he returned to the rounds for a short time. On January 1, 1899, he was given trains 90 and 91, which he still retains, running from Hornellsville to Buffalo and Suspension Bridge, and return.

Mr. Hinchey was married to Miss Elizabeth Culliton of Buffalo on August 31, 1874. Nine children have been born to them, of whom but three are now living: Miss Theresa Hinchey, who will graduate from school this year, and who, though only 15 years of age, is already an accomplished musician, and her two brothers, John P. and Joseph A. Hinchey, aged respectively 13 and 10 years, who are now attending school in their native city. Mr. Hinchey is a strong Brotherhood man, having held the office of First Engineer in No. 15 for several terms, and now filling the chair of Guide in the same organization. He is also a devout attendant and communicant at St. Patrick's Church, and is known as a model husband, an indulgent father, and a kind neighbor. Although so devoted a family man, Mr. Hinchey has a large circle of friends, with whom he is very popular. He is intensely interested in politics, and has already been mentioned as a possible candidate for the office of Alderman of the Fourth Ward this fall.

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

From the February, 1915 issue of Erie Railroad Magazine (Buffalo Machine Shop News):
Engineer Hinchey, who was laid up for the past three months, is able to be around again and will soon be able to take his seat in the cab.