WARREN SCOTHORN KELLY, Huntington, Indiana.
W. S. Kelly, one of the Erie's most thorough engineers, was born in Genoa, Ohio, May 25, 1852. His father, Walter W. Kelly, moved to Michigan in 1862. Mr. Kelly attended school until he was 17 years of age, and then he went to work in his father's mill, and for ten years ran a Corliss engine. The close confinement began to tell on his health and he secured a position as engineer on a steamer sailing between Detroit, Cleveland and other ports on the Great Lakes. Having regained his health he quit this position, and secured a place as wiper and machinist's apprentice with the Lake Erie & Western Railroad. In 1880 he was promoted to fireman, and two years later his good record and thorough knowledge of the work secured him promotion to engineer under Master Mechanic H. L. Cooper. He ran freight six years and passenger one year between Lima, Ohio, and Bloomington, Illinois, and other points. In 1889, he resigned to accept a place on the Queen & Crescent Railroad, under Master Mechanic Meehan of Ludlow, Kentucky, and for some time ran on this road between Lexington and Somerset, Kentucky. He received an offer to come to the Erie and accepted it as he would be nearer his home and it would enable him to be amongst his old acquaintances. For the past ten years he has had a fast freight run between Chicago and Galion, and has received many encomiums from his superiors for efficient work. On November 13, l886 he was married to Miss Mattie S. Winter of Lima, Ohio. She is the daughter of Shipman Cummings Winter, proprietor of large grist mills at Holly, Michigan. Mrs. Kelly is a descendant of a colonial family of great prominence and is a charter member of Daughters of the American Revolution of Huntington. Her great-great-grandfather, Samuel Winter, was one of General Wayne's staff, and an active participant in the War of 1776. Her great grandfather, Peter Winter, was a soldier of the War of 1812. Mr. Kelly's father was the Republican nominee for representative from Barry County, Michigan, in 1888. Mr. Kelly is a member of B. of L. E., Division No. 221, also K. of P. of Lima, Ohio. He owns a fine frame residence on Poplar Street, and both he and Mrs. Kelly enjoy the society of a large circle of acquaintances.
Excerpted from: "American Locomotive Engineers, Erie Railway Edition," H.R. Romans Editor; Crawford-Adsit Company Publishers, Chicago, IL 1899.
W.S. KELLY
Suspended 10 days for cutting off engine at Disko. Cutoff on Dec. 5th (1890) and going to Levings switch to flag against No. 12, train was broken in two at time and front part ran into rear part on account of not having sufficient brakes set. Suspended 10 days from June 1st, 1891 for leaving Chicago without full tank of water.
SOURCE: P. 195, 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.
From the February 13, 1909 issue of the Marion Daily Star:
Engineer Warren S. Kelly made a remarkable run between Kenton and Marion Friday morning, with Erie passenger No. 8. Leaving Kenton ten minutes late, Kelly made a spurt running the 24.7 miles between that station and Marion Union Station in twenty-eight minutes. The local railroad men consider this a fine run.