History of the 
 
 A. & G. W. R. 
 
 Address of Marvin Kent at Fifth 
 Annual Reunion of Old A. & G. 
 W. Employes, Randolph Park, 
 near Kent, O., Aug. 26, '99. 
 
35 ^ 
 
 Address of Marvin Kent at Fifth 
 Annual Reunion of Old A, & G. 
 W. Employes, Randolph Park, 
 near Kent, O., Aug. 26, f 99. 
 
 \ 
 
 4W>0l 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2017 with funding from 
 
 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Alternates 
 
 https://archive.org/details/historyofagwrradOOkent 
 
Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen : 
 
 Prior to the year 1847 the Cleveland 
 & Pittsburg Railroad was projected, at 
 which date active steps were taken for 
 its construction and efforts were made 
 by leading citizens of Kent (then known 
 as the village of Franklin,) to secure its 
 location, and a large subscription to its 
 capital stock was obtained and tendered 
 to that company, which would no doubt 
 have been satisfactory to them. But as 
 some of the directors and principal offi- 
 cers were residents of Ravenna, which 
 was our rival town, their efforts and in- 
 fluence were used to defeat our interests 
 as well as, I believe, the best interests 
 of the C. & P. Railroad Co. Thus de- 
 feated, the following winter we applied 
 to the legislature for a plank road char- 
 ter. This was also defeated through in- 
 trigue of the same influence. At the 
 next session of the legislature we applied 
 aud secured a railroad charter, and to 
 cover our plans a bill was drafted and 
 introduced uuder the name and style of 
 the Coal Hill R. R. Co. Upon the last 
 reading of the bill the name was chang- 
 ed to the Franklin & Warren R. R., 
 pretending that it was to construct a 
 branch road from the C. & P. R. R. to 
 the coalfields in Tallmadge, O., and 
 otherwise. 
 
 The scheme was a success and the 
 charter became a law March 10, 1851. 
 The subscription books were soon 
 opened, but the charter required an orig- 
 inal subscription of $20,000 to the capi- 
 tal stock. There being no one willing 
 to invest in the undertaking]; subscribed 
 the whole Amount myself, and others 
 subscribed oue share each to make 
 themselves eligible as directors, two of 
 which I assumed the payment of their 
 subscriptions. Thus far the require- 
 ments of the law were supplied, and on 
 the 19th day of June, 1851, a board of 
 directors was chosen, and finding no 
 suitable person who was willing to as- 
 sume the responsibilities of the office of 
 president, I was chosen, and immediate- 
 ly entered upon its duties and require- 
 ments, and after spending much time 
 
 in the work of presenting my projected 
 road to parties interested in New York 
 Oity and elsewhere, without receiving 
 much substantial encouragement, but 
 obtaining much information, I contin- 
 ued my efforts aud found that certain 
 steps were necessary to secure confidence 
 aud credit in the enterprise. I finally 
 succeeded, the result of which is herein- 
 after set forth. 
 
 The assemblage of the late employees 
 of the old and original Atlantic & Great 
 Western Railroad is an event of the 
 most interesting character, not only to 
 the employees themselves, but to the 
 originator and promotors of the project, 
 which latter I regard highly compli- 
 mentary to them. While most of the 
 original promotors of that great work 
 have passed away, there are a few yet 
 living. Among those most conspicuous 
 may be named William Reynolds, of 
 Meadville, Pa., who was the first presi- 
 dent of the A. & G. W. R. R., of Pa. 
 and the A. & G. W. R. R. in N. Y. 
 
 The incorporation of the former com- 
 pany was secured May 20, 1857, under 
 the name and style of the Meadville 
 Railroad Go. and approved by the Gov- 
 ernor of that state July 3, 1857, the 
 name of which was afterwards changed 
 by the same authority April 15, 1858, to 
 that of the Atlantic & Great Western 
 Railroad Co., of Pa., and William Rey- 
 nolds was as above stated, chosen its 
 president. 
 
 The organization of the &. & G. W. 
 R. R. Co. in N. Y. was completed May 
 17, 1859, aud certified to by the secretary 
 of state of the state of New York on the 
 18th day of May, 1860. But the under- 
 signed was the originator and projector 
 of the entire line from Salamanca, N. Y. 
 to Dayton, O., and drafted and obtained 
 the charter for the Ohio portion of the 
 road, which became a law March 10, 
 1851, and was chosen its first president 
 June 19, 1851, at which date its organi- 
 zation was completed aud with the ex- 
 ception of an interval of about three 
 years was continued its president un- 
 til Sept. 30, 1864. 
 
The question of procuring legal au- 
 thority to construct a railroad through 
 the state of Pennsylvania, to connect 
 with another railroad in the state of 
 New York, by which a connection with 
 the Erie R. R. was to be accomplished, 
 greatly embarrassed the prospects of the 
 enterprise, but this embarrassment was 
 finally in a raauner removed, through 
 the efforts and at the instance of the A. 
 & G. W. R. R., of Ohio, and its friends, 
 by an arrangement with Henry A. 
 Kent, of N. Y., and John P. Reznor, of 
 Cincinnati, O., and their associates 
 who were empowered to purchase a 
 majority of the capital stock of the 
 Pittsburg and Erie R. R. Co., which 
 contained branching powers sufficient 
 to span that state. 
 
 This purchase was accomplished Jan- 
 uary 1, 1853, and on April 26, 1853, a 
 contract was entered into with J. Cham 
 berlain & Oo. for its construction. 
 
 There were many other factors which 
 contributed to the achievement and 
 final construction of the A. & G. W. 
 R. R. Among the most important was 
 to secure an adequate subscription to 
 the capital stock of the compauy at the 
 different points along the line of the 
 road. By a conference with railroad 
 men and capitalists it was thought 
 necessary to obtain a stock subscription 
 of about one million dollars which 
 amount it was thought would establish 
 sufficient basis to warrant the sale of 
 its first mortgage bonds at par and be 
 sufficient to pay for the right of way 
 and prepare the road-bed for the super- 
 structure between Dayton, O , and the 
 Pennsylvania line, which sum it was 
 also thought would create a basis suf- 
 ficient to insure the construction of the 
 road between these two points. 
 
 After extraordinary efforts by the offi- 
 cers and directors of the A. & G. W. R. 
 R., of Ohio, and the citizens along the 
 liue, almost unexampled success reward- 
 ed their efforts, by which a subscription 
 to the capital stock of the company of 
 about $900,000 was secured, which was 
 regarded a sufficient basis on which to 
 
 commence active operations. Accord- 
 ingly the engineer in-chief of the com- 
 pany was instructed to locate aud pre- 
 pare the road bed from Dayton to the 
 Pennsylvania State line for its super- 
 structure, which being accomplished, 
 the work was advertised for construc- 
 tion aud bids were received therefor, 
 after which it was found that Henry 
 Doolittle, of Dayton, a popular contrac- 
 tor who was associated with Messrs J. 
 and S. Chamberlain, of Cleveland, aud 
 Robert M. Shoemaker, of Cincinnati, 
 had furnished the best and most favora- 
 ble bid for the work, consequently a 
 contract was entered into Juue, 1853, with 
 Mr. Doolittle awarding him the contract 
 for the grading and preparing the road 
 bed for the superstructure and other 
 work of the entire liue in the State of 
 Ohio. Accordingly, on the 4th day of 
 J uly, 1853, I had the pleasure of remov- 
 ing the first shovel full of earth on the 
 line at Kent, O., aud thereafter the 
 work progressed rapidly for a limited 
 period, and until about forty-five per 
 cent. of the grading was done and as was 
 anticipated iu the early days of the en- 
 terprise, and during the active progress 
 of the work, further subscriptions to the 
 capital stock of the company were se- 
 cured in various ways, so that with that 
 previously obtained the whole amount 
 reached the sum of $1,038,930. It will 
 be seen that the compauy had secured its 
 full anticipations. But soon after these 
 successful accomplishments a great and 
 almost unprecedented stringency in the 
 money market occurred, and at the same 
 time an unusually severe drouth visited 
 the entire country. 
 
 Both combined, caused a great de- 
 pression in railroad stocks, bonds aud 
 other securities. This with the repudia- 
 tion of a large proportion of the stock- 
 holders to pay theii installments, caused 
 a suspension of the work. Consequently 
 from this time on, until 1862, but little 
 work was done. But, during the inter- 
 im, efforts were beiug constantly made 
 to secure the means from other 
 sources to complete the work. 
 
Previous to this and down to the re- 
 sumption of the work, the affairs of the 
 company were maintained by the indi- 
 vidual support of the president and his 
 friends, and associates, among whom no 
 one was intitled to greater credit than 
 Henry A. Kent, of New York City. 
 
 Through my connection with the old 
 Franklin Bank, of Portage county, the 
 predecessor of the present Kent Nation- 
 al Bank, of Kent, O., a debt was creat- 
 ed, which when paid, with the interest 
 thereon, amounted to about the sum of 
 $70,000. My father being president of 
 the bank at the time, he and other lead- 
 ing stockholders of that institution look- 
 ed upon this indebtedness as a bad debt-, 
 and I was personally charged with being 
 its author, which was a sore reflection 
 iipon me. 
 
 My own liabilities for the benefit of 
 the A. & G. W. were such, that when 
 defaulted, the sheriff made me a visit 
 and levied upon every foot of real estate 
 that I then owned. But it being then 
 valued at nearly seventy-fire thousand 
 dollars and had to be sold as a whole, 
 aud there being no bidders at the first of- 
 fer of sale, it was reappraised and offered 
 again by the sheriff, but without secur- 
 ing a bid. 
 
 The judgment thus created came from 
 Clark county O., aud stood over me until 
 after the work on the road was com- 
 menced iu earnest under the contract 
 with James Henry, Esq. 
 
 As a corroboration of the foregoing 
 remarks iu reference to the trials aud 
 tribulations as above set forth, I will 
 here give an extract from a letter writ- 
 ten by S. S. L’Hommedieu, Esq., presi- 
 dent of the Cincinnati, Hamilton & 
 Dayton Railroad Co., dared Jan. 10, 
 1865, addressed to Robt. H. Berdell, 
 Esq., president of the Erie R. R. Co., 
 which is is as follows: “For a time 
 much attention was attracted to the 
 proposed new road (meaning the A. & 
 G. W. R. R ) aud handsome subsorip 
 tions made to the stock at Dayton aud 
 other points. But the zeal of its friends 
 wore away, aud the Erie company had 
 
 enough use for its earnings on the road 
 already built aud could not give it ma- 
 terial aid. For years the project slept, 
 and probably would not have again 
 awakened had it not been for the nurs- 
 ing of a few such men as Marvin Kent, 
 of Frauklin Mills, O.” By the above 
 statement you can realize the kind of 
 nurse I was at that time. 
 
 As a sample of the opposition incurred 
 during the progress of this work, I here 
 give you another extract from the same 
 letter which is as follows : “You may 
 judge of my surprise when I was sum- 
 moned to New York together wit h Gov. 
 Deuuisou, Judge Swan, A. Stone, L. M. 
 Hubby and W. H. Clement in the latter 
 part of March, 1863, to decide the em- 
 barrassing question, whether our road 
 would provide for the Broad or Erie 
 gauge on ‘our tracks, or have a great 
 rival line along side of us from the 
 north-eastern to the south-western por- 
 tion of our state, connecting with a sim- 
 ilar gauge at Cincinnati for St. Louis. 
 
 “When I reached the Metropolitan 
 Hotel I found all of the experienced 
 gentlemen named, in deep and earnest 
 conversation, waiting my arrival. The 
 question being explained to me, I was at 
 first disposed to treat it as a scare. 
 Hubby aud Stone looked grave and won- 
 derfully concerned and assured me it 
 was indeed a reality, aud that no time 
 was to be lost in making peace with Mr. 
 Keunard, the representative of the great 
 broad gauge, who could command all 
 the wealth of England and Spaiu. 
 
 “The president of the Lake Shore road, 
 Mr. Stone, lost no time in making a con- 
 tract by which he agreed to build a 
 branch road and provide or extend the 
 broad gauge into Cleveland. 
 
 “Mr. Hubby, president of the C , C. & 
 C., also contracted to provide the broad 
 gauge from Crestline to Springfield, a 
 distance of nearly ninety miles, Messrs. 
 Clements, Swan aud Dennison to build 
 it from thence to Daytou, and our com- 
 pany from thence to Cincinnati. All 
 seemed settled The friends parted, 
 each one feeling that he had passed 
 
through a severe storm of thuuder and 
 lightning and had escaped unhurt. 
 Who was it that unsettled this grand 
 program? No less a personage than 
 that indomitable strong headed and 
 strong minded Dean Richmond, the great 
 competitor of the Erie company. He 
 said to Mr. Stone, you must back square 
 out of your contract with the A. & G. 
 W. or I will build another road from 
 Erie to Cleveland ! Mr. Stone begged 
 pardon and sought and obtained release 
 from Mr. Kenuard. Our friend, Mr. 
 Hubby, president of the C.,C. & C., had 
 submitted his part of the program to the 
 stockholders, and obtained a formal 
 vote approving the same. But all at 
 once a wonderful change came over his 
 mind. Whether Dean Richmond or the 
 frightened Amasa Stone, had wrought 
 a change in him I am not advised. He 
 at all events backed out and urged that 
 his friends of the L. M. and C. & X. 
 and of the C., H. & D. should do the 
 same, declaring the whole affair of the 
 A & G. W. to be a humbug and a myth 
 etc., etc/’ 
 
 Mr. L’Hommedieu would not commit 
 himself to this arrangement and defer- 
 red any decision until after having an 
 opportunity of full conference with the 
 president of the Erie company. 
 
 This New York meeting was a private 
 one, disconnected with any official of 
 the A. & G. W. R. R., with the excep- 
 tion of Mr. Kennard.who also represent- 
 ed the European parties. But in some 
 way I was informed of what was going 
 on, and my information was that the A. 
 & G. W. road would be built to Akron, 
 O., and there end. Thus you see the 
 immense influence and opposition with 
 which the A. & G. W. R. R. had to 
 contend, which was in this case a 
 virtual indorsement of the great import- 
 ance of the road by the greatest railroad 
 magnates of Ohio. But soon after this 
 meeting, Mr. Kenuard called on me for 
 more bonds in payment for work, at 
 which time I informed him of what I 
 had heard in regard to terminating the 
 construction of the work at Akron, and 
 
 that he had already been paid for con- 
 structing the road to that point. Under 
 these circumstances I did not feel at lib- 
 erty to comply with his demands, but 
 intimated to him that when he com- 
 menced work west of Akron, I would 
 also be ready to fulfill the obligations of 
 the company. In this I was supported 
 by a majority of the board of directors, 
 as they were located west of Akron and 
 were unwilling to submit to auy such 
 arrangement and I assured Mr. Ken- 
 nard that the first and original encour- 
 agement, to build the A. & G. W. R. R. 
 came from points west of Akron, and 
 that I would rather loose my right hand 
 than “go back” on the original friends 
 and promotors of this work. Accord- 
 ingly I was soon thereafter called to New 
 York to confer with Mr. Kenuard and 
 European agents in New York, where I 
 was informed that conditional arrange- 
 ments had been made to proceed with 
 the work between Akron and Dayton, 
 O. After due consultation, I underwent 
 a rigid examination as to the condition 
 and affairs of the A. <k> G. W. R. R. by 
 the attorney delegated to make 
 the same. All being found satis- 
 factory, one million dollars of the first 
 mortgage bonds of the company was 
 subscribed for, and the work of complet- 
 ing the road progressed more rapidly 
 than ever. 
 
 The A. & G. W. R. R. would un- 
 doubtedly have been completed under 
 the original contract with Henry 
 Doolittle at an early date, had it not 
 been for the obstacles presented in my 
 annual report made July 12, 1860, which 
 is herein copied as follows : “Taking 
 into consideration * * * the fact 
 that several bands of repudiators com- 
 bined probably with those whose inter- 
 ests were antagonistical to this enter- 
 prise and their determination to place 
 every obstacle in their power to impede 
 the progress of the work, with all this 
 formidable array of opposition, threaten- 
 ing the very existence of the project, 
 the Company submitted to a very con- 
 siderable sacrifice of its property in 
 
the sale of its first mortgage bonds, 
 which were at this time contracted at 
 75 per cent, of their par value, and sub- 
 jecting the company to the payment of 
 extra prices for the construction of their 
 road, when if a different policy had 
 been pursued on the part of those who 
 refused to pay their installments, all 
 these great losses would have been saved, 
 and the contracts for the sale of the 
 bonds, and for finishing the road, would 
 have been accomplished on much more 
 favorable terms, and were it not for the 
 state of things herein set forth, the 
 bonds would no doubt have brought par 
 for the unavailable means of the com- 
 pany were at this time nearly if not 
 quite ample for preparing the road-bed 
 for the superstructure. This being con- 
 sidered a good and sufficient basis for a 
 first-class road to ensure the par value 
 of the first mortgage bonds, and yet 
 after all, the cost of the work does not 
 effect the character of the road in a 
 business point of view, yet it effects the 
 stock and, of course the dividends.” 
 
 Mr. Doolittle, the contractor, who by 
 the contract, was to be paid in stocks 
 and bonds of the company, being de- 
 sirous of securing the aid of his friend 
 and relative, Mr. C. L. Ward, of To- 
 wanda, Pa., a gentleman who had con- 
 siderable experience in railroad 
 matters, and wishing him to be author- 
 ized to act officially for the railroad com- 
 pany, I resigned the presidency on April 
 22, 1856, at which time Mr. Ward was ap- 
 pointed by the board of directors, my 
 successor. Accordingly President Ward, 
 Mr. Doolittle and A. C. Morton, an en- 
 gineer, were appointed a committee by 
 the board of directois to negotiate the 
 sale of bonds of the company for iron 
 rails and money. They accordingly 
 visited Europe for that purpose, but 
 failed to complete a contract, and on 
 their return, my annual report made to 
 the stockholders July, 1860, stated : “At 
 this juncture in the affairs of the com- 
 pany, information was communicated of 
 the probable manner by which means 
 could be procured and explanations and 
 
 offers were made by Mr. Doolittle to 
 enter into a second contract, on terms 
 that would ensure the construction of 
 the work.” 
 
 A second contract was therefore en- 
 tered into with Mr. Doolittle. This be- 
 ing accorded to him, the same commit- 
 tee again sailed for Europe, and this 
 time they were successful in closing a 
 contract with James McHenry, Esq., of 
 Liverpool, Eng., for iron rails and mon- 
 ey sufficient to complete the road, which 
 contract was made and dated in August 
 1858. And in about a year thereafter I 
 was again solicited to accept the presi- 
 dency of the road, and accordingly at 
 the annual meetiug of the stockholders, 
 held July 12, 1859, I was again elected 
 president and was also re-elected in 
 1860,1861, 1862, 1863 and in 1864 and 
 was continued in that office until Sept. 
 30, 1864, when I resigued in favor of 
 James Robb, who resigned Dec. 31, 1864, 
 and on Jan. 25, 1865, he was succeeded 
 by S. S. L’Hommedieu, of Cincinnati, 
 O., who was at This time president of 
 the C., H. & D. R. R. 
 
 But notwithstanding a contract was 
 entered into in August, 1858, and a par- 
 tial compliance with the terms of the 
 contract was made, the work of 
 construction was again delayed, which 
 was explained in my annual report to 
 the stockholders July 12, 1861, as fol- 
 lows : “The contracting parties in 
 Europe were to furnish cash and iron 
 rails for the entire road from the Penn- 
 sylvania line to Dayton, O., as well as 
 for the two links in the state of Pa. and 
 N. Y. They had already furnished por- 
 tions of these payments, a part of which 
 were not satisfactorily applied to the le- 
 gitimate objects of the work. 
 
 This caused a cessation of - the work. 
 Matters were however arranged, and 
 the work again commenced and seemed 
 that nothing could prevent the early com- 
 pletion of the road. 
 
 At this juncture we were checked in 
 our progress by the death of our prin- 
 cipal contractor, Henry Doolittle, who 
 departed this life Aug. 19, 1860, at San 
 
Antonio, Texas. In consequence of 
 which, after a full consideration of all 
 our relations with the contractors and 
 contracting parties, it was deemed ad- 
 visable to enter into new contracts with 
 the European parties direct, which ar- 
 rangement was eonsumated March 1, 
 1861, and the work was again commenc- 
 ed on the first day of June 1861, there- 
 after. 
 
 But there were still obstacles which 
 delayed the work, not apparent to the 
 officers or managers here, and it was 
 thought advisable to call a meeting of 
 the board of directors, and accordingly 
 a meeting was held Sept 27, 1861, for 
 the purpose of adopting such measures 
 as were thought expedient to ascer- 
 tain the cause of the delay. According- 
 ly T. W. Keunard, Henry A. Kent, of 
 New York, and Wm. Reynolds, of 
 Meadville, Pa., were appointed a com- 
 mittee to proceed to Europe to make 
 such investigations as might seem to be 
 necessary in the premises. 
 
 These gentlemen accepted the trust 
 and sailed about the 10th of October, 
 1861, and visited the cities of Paris, Lon- 
 don and Madrid, and obtained full in- 
 terview with the parties directly and 
 indirectly interested iu the contract and 
 construction of the work, and being in- 
 vested with full authority to act, were 
 enabled to perfect all former arrange- 
 ments, and to make such further ones 
 as to ensure the immediate and rapid 
 prosecution of the work. 
 
 But here another trouble arose, w r hich 
 it was feared for a time would indefi- 
 nitely postpone, if not entirely defeat 
 all our plans. We allude to the difficul- 
 ty which sprung up between the United 
 States and the British Government, in 
 regard to the steamship Trent. 
 
 War between these two powers seem- 
 ed imminent. Amicable relations how- 
 ever, were soon restored. But this 
 affair caused considerable delay, so that 
 the work was not energetically resumed 
 until the spring of 1862. 
 
 Yet the road was opened to Ravenna, 
 O., in January, 1863, and the first pas- 
 
 senger train was run from New York to 
 Kent (then Franklin,) March 7, 1863,. 
 and about a month thereafter to Akron, 
 O., and on the 21st day of June, 1864, 
 the track was laid to Dayton, O., at 
 which time I assisted in laying the last 
 rail, and drove the very last spike, when 
 it was all hurrah, hurrah, many times 
 over. Thus the last rail was laid, and 
 the last spike driven, with appropriate 
 ceremonies, which completed the road 
 to Dayton, O., its western terminus. 
 
 In conclusion, allow me to explain 
 that many prominent railroad men have 
 desired to have written for publication, 
 a full history of the inception, projec- 
 tion, and inauguration of the A. & G. 
 W. R. R., and I have also desired it, 
 and had expected through the co-opera- 
 tion of the lamented E. P. Brainard, 
 Esq., a faithful and untiring official of 
 the A. & G. W., to compile a full his- 
 tory of the great work. But all of my 
 time having been occupied in other im- 
 portant matters, I have neglected and 
 procrastinated applying myself to the 
 task. But in this paper I have after 
 careful investigation and application 
 gathered together a synopsis of import- 
 ant events, transpiring and relating to 
 the inception, progress and completion 
 of the work, down to the year 1865. In 
 commemoration of which and the opera- 
 ting of the road you have gathered to- 
 gether to-day to celebrate, and I thank 
 you all for the privilege of reading this 
 paper, and more particularly for 
 the compliment which you have be- 
 stowed upon the originator and pro- 
 motors of the old A. & G. W. road in 
 celebrating the 49th anniversary of its 
 inception, which to-day employs 5000 
 men or more on the main line between 
 Dayton, O., and Salamanca, N. Y.,and 
 another 1000 men on the Mahoning 
 branch, most of whom, as a result of the 
 efforts herein set forth, are doubtless in 
 a prosperous condition, which gives in- 
 expressible gratification to the originator 
 of the A. & G. W. All of which is 
 Respectfully Submitted, 
 
 Marvin Kent. 
 
LIST OF 
 
 DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 Franklin & Warren R. R, Co. 
 
 For 1 85 1 and 1852. 
 
 Zenas Kent, 
 Sylvester Huggins, 
 L. J. Iddings, 
 
 DIRECTORS. 
 
 Franklin, O Marvin Kent, 
 
 Franklin, O William Porter, 
 
 Warren, O Daniel Upson, 
 
 Fredrick Whipple, Franklin, O 
 
 OFFICERS. 
 
 Marvin Kent, President, Franklin, O | J. W. Tyler, Secretary, 
 Zenas Kent, Treasurer, Franklin, O. 
 
 For 1853. 
 
 Franklin, O 
 Newton Falls, O 
 Tallin ad ge, O 
 
 Franklin, O 
 
 Daniel Beckel, 
 Valentine Winters, 
 Daniel Upson, 
 
 Marvin Kent, 
 Samuel H. Kueass, 
 Zenas Kent, 
 
 Marvin Kent, 
 Thomas Earl, 
 Zenas Keut, 
 
 Marvin Kent, 
 Joel W. Tyler, 
 
 DIRECTORS. 
 
 Dayton, O j Bela B. Clarke, 
 Dayton, O Zenas Kent, 
 Tallmadge, O • Thomas Earl, 
 Marvin Kent, Franklin, O. 
 OFFICERS. 
 
 President j Joel W. Tyler, 
 Chief Engineer i Thomas Earl, 
 Treasurer ' B. F. Roberts, 
 
 For 1854. 
 
 DIRECTORS. 
 
 Franklin, O I Daniel Upson, 
 Franklin, O I Jacob Allen, 
 Franklin, O I Bela B. Clarke, 
 Daniel Beckel, Dayton, O. 
 
 OFFICERS. 
 
 President I Zenas Kent, * 
 Secretary i E. P. Brainard, 
 D. C. Shepard, Chief Engineer. 
 
 Ashland, O 
 Franklin, O 
 Franklin, O 
 
 Secretary 
 Cor. Secretary 
 Gen. Agent 
 
 Tallmadge, O 
 Akron, O 
 Ashland, O 
 
 Treasurer 
 Acting Treasurer 
 
 For 1855. 
 
 Atlantic & Great Western R. R. Co. 
 
 Mathew Birchard, 
 William Coolman, 
 Marvin Kent, 
 Thomas Earl, 
 Lucius V. Bierce, 
 John Pardee, 
 
 Marvin Kent, 
 
 Joel W. Tyler, 
 
 DIRECTORS. 
 
 Warren, O Bela B. Clarke, 
 Jacob Riblett, 
 
 W. W. Conclin, 
 Joseph C. Brand, 
 Daniel Beckel, 
 George Carlisle, 
 
 Ravenna, O 
 Franklin, O 
 Franklin, O 
 Akron, O 
 Wadsworth, O 
 
 OFFICERS. 
 
 President 
 
 Secretary 
 
 E. P. Brainard, 
 D. C Shepard, 
 
 Ashland, O 
 Galiou, O 
 Marion, O 
 Urbana, O 
 Dayton, O 
 Cincinnati, O 
 
 Treasurer 
 Chief Engineer 
 
For 1856. 
 
 DIRECTORS. 
 
 C. L. Ward, 
 
 Towanda, Pa 
 
 Bela B. Clark, 
 
 Ashland, O 
 
 L. V. Bierce, 
 
 Akron, 0 
 
 Wm. Bushnell, 
 
 Mansfield, O 
 
 Marvin Kent, 
 
 Franklin, O 
 
 W. W. Conclin, 
 
 Marion, O 
 
 Mathew Birchard, 
 
 Warren, 0 
 
 Jacob Riblet, 
 
 Galion, O 
 
 Wm. Coolman, 
 
 Ravenna, 0 
 
 George Carlisle, 
 
 Cincinnati, O 
 
 John Pardee, 
 
 Wadsworth, O 
 
 Joseph C. Brand, 
 
 Urban a, O 
 
 
 Homer Ramsdell, New York. 
 
 
 
 OFFICERS. 
 
 
 C. L. Ward, 
 
 President | L. V. Bierce, 
 
 Vice President 
 
 J. W. Tyler, 
 
 Secretary | E. P. Braiuard, 
 
 Treasurer 
 
 
 ENGINEERS. 
 
 
 D. 0. Coolman, 
 
 Principal | Joseph Hill, Jr., 
 
 1st Assistant 
 
 w 
 
 O. L. Ward, 
 Mathew Birchard, 
 Jacob Riblet, 
 
 C. L. Ward, 
 Wm. Coolman, 
 
 C. L. Ward, 
 Marvin. Kent, 
 L. V. Bierce, 
 
 COLLECTORS. 
 
 L. Holden, Joseph Loomis. 
 
 For 1857. 
 
 DIRECTORS. 
 
 L. V. Bierce Joseph C. Brand, 
 John Pardee Wm. Bushnell, 
 
 W. W. Conclin Marvin Kent, 
 
 Wm. Coolman. 
 
 OFFICERS. 
 
 President E. P. Braiuard, 
 Vice President | J. W. Tyler, 
 
 D. C. Coolman, Chief Engineer. 
 
 For 1858. 
 
 DIRECTORS. 
 
 Wm. Coolman 
 M. Birchard 
 John Pardee 
 
 B. B. Clark, 
 
 J Riblet, 
 Geo. Carlisle, 
 
 George Carlisle 
 Homer Ramsdell 
 Bela B. Clark 
 
 Treasurer 
 
 Secretary 
 
 Wm. Bushnell 
 J. C. Brand 
 Seth Hayes 
 
 J. H Chamberlain. 
 
 OFFICERS. 
 
 President i James M. Ward, 
 
 Vice President E. P. Braiuard, 
 
 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. 
 
 Wm. Coolman | Wm. Bushnell, 
 
 Marvin Kent. 
 
 For 1859. 
 
 DIRECTORS. 
 
 John Dick Marvin Kent, 
 
 Geo. Wright Peter Thatcher, 
 
 Seth Hayes James Coffinbury, 
 
 Ezra B. Taylor. 
 
 OFFICERS. 
 
 President | F. W. Seymour, 
 
 E. P. Braiuard, Treas. and Acting Sec. 
 
 B. B. Clark died Aug. 21, 1859, and J. S. Huber refused to serve as Director 
 and Thos. J. S. Smith and Jacob Riblet were appointed April 17, 18G0, to fill 
 vacancies. 
 
 C. L. Ward, 
 Marvin. Kent, 
 
 C. L. Ward 
 
 G. Church, 
 
 J. S. Huber, 
 Wm. Reynolds 
 
 Marvin Kent, 
 
 Secretary 
 
 Treasurer 
 
 J. H. Chamberlain 
 
 B. B. Clark 
 H. Chamberlain 
 F. W. Seymour 
 
 Secretary 
 
Nathaniel Marsh, 
 G. Church, 
 
 F. W. Seymour, 
 
 Marvin Kent, 
 
 Marvin Kent, 
 John Dick, 
 Seth Hayes, 
 
 For 1860. 
 
 DIRECTORS. 
 
 John Dick Ezra B. Taylor, 
 Win. Reynolds J. H. Chamberlain, 
 Seth Hayes J. M. Coffinbury, 
 Thomas J. S. Smith. 
 
 OFFICERS. 
 
 President — E. P. Brainard, 
 
 F. W. Seymour, Secretary. 
 
 For X S 61. 
 
 DIRECTORS. 
 
 Wm. Reynolds 
 G. Church 
 F. W. Seymour 
 
 Ezra B. Taylor, 
 Peter Thatcher, 
 Jacob Riblet, 
 
 Marvin Kent 
 Peter Thatcher 
 Jacob Riblet 
 
 Treas. & Acting Sec 
 
 J. H. Chamberlain 
 Thos. J S. Smith 
 Wm. Bushnell 
 
 Marvin Kent, 
 
 Jacob Crall. 
 
 OFFICERS. 
 
 President | F. W. Seymour, 
 
 E. P. Brainard, Treasurer and Acting Secretary. 
 
 For 1862. 
 
 DIRECTORS. 
 
 Secretary 
 
 Marvin Kent, 
 
 Franklin, O 
 
 Wm. Bushnell, 
 
 Mansfield, O 
 
 Wm. Reynolds, 
 
 Meadville, Pa 
 
 F. W. Seymour, 
 
 Ravenna, 0 
 
 F. W. Upson, 
 
 Akron, O 
 
 Jacob Riblet, 
 
 Galion, O 
 
 G. Church, 
 
 Meadville, Pa 
 
 T. J. S. Smith, 
 
 Dayton, O 
 
 Orlando Beach, 
 
 Wadsworth, 0 
 
 J. H. Chamberlain, 
 
 Akron, O 
 
 Seth Hayes, 
 
 Hartford, 0 
 
 Jacob Crall, 
 
 Ashland, 0 
 
 Marvin Kent, 
 
 E. B. Taylor, Warren, O. 
 
 OFFICERS. 
 
 President | F. W. Seymour, 
 
 Secretary 
 
 E. P. 
 
 Marvin Kent, 
 
 Brainard, Treasurer and Acting Secretary. 
 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. 
 
 Gaylord Church | Wm. Reynolds, F. 
 
 W. Seymour 
 
 Ezra B. Taylor 
 
 F. W. Seymour resigned as Secretary Nov. 7, 1362, 
 pointed to fill vacancy. 
 
 and J. W. Tyler was ap- 
 
 For 1863, 
 
 DIRECTORS. 
 
 Marvin Kent, 
 Alex McAndrew, 
 T. W. Kennard, 
 Samuel Wann, 
 Charles Seaton, 
 G. Church, 
 
 Franklin, O 
 New York 
 New York 
 New York 
 New York 
 Meadville, Pa 
 J. H. R. Rose 
 
 OFFICERS. 
 
 Marvin Kent, President, Franklin, O I E. P. Brainerd, Treas., 
 
 T. W. Kennard, Vice Pres., New York j Wm. H. Grout, Asst. Sec. 
 J. W. Tyler, Secretary, Warren, O 'Wm, H. Upson, Attorney 
 
 J. W. Tyler, 
 
 Wm. Reynolds, 
 
 J. H. Chamberlain, 
 Jacob Crall, 
 
 S. L. M. Barlow, 
 Wm. H. Upson, 
 Cleveland, O. 
 
 Warren, O 
 Meadville, Pa 
 Akron, O 
 Ashland, O 
 New York 
 Akron, O 
 
 Ravenna, O 
 Franklin, O 
 Akron, O 
 
Marvin Kent, 
 
 T. W. Kennard, 
 
 S. S. L’Hommedieu 
 John Sherman, 
 
 J. H. Chamberlain, 
 J. W. Tyler, 
 
 For 1864, 
 
 DIRECTORS. 
 
 Kent, O 
 New York 
 Cincinnati, O 
 Mansfield, O 
 Akron, O 
 Warren, O 
 
 Wm. Reynolds, 
 Win. H. Upson, 
 Jacob Crall, 
 
 J. H. R. Rose, 
 Jacob Riblet, 
 
 G. Church, 
 
 Samuel Wann, New York. 
 
 Meadville, Pa 
 Akron, O 
 Ashland, O 
 Cleveland, O 
 Galion, O 
 Meadville, Pa 
 
 OFFICERS. 
 
 Marvin Kent, President, Kent, O I E. P. Brainard, Treas., Ravenna, O 
 
 T. W. Kennard, Vice Pres., New York Wm. H. Grout, Asst. Sec., Kent, O 
 
 J. W. Tyler, Secretary, Warren, O Wm. H. Upson, Attorney, Akron, O 
 
 Sept. 30, 1864, Marvin Kent and T. W. Kennard resigned as President and 
 Vice President and James Robb was elected President and Marvin Kent, Vice 
 President. 
 
 Wm. Reynolds resigned as Director and E. P. Brainard resigned as Treasurer, 
 Dec. 2, 1864, to take effect Jan 1, 1865, and J. M. Dick was appointed Treasurer 
 and E. P. Brainard, Assistant Treasurer, to take effect Jan. 1, 1865. E. P. Brain- 
 ard was appointed Director in place of Wm. Reynolds, resigned, Dec. 27, 1864. 
 
 Dec. 31, 1864, James Robb resigned as President and Director. 
 
 Jan. 3, 1865, Wm. H. Upson as Attorney and Director resigned and at the 
 same time J. H. Chamberlain resigned as Director. O. L. Wolcott was appointed 
 Director, Jan. 3, 1865, in place of James Robb, resigned. 
 
 Jau. 25, 1865, S. S. L’Hommedieu was elected President of the A. & G. W. 
 R. R. of Ohio, and A. & G. W. R. R. Co. in New York. Daniel McLaren ap- 
 pointed General Superintendent, Jan. 26, 1865, and J. W. Tyler, Attorney. 
 
 Jan. 16, 1865, Daniel McLaren and Wm. G. Hamilton were appointed Direc- 
 tors in place of Wm, H. Upson and J. H. Chamberlain, resigned. 
 
 For 1865. 
 
 DIRECTORS. 
 
 T. W. Kennard, 
 
 New York 
 
 E. P. Brainard. 
 
 Ravenna, O 
 
 S. S. L’Hommedieu, 
 
 Cincinnati, O 
 
 G. Church, 
 
 Meadville, Pa 
 
 J. W. Tyler, 
 
 Warren, O 
 
 Daniel McLaren, 
 
 Cincinnati, O 
 
 Marvin Kent, 
 
 Kent, 0 
 
 W. G. Hamilton, 
 
 New York 
 
 Jacob Riblet, 
 
 Galion, 0 
 
 J. H. R. Rose, 
 
 Cleveland, O 
 
 O. L. Wolcott, 
 
 Warren, O 
 
 Jacob Crall, 
 
 Ashland, 0 
 
 
 John Sherman, Mansfield, O. 
 
 
 
 OFFICERS. 
 
 
 S. S. L’Hommedieu, Pres., 
 
 Cincinnati, O 
 
 E. P. Brainard, Treas., 
 
 Ravenna, O 
 
 Marvin Kent, Vice Pres., 
 
 Kent, O 
 
 J. W. Tyler, Attorney, 
 
 Warren, O 
 
 Wm. H. Grout, Sec., 
 
 Kent, 0 
 
 Daniel McLaren, Gen. Supt, Cincinnati 
 
 The Atlantic & Great Western Railway Companies, 
 
 Being represented by three companies, one in each of the states of Ohio, Penn- 
 sylvania and New York, agreements were entered into so far uniting them as the 
 laws of the different states would admit, and for the purpose of devising plans for 
 
operating the three roads for the mutual benefit of each. The three Boards of 
 Directors met at Meadville on the 6th day of March, 1863, when the plan of creat- 
 ing a Central Board was adopted, consisting of two directors of each company, 
 and T. W. Kennard, Esq., consiituted an additional member as being equally 
 interested for each of the three companies. 
 
 The committee appointed to represent the Ohio board were Marvin Kent and 
 W. S. Streator ; those representing the Pennsylvania board were John Dick and 
 J. J. Shryock, and those representing the New York board were Wm. Reynolds 
 and A. F. Allen, 
 
 OFFICERS. 
 
 Wm. Reynolds, Chairman | J. M. Dick, Secretary and Treasurer 
 
 J. C. Calhoun, Auditor 
 
 . OFFICERS IN CHARGE OF THE LINE AND DEPARTMENTS. 
 
 H. F. Sweetser, General Superintendent, Meadville, Pa 
 
 *0. S. Lyford, Division Superintendent, Meadville, Pa 
 
 J. Farnsworth, General Freight Agent, Cleveland, O 
 
 T. H. Goodman, General Ticket Agent, Cleveland, O 
 
 J. H. R. Rose, Resident Engineer, Cleveland, O 
 
 Frank W. Cummings, Sup’t Locomotive and Car Departments, Meadville, Pa 
 D. B. Bostwick, Sup’t Bridges and Buildings, Ravenna, O 
 
 C. W. Bradley, Sup’t of Telegraph, Meadville, Pa 
 
 *For the year 1865, O. S. Lyford was appointed General Assistant Superin- 
 tendent and Division Superintendent First and Second Divisions, Meadville, Pa., 
 aud for the year 1865, D. C. Coolman was appointed Resident Engineer Third and 
 Fourth Divisions, Ravenna, O. 
 
LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS 
 
 Directors and Officers for 18G3-64. 
 
 Win. Reynolds 
 A. F. Allen, 
 Wm. Hall, 
 
 W. D. Shaw, 
 
 S. E. Marvin, 
 ,T. J. Shryock, 
 
 Atlantic & Great Western Railway Company in New York. 
 Time of Election — Jourth cMonday in cMay. 
 directors. 
 
 Meadville, Pa l T. W. Kennard, 
 
 Nathaniel Marsh, 
 S. L. M. Barlow, 
 Marvin Kent, 
 
 W. S. Streator, 
 John Dick, 
 
 New York 
 New York 
 New York 
 Franklin, O 
 Cleveland, O 
 Meadville, Pa 
 
 Jamestown, N 
 Jamestown, N Y 
 Jamestown, N Y 
 Jamestown, N Y 
 Meadville, Pa 
 Wm. Thorp, Meadville, Pa 
 
 OFFICERS. 
 
 Wm. Reynolds, President, Meadville, Pa 
 
 W. A. Bradshaw, Secretary and Treasurer, Jamestown, N Y 
 
 Local Office of the Company, - - Jamestown, N. Y. 
 
 Atlantic & Great Western Railway Company of Pennsylvania. 
 
 Time of Election — Second Monday in January . 
 
 DIRECTORS. 
 
 Wm. Reynolds, Meadville, Pa T. W. Kennard, New York 
 
 G. Church, Meadville, Pa O. E. E. Blakesley, New York 
 
 J. J. Shryock, Meadville, Pa Samuel Wann, New York 
 
 John Dick, Meadville, Pa J. H. R. Rose, Cleveland, O 
 
 John McFarland, Meadville, Pa Marviu Kent, Franklin, O 
 
 O. Hastings, Meadville, Pa G. A. Bittenbanner, Greenville, Pa 
 
 A. W. Mumfdrd, Meadville, Pa. 
 
 OFFICERS. 
 
 Wm. Reynolds, President, Meadville, Pa 
 
 T. W. Kennard, Vice-President, New York 
 
 William Thorp, Secretary and Treasurer, Meadville, Pa 
 
 Local Office of the Company, - - Meadville, Ta. 
 
 Marvin Kent, 
 
 J. W. Tyler, 
 
 W. H. Upson, 
 Jacob Crall, 
 
 J. H. R. Rose, 
 Wm. Reynolds, 
 
 Atlantic & Great Western Railway Company — Ohio. 
 Time of Election— Second Tuesday in July . 
 DIRECTORS. 
 
 Frankliu, O 
 Warren, O 
 Akron, O 
 Ashland, O 
 Cleveland, O. 
 Meadville, Pa 
 
 T. W. Kennard, 
 Alex. McAndrew, 
 Samuel Wann, 
 Chas. Seaton, 
 
 S. L. M. Barlow, 
 
 J. H. Chamberlain, 
 
 G. Church, Meadville, Pa 
 
 OFFICERS. 
 
 Marvin Kent, President, Franklin, O 
 T. W. Kennard, Vice-President, New York 
 E. P. Brainard, Treasurer, Franklin, O 
 Joel W. Tyler, Secretary, Warren, O 
 W. H. Grout, Assistant Secretary, Frankliu, O 
 
 Local Office of the Company, - - Franklin, 0. 
 
 New York 
 New York 
 New York 
 New York 
 New York 
 New York