Big Give appreciation and some railroad characters

If you question the monetary gifts and the value they bring to the organizations who receive them, I can assure you that Southwest Nebraska Genealogical Society and the High Plains Historical Society (Museum of the High Plains) not only appreciate your giving but are also blessed by your giving which allows both to accomplish goals that would not be possible without the Big Give. The base budget of most non-profit organizations is extremely limited, and even small donations make a difference in how they can serve their mission goals. As a member of both, I thank you for your support.

During November, the museum is hosting the Sheldon Art Exhibit. Many classes from McCook Public Schools are coming to view and learn about the artists and their works. When each class comes to the museum, one of the board members is there to open the doors.

This last Monday I was present during the day and had planned to do productive things but ended up in the Railroad room going through scrapbooks and picture albums reading articles and viewing photos of people that were friends of my parents over the years. The information contained is substantial and photos of wrecks, employees, floods and the 1949 blizzard are haunting.

It reminded me that I had found an article in the 1957 Diamond Jubilee held June 5-8 celebrating the 75th birthday of McCook that told of Harry Culbertson’s recalling some of the ‘characters’ he worked with on the railroad.

“There was Big Jack Fitzpatrick. One day he came up to Culbertson, then a young machinist’s helper in the roundhouse. ‘Kid, I want two bucks. Engineer so-and-so has been sick so long his family is in need.’ Culbertson gave him $2. A few days later he came back.”

“’Kid, we got $200, and I want you to take it up to his wife.’”

“’No, Jack, you got it together and it’s your place to give it to her.’ Big Jack replied, ‘No, I’d look like hell talking to a good woman like her.”

“Finally, they both took the money up. Culbertson had described Big Jack as a man with the hobby of getting liquored up and looking for a scrap.”

“Then there was Windy Reynolds, gabby but not dumb. Culbertson and Reynolds had made quite a hard trip on a local into Akron, Colo. They were hungry. While they were washing up, Windy turned to Culbertson. ‘Kid, loan me a dollar. I’m completely broke.’’’

“I can’t Wind. I’ve only got a dollar and need it for my own until we get back to McCook.”

“’Well, guess I’ll have to work something up,’ replied Windy.”

“At the restaurant Windy ordered a piece of pie. Espying a fat cockroach, he picked it up and chucked it into the pie crust. He attracted the owner’s attention by mincing a bit of the crust. The owner walked up. ‘Anything wrong,’ he asked and lifted up the pie. Out darted the cockroach.”

“Windy immediately put on a show of not feeling too good. He rushed out as if he were going to be sick. The owner followed, trying to comfort Windy. He solicitously suggested that Windy go to bed. Windy accepted. In a short time, the owner came up to Windy’s room with some supper and a half pint. Windy stayed there all night and got a big breakfast the next morning. All free.”

The house for sale at 801 East 1st was built by a Culbertson, Henry; and I had hoped that there was a relationship between Harry and Henry. Both worked for the railroad and yet the Harold that was Henry’s son was not the Harry mentioned here. Through Ancestry I searched Henry’s tree without success.

When reading the articles contained in one of the scrapbooks, the infamous wreck of two trains east of McCook in which several passengers were killed, I found another Culbertson man, a newlywed, who died along with his wife. More research is called for. The couple were on their honeymoon when the train wreck occurred. Now I want to know if they were related to either of the Culbertson men.

History is fascinating! Genealogy records abound at the SWNGS library and online at the website: www.swngs.org. Our library is located at 322 Norris Ave., Suite 2-7 and we are open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1-4 PM. For our out-of-town visitors, two phone numbers are on the door for volunteers who will meet you to open it and help you with your research.