From Contributor Ronald Finch (48609821):
One of the historic properties that Historic Waxahachie Inc. is featuring on the 2021 Christmas Tour of Homes is a railroad freight depot that has recently been renovated and repurposed as a craft brewery. While researching the history of the Trinity and Brazos Valley Railroad and the Waxahachie freight depot at 421 S. College Street in particular, an event surfaced that uncovered an unsung hero named C.L. Cohen.
Charmer Leopold Cohen, most often called C.L., Leopold, Leo, or Ikey, worked as a telegraph boy before age 16 at Cameron, located in Milam County, Texas. Western Union employed telegraph operators at rail stations. C.L. was transferred from his Fort Worth station to Waxahachie shortly after the T&BV started operating in the summer of 1907.
On August 22, 1907, a mother and daughter had exited a 1:00 P.M. train and were crossing tracks when a T&BV engine started backing up freight cars that were about to crush the young girl. Spying this, Leo sprang from his station, leapt to the tracks, and pushed the girl out of harm's way. He prevented certain death for the child while sustaining slight injuries to himself. Leo's act of courage was not long celebrated in Waxahachie, after he resigned from hist T&BV post and transferred to Santa Fe Railway at the end of October.
C.L. remained an independent contractor for Western Union, stationed at Austin, then Belton, where he was promoted to station manager. In Bell County he became known as "Ikey", possibly after a well-known fictional character of newsprint serials. He was admired for his quick tapping of the telegraph, including play-by-play of sporting events.
C.L. Cohen married Miss Annie Lee Parker in a Baptist service (Leo was Jewish) July of 1918, and registered for the WWI draft later that year. Long hours and different faiths likely factored into their divorce.
C.L. returned home to Cameron, buying 25-acres of land in 1938, and helping his siblings run the family grocery business. He remained an independent contractor for Western Union and Santa Fe. During 1945, he was stationed at Abilene, and slept on a cot at the station. When he got 2-days off from his grueling 3:00-11:00 P.M. shift, he fished at Lake Lawn near his temporary home. Leo probably worked more than 50-years until his failing health forced retirement. His permanent residence was listed as Cameron when he died in a Temple hospital in 1955 at the age of 71.
One of the historic properties that Historic Waxahachie Inc. is featuring on the 2021 Christmas Tour of Homes is a railroad freight depot that has recently been renovated and repurposed as a craft brewery. While researching the history of the Trinity and Brazos Valley Railroad and the Waxahachie freight depot at 421 S. College Street in particular, an event surfaced that uncovered an unsung hero named C.L. Cohen.
Charmer Leopold Cohen, most often called C.L., Leopold, Leo, or Ikey, worked as a telegraph boy before age 16 at Cameron, located in Milam County, Texas. Western Union employed telegraph operators at rail stations. C.L. was transferred from his Fort Worth station to Waxahachie shortly after the T&BV started operating in the summer of 1907.
On August 22, 1907, a mother and daughter had exited a 1:00 P.M. train and were crossing tracks when a T&BV engine started backing up freight cars that were about to crush the young girl. Spying this, Leo sprang from his station, leapt to the tracks, and pushed the girl out of harm's way. He prevented certain death for the child while sustaining slight injuries to himself. Leo's act of courage was not long celebrated in Waxahachie, after he resigned from hist T&BV post and transferred to Santa Fe Railway at the end of October.
C.L. remained an independent contractor for Western Union, stationed at Austin, then Belton, where he was promoted to station manager. In Bell County he became known as "Ikey", possibly after a well-known fictional character of newsprint serials. He was admired for his quick tapping of the telegraph, including play-by-play of sporting events.
C.L. Cohen married Miss Annie Lee Parker in a Baptist service (Leo was Jewish) July of 1918, and registered for the WWI draft later that year. Long hours and different faiths likely factored into their divorce.
C.L. returned home to Cameron, buying 25-acres of land in 1938, and helping his siblings run the family grocery business. He remained an independent contractor for Western Union and Santa Fe. During 1945, he was stationed at Abilene, and slept on a cot at the station. When he got 2-days off from his grueling 3:00-11:00 P.M. shift, he fished at Lake Lawn near his temporary home. Leo probably worked more than 50-years until his failing health forced retirement. His permanent residence was listed as Cameron when he died in a Temple hospital in 1955 at the age of 71.
From Contributor Ronald Finch (48609821):
One of the historic properties that Historic Waxahachie Inc. is featuring on the 2021 Christmas Tour of Homes is a railroad freight depot that has recently been renovated and repurposed as a craft brewery. While researching the history of the Trinity and Brazos Valley Railroad and the Waxahachie freight depot at 421 S. College Street in particular, an event surfaced that uncovered an unsung hero named C.L. Cohen.
Charmer Leopold Cohen, most often called C.L., Leopold, Leo, or Ikey, worked as a telegraph boy before age 16 at Cameron, located in Milam County, Texas. Western Union employed telegraph operators at rail stations. C.L. was transferred from his Fort Worth station to Waxahachie shortly after the T&BV started operating in the summer of 1907.
On August 22, 1907, a mother and daughter had exited a 1:00 P.M. train and were crossing tracks when a T&BV engine started backing up freight cars that were about to crush the young girl. Spying this, Leo sprang from his station, leapt to the tracks, and pushed the girl out of harm's way. He prevented certain death for the child while sustaining slight injuries to himself. Leo's act of courage was not long celebrated in Waxahachie, after he resigned from hist T&BV post and transferred to Santa Fe Railway at the end of October.
C.L. remained an independent contractor for Western Union, stationed at Austin, then Belton, where he was promoted to station manager. In Bell County he became known as "Ikey", possibly after a well-known fictional character of newsprint serials. He was admired for his quick tapping of the telegraph, including play-by-play of sporting events.
C.L. Cohen married Miss Annie Lee Parker in a Baptist service (Leo was Jewish) July of 1918, and registered for the WWI draft later that year. Long hours and different faiths likely factored into their divorce.
C.L. returned home to Cameron, buying 25-acres of land in 1938, and helping his siblings run the family grocery business. He remained an independent contractor for Western Union and Santa Fe. During 1945, he was stationed at Abilene, and slept on a cot at the station. When he got 2-days off from his grueling 3:00-11:00 P.M. shift, he fished at Lake Lawn near his temporary home. Leo probably worked more than 50-years until his failing health forced retirement. His permanent residence was listed as Cameron when he died in a Temple hospital in 1955 at the age of 71.
One of the historic properties that Historic Waxahachie Inc. is featuring on the 2021 Christmas Tour of Homes is a railroad freight depot that has recently been renovated and repurposed as a craft brewery. While researching the history of the Trinity and Brazos Valley Railroad and the Waxahachie freight depot at 421 S. College Street in particular, an event surfaced that uncovered an unsung hero named C.L. Cohen.
Charmer Leopold Cohen, most often called C.L., Leopold, Leo, or Ikey, worked as a telegraph boy before age 16 at Cameron, located in Milam County, Texas. Western Union employed telegraph operators at rail stations. C.L. was transferred from his Fort Worth station to Waxahachie shortly after the T&BV started operating in the summer of 1907.
On August 22, 1907, a mother and daughter had exited a 1:00 P.M. train and were crossing tracks when a T&BV engine started backing up freight cars that were about to crush the young girl. Spying this, Leo sprang from his station, leapt to the tracks, and pushed the girl out of harm's way. He prevented certain death for the child while sustaining slight injuries to himself. Leo's act of courage was not long celebrated in Waxahachie, after he resigned from hist T&BV post and transferred to Santa Fe Railway at the end of October.
C.L. remained an independent contractor for Western Union, stationed at Austin, then Belton, where he was promoted to station manager. In Bell County he became known as "Ikey", possibly after a well-known fictional character of newsprint serials. He was admired for his quick tapping of the telegraph, including play-by-play of sporting events.
C.L. Cohen married Miss Annie Lee Parker in a Baptist service (Leo was Jewish) July of 1918, and registered for the WWI draft later that year. Long hours and different faiths likely factored into their divorce.
C.L. returned home to Cameron, buying 25-acres of land in 1938, and helping his siblings run the family grocery business. He remained an independent contractor for Western Union and Santa Fe. During 1945, he was stationed at Abilene, and slept on a cot at the station. When he got 2-days off from his grueling 3:00-11:00 P.M. shift, he fished at Lake Lawn near his temporary home. Leo probably worked more than 50-years until his failing health forced retirement. His permanent residence was listed as Cameron when he died in a Temple hospital in 1955 at the age of 71.
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