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Scots around the world
A few hard working Scots
By Lu Hickey


JAMES W. FULTON, foreman machinists' departments of Union Pacific Railway Shops, Armstrong, Kan., was appointed to his present position February 1, 1882. He was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in March, 1839; commenced the machinist's trade in 1854, and followed it in his native city until 1866, when he came to the United States; of this time he was employed seven years in Nelson's Hyde Park Locomotive Works. In 1866, he became connected with the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad, in the shops at Chicago, Ill., where he remained until 1870, when he moved to Kansas, and entered the employ of the Union Pacific Railroad at Wyandotte, where he has since remained. He was married in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1882, to Miss M. MacEwan, of that city. They have five children - Agnes, William, Elizabeth, James and Frank. Mr. F. is at present serving his third term on the City

JAMES MACKENZIE, master mechanic Kaw Valley Division Union Pacific Railway, was appointed to his present position in June, 1881. He was born in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire County, Scotland, June 13, 1824. He was apprenticed to the machinist's trade at the age of seventeen years. In 1844, he came to the United States, locating in New York City, where he followed his trade until 1847, when he moved to Schenectady, N. Y., where he worked in the locomotive works some six years. He then moved to Susquehanna, Penn., where he was employed in the New York & Erie Railroad shops, remaining some years. After spending about two years in the employ of the Toronto locomotive works, he returned to New York State; and took charge of the Eagle Foundry, at Troy. About one year later, he returned to the Susquehanna shops. About 1857, he went South to take the position as foreman of the Mobile & Ohio Railroad shops at Memphis, Tenn. During the war, he was in the shops at Chattanooga, Tenn., and remained there after the town was captured by the United States troops, and was afterward at Bowling Green, Nashville, and other points, until about 1875. He then came north, to take the position of foreman of the shops at Jackson, Mich., of the Lansing & Saginaw Railroad. Shortly afterward, he took the same position at Detroit, with the Detroit & Milwaukee Railroad, where he remained a number of years. From this road, he went to the Union Pacific Railway, as foreman of the machine shops. From that was promoted to his present position. He was married in Ayrshire, Scotland, in 1844, to Miss M. White, of that county, who died leaving six children, of whom there survive, John, now Superintendent of the New York, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad; James, Adam, Margaret, now Mrs. John Lindsey; Sarah, now Mrs. William White. He was married to his present wife at Nashville, Tenn. She was Mrs. Sallie (Cook) West, of that city School Board. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. and K. of P.

THOMAS NEWTON, foreman of the wood-working machinery department of the Union Pacific Railroad shops, was appointed to his present position in 1875. He was first connected with the Kansas Pacific Railway in 1872, in the same department of which he is now foreman. He was born near Newcastle-on-Tyne, England, September 21, 1842, of Scotch parentage. His parents moved to Roxburyshire, Scotland, while he was an infant. He commenced as a boy in the saw-mill there, and continued until 1861, when he located in Woodstock, Canada West, where he was employed in a saw-mill about two years; than moved to Detroit, Mich., working for a time in private mills. In 1865, he became connected with the Detroit Car Company shops, remaining about three years; then went to the Michigan Central Railroad shops in the same department remaining there until he went to the Kansas Pacific Railroad. He was married in Detroit, Mich., January 2, 1873, to Miss Josephine MacQuillin, a native of Monroe, Mich. They have three children - George C., Thomas W. and William R. Mr. N. is a member of the Blue Lodge, Chapter and Council, A., F. & A. M., and also of the I. O. O. F.

THOMAS B. ROBERTS, master car builder in the Union Pacific Railroad shops, was appointed to his present position August 18,1871, and has held it continuously since. He began his connection with railroad work about 1858, under William Dodd, contractor of bridges and buildings in the Great Western Railroad, of Canada, at Toronto, and was afterward employed in the car building department of that road. He then moved to Detroit, where he was appointed foreman of the car building department of the Detroit & Milwaukee Railroad. Remained in the employ of this company from August 15, 1860 until August 15, 1865. He then resigned, and took the position of general foreman of the Crogan street car shops for H. H. Leroy. He continued in this place from August 18, 1865, to July18, 1867, when he was called by Supt. J. B. Southerland to the Michigan Central Railroad, to take charge of the shops of the company at Detroit. He held the position of foreman of the shops here from July 18, 1867, until August 15, 1871, when he resigned to take his present position. He was born in Bromley, England, December 18, 1828. His parents moved to Toronto, Canada, about 1831, where he commenced his trade at the age of fifteen years. He spent six years at carpentering, joining, stair building, etc. He then went into contracting and building on his own account, putting up mills, etc., until 1858. He was married at Thornhill, near Toronto, Canada, to Miss Nancy Dunlap, a native of Edinburgh, Scotland. They have eleven children - Thomas G., David R., Joseph, John, James, Emily A., Susan J. Ellen O., Margaret, Minnie and Elmira. Mr. Roberts has been a member of the City Council two terms. He is Royal Arch Mason and a member of the Eastern Star Lodge, and also the K. of P

WILLIAM WHITE, foreman of the copper and tin department of the Union Pacific Railroad shops, was appointed to his present position in 1870. He was born in Glasgow, Scotland, September 17, 1843. He began his trade at the age of twelve years, and followed it in his native city until he came to the United States in 1868. He settled in Chicago, where he was employed at distillery work until 1870, when he was called by George W. Cushing, Superintendent of motive power, to take his present position. Mr. White was married in Wyandotte, Kan., to Miss Sarah Mackenzie, daughter of James Mackenzie, Esq.

DAVID S. YOUNG, real estate agent at Argentine, and Wyandotte, also clothing merchant, Wyandotte; came to Kansas November, 1869, and located at Argentine; purchased 200 acres of land near Argentine, at $14.50 per acre; sold 100 acres soon afterward for $25 per acre, and 60 acres in 1876 for $100 per acre, and the last 40 acres for $150 per acre. He was engaged in farming for several years after coming to Kansas, and raised the first broom corn and sorghum ever cultivated in Wyandotte County. He has served as Township Trustee three terms, and is at present engaged in the real estate business with an office at Argentine, and also at Wyandotte City. He is also engaged in mercantile business in Wyandotte. He was born in Prince Edward County, Canada, August 7, 1822, son of William and Margaret Young. He is of Scotch Irish descent, and has a remarkably active brain with a turn for speculating, and is regarded one of the shrewdest business men in Wyandotte County. He was educated in the public schools of Canada, and reared on a farm; taught school one year, and at the age of nineteen years engaged in the mercantile business as clerk in the town of Wellington for a short time; then managed a farm and at the same time engaged in a general speculating business until he sold out and moved to Clay County, Mo., in the year 1865. He lived in Missouri till the fall of 1869, when he came to Kansas. He was married in Wellington, Canada, December 24, 1850, to Minerva Lane, by whom he had two children - Anna and Emma J. Young. His first wife died in 1853, and in 1854 he was married a second time in Wellington to Mary Short, daughter of Adam and Mary Short, by whom he has six children - Maggie, Mamie, William, John, Frankie and Edith Young. Mr. Young is a worthy Mason, and a member of the Equitable Aid's Union.

Here are but a few Scots that molded and formed the western plains of the United States.  With the advent of the railroads to the western movement, a quality of life was as such as never before.  Hundreds of communities were formed by the preserverance and fortitude of the zealous Scot.


 


 


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