His Life Crushed Out

William Pennington Killed Last Wednesday Night.

He Was Coupling Air Brakes on a Freight Train at Matawan When He Was Caught Between the Cars-He Died Soon Afterward

William P. Pennington of Bridge avenue, Red Bank, a freight brakeman on the New York and Long Branch railroad, was crushed between two freight cars while coupling air brakes at Matawan last Wednesday night. He died shortly afterward while being taken to the Long Branch hospital on a special train.

The accident happened about half-past nine o'clock. A freight train was being made up at Matawan and Pennington was underneath the cars coupling the air brakes. In some manner he got caught between the cars and his sides were crushed in. Just at the waist. How the accident happened is not known, as Mr. Pennington was alone at the time. When rescued from between the cars he asked that his brother-in-law, Henry Grause of Red Bank, be notified, and then lapsed into unconsciousness. He was put on a special train at once and a start was made for the Long Branch hospital. A stop was made at Red Bank and Mr. Grause got on the train. Mr. Pennington did not recognize him and before the hospital was reached he died without having regained consciousness. The body was taken to the hospital and it was brought back to Red Bank the next morning.

Mr. Grause returned to Red Bank the same night but he did not have the courage to tell Mrs. Pennington of her husband's death until four o'clock the next morning. The train on which Mr. Pennington was employed usually lay at Red Bank an hour or so about four o'clock in the morning and Mr. Pennington was in the habit of going home. When Mr. Grause went to break the news to Mrs. Pennington she thought that it was her husband coming home. The news was a great shock to her but she bore up with remarkable fortitude.

Mr. Pennington was 37 years old and was born at Greenwich, N. J. He has a father and mother and several brothers and sisters living at that place. About twelve years ago he married Miss Emily Burdge, daughter of Mrs. Emeline P. Burdge, of Chestnut street. She and four children survive him. The children are Leon, Neva, Harry and Ruth. The oldest is eleven years old and the youngest is eight months old.

Mr. Pennington belonged to the Foresters and the Red Men's lodges. His wife will get death benefits of $1,050 from the Foresters and $100 from the Red Men. He did not belong to the brotherhood of railroad employes.

Mr. Pennington had lived at Red Bank for sixteen years and for twenty years he had been a freight brakeman. The accident which caused his death was the first that he had met with during the twenty years of his railroad service except a very slight injury to his thumb last summer.

The funeral was held at the house on Sunday afternoon. A very large number of people attended the service, so many, in fact that, they could not all get in the house. About 130 members of the Foresters and Red Men's lodges attended the funeral and the bearers were selected form these two lodges. A. L. Davison, Edward Slattery and Ezra Osborn represented the Foresters and G. Henry Lewis, Roger Tansy and John Hackett represented the Red Men. The sermon was preached by Rev. S. H. Thompson and there was special singing by Stella Nesbitt and Viola Headley. The burial was at Fair View cemetery.

Mrs. Pennington has received $150 from the local lodges of which her husband was a member. Mr. Pennington was also insured in the Foresters for $1,000 and this sum will be received by her in a few days. Mr. Pennington owned his home on Bridge avenue, but it was encumbered. The insurance of $1,000 will be sufficient to pay off this encumbrance and leave a small balance in cash remaining. The foresters lodge was organized at Red Bank about four and a half years ago and Mr. Pennington's death is the first that has occurred in the lodge since its organization here.

Source: Red Bank Register, Wednesday, May 1, 1901

Some additional excellent resources for your research are:

• New Jersey Census, 1772-1890 - Ancestry.com

• Calendar of New Jersey Wills, 1670-1760 - Ancestry.com

• Interment.net - NJ ~ New Jersey Cemetery Transcriptions on the net.

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