"Uncle Elihu was a fine upstanding man, big-hearted and generous. In his young manhood he must have joined some military organization for I vaguely remember when I was a little girl, he came to our house dressed in military attire. He had been stationed in the far west an was on his way home...he kept a grocery store in the village of Lewiston NY. Finally he became a railroad engineer (1879). He had operated an engine continuously for 34 years. Not only was he one of the oldest men in point of service but was also one of the best know and popular men on the St. Lawrence division." (Anna Hayward, page 35 Vol 11)

"He first began railroading in 1879, on the old Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg which then ran from Lewiston to Niagara Falls over the New York Central tracks. He was made a hostler at Lewiston Junction while the old Canandaigua road was being build from that point over the hill. After a short time he was given charge of the engine house at Charlotte and remained there about six months, coming to this city in 1882 where he has since resided. About a year later he was made engineman. Says an obituary from Watertown, NY, titled "Dies when about to Start Engine, Locomotive Engineer Victim of Heart Trouble."

"At one time Uncle Elihu was in a Railroad accident and was severely burned on his legs. For some reason these burns did not heal. After months of illness with no apparent gain, my father decided to offer a remedy. There was an old fashioned remedy which father compounded after an old rule. He called it "Black Salve". Armed with a supply of this salve, Father went to Watertown to visit Uncle Elihu. The remedy proved effective and Uncle Elihu never forgot it. He always felt he owed his regained health to Father's help." (Anna Hayward Merritt in Vol 11)