Erie Railroad Biography - William J. Walknetz


WILLIAM JULIUS WALKNETZ, Chicago, Illinois.
An engineer of wide experience and thorough training is William J. Walknetz, who has been in the employ of the Erie for the past sixteen years. He was born in Germany, July 28, 1850, and in 1856 his father, William Walknetz, emigrated to America, settling in Michigan City, Indiana. Mr, Walknetz attended school until he was 14 years old, and, having secured a good common school education, he entered more actively into the affairs of life. He worked on a farm for a while, and later at the blacksmith trade. On account of his health he was forced to give up the latter occupation, when he secured a position as truckman for the Michigan Central Railroad at Detroit. He held this place six months, and then accepted a position in an agricultural machine shop at Lafayette, Indiana, where he was engaged in setting up machinery. He left this company to accept a place on the Wabash Railroad at Lafayette, but shortly after he received an offer from the Louisville, New Albany & Chicago Railroad of a position as engine watchman, and accepted. In 1871 he was promoted to fireman, and after two years' service in this capacity he entered the employ of the Cincinnati, Lafayette & Chicago Railroad, firing between Lafayette and Kankakee, Illinois. After thirteen months he was promoted to foreman in roundhouse and engine dispatcher, a place held for three years, when he was promoted to engineer, on February 24, 1876. He ran between Kankakee and Lafayette until 1880, when he resigned and went to the Ohio Central Railroad, where he held a similar position and had various runs until 1883, when he left and entered the employ of the Chicago & Atlantic under Master Mechanic Ackley. He was assigned to construction work on engine 71, and then to engine 51, and while thus engaged assisted in constructing the road to Huntington and Hammond. In his career as an engineer he has run freight fourteen years and passenger nine years. For the past seven years he has had the passenger run on Nos. 9 and 10, and stands high in the esteem of the officials and his fellow citizens of Chicago. In all his wide experience he has never been up for reprimand, never been discharged and never been out of employment since he went to railroading.

He was married in December, 1872, to Miss Sophia Asmuse, daughter of John Asmuse of Pulaski County, Indiana. They have two children, Laura, aged 22, was married in 1897; Nellie, aged 20, a graduate of Chicago High School, lives at home. Mr. Walknetz is a member of B. of L. E., Division 221, and while located at Bucyrus, Ohio, was First Assistant Chief of that Division. He also belongs to Segal Lodge No. 131, I.0.0.F., of Lafayette, Indiana; Masonic Lodge Royal Arch Masons, Kankakee Lodge, No. 389, and North Judson Chapter, No. 104.

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




From a Chicago & Erie Personnel Summary Register, covering @ 1880-1905:
William Walknetz was reprimanded for allowing his fireman to handle engine during his absence and colliding with 65 at Hammond water tank, Sept. 13th, 1889. Also advised that a second offense would result in their dismissal.

Suspended 5 days for taking train orders from the operator at Akron not made out according to rule, Feb. 19, 1890.

SOURCE: P. 208, 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 June, 1915 issue of Erie Railroad Magazine:
John Wonderly, William Walknetz, F.H. Lee, Ed. Thornton, Frank Riley, and Briney O'Connor, C&E Division engineers, are at West Baden, Indiana, drinking the wonderful waters of that resort, for relief of their various ailments.




From the March, 1927 issue of Erie Railroad Magazine:
Engineer William Walknetz has been off duty for several months on account of illness.




From the November, 1927 issue of Erie Railroad Magazine:
Effective Sept. 16, 1927, the following employes of the Marion division of the Erie Railroad were retired on a special allowance:

W. J. WALKNETZ, locomotive engineer, Age 77. Entered the service as engineer on May 18, 1883, and was in continuous service until February, 1926, since which time he had been off duty on account of serious illness.




From the June, 1933 issue of Erie Railroad Magazine:
W.J. Walknetz, 82, retired engineer, died at his home in No. Judson, IN April 25th (1933). "Billy" as he was known by his fellow employes, had served 44 years as an engineer.




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