RICHARD FOLLAND, Chicago, Illinois.
Richard Folland, whose father was John Folland, a farmer of Devonshire, England, was born December l8, 1852, in that country, and after attending school until he was 11 years of age, went to work on his
father's farm. In the spring of 1871, he emigrated to Canada, settling near St. Thomas, where he worked as a farmer for two years, then entering the employ of the Great Western Railway as a fireman. In this capacity he served seven years on freight and one year on passenger, being promoted to engineer in the fall of 1881. He ran two years on the Great Western and then changed to the Canadian Pacific, where he remained one year, coming to the Erie in 1885. For four years he pulled freight between Chicago and Huntington, and then was given a switch engine in the Chicago yards, where he has continued for the past ten years. Mr. Folland is a careful, capable runner, and his work has always been of such a character as to win the approval of his superiors and command the respect of his brother engineers.
January 22, 1875, he was united in marriage to Miss Julia Harriett Locke, daughter of William Locke, a hotel keeper of Niagara Falls, and eight children have been born to them. Ernest Charles, aged 23, is a fireman on the Monon Railroad; May, aged 19, has completed her education and is at home; Benjamin, aged 21, and George, 16, are attending high school; Albert, aged 13; Fred, ll, and Leonard, 9, are attending school, while Irene, a bright little miss of 5, makes their home the happier for her presence. Mrs. Folland is a member of L. 0. T. M., Electric Hive No. 39, and is greatly interested in its affairs. Mr. Folland belongs to Lake Division No. 302, B. of L. E.; K. 0. T. M.; Grand Lodge No. 53, I. 0. 0. F., of Niagara Falls, and Douglas Council No. 28, 0. C. F., of Chicago. He owns a pleasant home on Morgan street, and is highly respected by all his acquaintances.
Excerpted from: "American Locomotive Engineers, Erie Railway Edition," H.R. Romans Editor; Crawford-Adsit Company Publishers, Chicago, IL 1899.
Richard Folland
March 5, 1885, employed as engineer, Chicago Yard. Suspended 10 days from June 15th for running by semaphore just south of 81st Street and ran into side of Belt Railway train on June 10, 1889.
SOURCE: P. 186, Chicago & Erie Railroad Employment Summary Book, ledger book covering @ 1880-1905. Collection of Nick Pappas. Transcription by Jim Sponholz (c) 2007.
From the January, 1920 issue of Erie Railroad Magazine (Chicago 51st. St. Yard News):
Engineman Richard Folland is on the sick list.
From the April, 1923 issue of Erie Railroad Magazine:
Senior Engineer of the Chicago Region
Richard Folland, senior engineer on the roster of the Chicago division, is a native of Canada and was born December 12, 1852. He began his railroad career in November, 1872, as blacksmith helper in the blacksmith shop of the Kansas Southern Railroad, now the Michigan Central Railroad, and worked in that capacity until May 23, 1873.
He then accepted employment as locomotive fireman on the Grand Trunk Railroad, which at that time was known as the Great Western Railroad of Canada, May 25, 1873. He was employed in that capacity until November, 1881, when he was promoted to locomotive engineer. He resigned in October, 1883, and was employed as locomotive engineer on the Canadian Pacific Railroad, November 1, 1883. He remained with that company for one year, at which time he resigned to take employment with the Chicago & Atlantic Railroad, now a part of the Erie System, uner Master Mechanic Dowell. Previous to coming to the C&A, he had been employed by Mr. Dowell's father on the Great Western Railroad.
Engineer Folland's services date back to March 5, 1885, at which time he was employed by the Erie, which he has served so well up to the present time.
From the August, 1924 issue of Erie Railroad Magazine:
Mrs. R. Folland, wife of engineer R. Folland and mother of engineer B. Folland, died July 2 (1924). The sympathy of the Erie employees has been extended to the bereaved family.
From the September, 1926 issue of Erie Railroad Magazine:
RICHARD FOLLAND, senior engineer on the roster of the Chicago division of the Erie Railroad, died June 20 (1926) at his home in Chicago.
He was born in Canada, Dec. 12, 1852. Just before his twentieth birthday he began work in the blacksmith shop of the Kansas Southern Railroad, now the Michigan Central. Six months later he became a locomotive fireman on the employed in that capacity until November, 1881, when he was promoted to locomotive engineer. On Nov. 1, 1883, he became locomotive engineer on the Canadian Pacific Railroad. In March, 1885, he took employment with the Chicago & Atlantic Railroad, now a part of the Erie system. Mr. Folland's service with the Erie thus covered a period of over forty-one years and his record was to his honor.