Darby appears to have been married twice, as his wife at the time of his violent demise was too young to have a child living on it's own in Ireland as his obituary mentions:
April, 1861: Darby
Hogan, who had been for 8 or 9 years, employed by the Central RR as a watchman
and switch tender at the Palmyra Station, was killed Friday morning last by a
train of cars passing over him. Mr.
Hogan was returning home from the station where he had been on duty the night
previous, when he was overtaken by the New York mail train going west. He stepped from the track to allow the train
to pass, and not knowing that the work train was a short distance in the rear
on the same track, he resumed his position on the track- seeing which, the
brakeman on the mail train made a motion with his hands intended as a warning
that another train was close at hand; but Hogan mistaking this for a
salutation, responded cordially, and remained on the track.
The noise made by
the mail train prevented his hearing the approach of the work train – and the
wind blew the smoke to the rear of the train and enveloped Hogan in smoke that
he was not seen by the engineer of the work train in time even to check the
speed of his engine. As soon as the man
was discovered, every means was taken to warn him, by the engineer, and a woman
standing near the tracks, calling him by name and gesticulating violently with
her hands, but such was the noise that he heard not and heeded not. The engine came upon him unawares, throwing
him across the track, and the entire train passing over him. Hogan was nearly severed in twain, the heart
and lungs being thrown some distance.
The men on the work train placed the mangled corpse on a board and
carried it to the former home of the deceased about 6 rods from the scene of
the disaster, where his wife had been awaiting his return home to
breakfast. She had seen him approaching,
and had placed his breakfast upon the table – but alas, instead of her husband
partaking of the goodness she had provided for him, he was ushered into her
presence a mangled corpse. The scene at
the house was heartrending in the extreme, and can better be imagined than
described.
Mr. Hogan was an honest,
industrious and worthy man, an affectionate husband and kind father. His wife and children, frantic with grief,
clung to his mangled remains, unwilling to leave them to allow an inquest. Deceased was born in County Tipperary,
Ireland Dec. 10 1815. He was faithful to
his employer, his family and friends, and to his church. He leaves a wife and 8 children to mourn his
fate. One son is yet in Ireland and is
expected in this country. Who can
imagine his feelings on arrival to find his mother a widow? By his industry and frugality, Hogan had
saved means to purchase and nearly pay for a small, but comfortable house for
his family.
No comments:
Post a Comment