Notes for John Hanson Biles III: Photo: John Hanson Biles III with wife Ida Mae Hunt holding, (believed to be), Elsie Marie Biles and William Arthur Biles standing next to his mother's chair. (Photo can be viewed on family photo website; http://community.webshots.com/user/richards312 [Is a private album, please contact me for viewing.
1900 Census, Belle Vernon, Fayette County, Pennsylvania: Biles, John H. born in July 1878, 21 years of age; Ida M. wife, age 22, born in May of 1878 Both born in Pennsylvania.
In the 1910 census in North Belle Vernon, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania: BILES, John age 32 born in Pennsylvania Ida wife, wife, age 32 Arthur, son, age 8 Elsie, daughter, age 6
John was a freight Conductor For the Pennsylvania & Lake Erie Railroad. He was injured while coupling cars with a fellow worker, and died of the injuries on route to the hospital March 29,1916. According to his death certificate, cause of death states: Accident, fell under train while performing his job.
Newspaper article; JOHN BILES KILLED BY TRAIN NEAR GIBSOTON WEDNESDAY John Biles, aged 35, a conductor on the P. & L. E. railroad was fatally injured Wednesday evening while making a flying switch at Gibsonton. The conductor was jarred from a car and the wheels of the freight passed over him, causing injuries that resulted in his death a few hours later. Other members of the crew, who witnessed the accident, picked the injured man up, placing his body on train were making a flying trip to Pittsburgh Hospital, but the man succumbed to his injuries before the train reached Webster and the remains were brought back to this city and taken to Wright Morgue. The deceased is one of the best known railroad men in the Monogahela Valley, having been employed on the local road for the past fifteen years. He resided in Belle Vernon and the body was taken there yesterday for burial Sunday at the Belle Vernon Cemetery. He was a member of the Knights of Malta and is well known to many others here. About a year ago he had the misfortune to lose his wife through sickness and five parentless children are left.
[Further down on this same page is a notice of the The Knights of Malta] NOTICE KNIGHTS OF MALTA All members of the order of Malta are requested to meet at the council chamber, Olympic Hall, Donner Ave. at 1 p.m. Sunday, April 2, for the purpose of attending the funeral of Companion John H. Biles at Belle Vernon. Services will be held at 2:30 o'clock. Companions will leave here at 1:30.
After the death of John Biles and his wife Ida, the couple's sons Robert, William Arthur, Wilfred along with their daughter Elsie went to live with John's sister, Nannie Biles Lenhart. Daughter Lida was adopted by her mother's cousin, Daisy Mae Matthews Cramer. Elsie found the transition difficult and was sent to live with her mother's brother, Arthur Hunt. Where she remained until the time she married. The boys remained with Nannie and James Lenhart in Ohio.
This John Hanson Biles was my Great Grandfather, who has a daughter still living. My information comes first hand from letters he had written as well as letters his brothers wrote regarding him. There are also census records, newspaper articles and cemetery records to verify what information my grand mother has relayed.
More About John Hanson Biles III: Burial: Unknown, Belle Vernon Cemetery. Occupation: Railroad Conductor for the P&L.E. Railroad.
More About John Hanson Biles III and Ida Mae Hunt: Marriage: April 18, 1900, Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania.
Children of John Hanson Biles III and Ida Mae Hunt are:
John Hanson Biles III (b. July 16, 1878, d. March 29, 1916)
Notes for John Hanson Biles III: