Jefferson and Northwestern Railway Company

Erin Mitchell Linden-Kildare High School Gail Dorgan – Teacher Linden, Cass County, Texas Photo courtesy Kenneth Hitchcock

Background

In 1892 Clark and Boice Lumber Company, located north of Jefferson on the east bank of the Big Cypress Bayou, built a 36-inch gauge tap line for the purpose of bringing logs to their mill in north Jefferson, Texas, from points in northern Cass County, Texas. J & NW at Clark and Boice Lumber Company Camp in Cass County Photo courtesy of Kenneth Hitchcock

1899

On November 15, 1899, Jefferson and Northwestern Railway was Formally Chartered with $20,000 in capital stock.

Purchased in November, The 19.03 mile 3-inch gauge tap line connected Jefferson to a location four miles southwest of Linden in Cass County. Photo courtesy of Kenneth Hitchcock

1903-1904

By 1903 the J & NW had Reached the Cave Springs Community.

In 1904 Linden received its first railroad connection when the J &NW completed the branch line to the county seat.

J & Nw engine 107 Photo courtesy Kenneth Hitchcock

1910

The j & NW railway has no passenger traffic and handles logs and lumber for the Clark and boice lumber company in the amount of 26,950 tons of logs and 10,200 tons of lumber. and hauled crossties for a firm of railway contractors at a charge of $10 per car for the 18 mile haul. 81% of the revenue for 1910 came from the Clark and boice lumber company.

Clark and Boice loader and crew Cass County circa 1910. Photo courtesy of Kenneth Hitchcock

1911

The j & nw railway completed its line to linden, bypassing Lanier by 3 miles, the residents of which moved the community to its present located to be near the railway. The J & NW entering Lanier from Marion County.

Photo courtesy of Kenneth Hitchcock

J & NW at Lanier

J & NW officials and employees at lanier circa 1911 Photos courtesy Kenneth Hitchcock

1911

On November 27, 1911, the railroad commission granted J&NW status as a common carrier when Clark and boice built an entry into linden as a branch from Lanier. J&NW would build 31.00 miles of track between Jefferson and camp and between givens and linden. Cass County circa 1921 showing Givens , Lanier and Linden.

Photo courtesy of Texas Transportation Archive.

On 6 December 1911, w.c.

and Donie Taylor paid the j & NW railway $150 “Same being the Sum donated to said company by the said w.c. Taylor to induce said company to extend its line of road into the town of linden.

1911

Parcel of land 400 yards southwest from the courthouse in linden. Page 578 Grantor/Grantee book CCCO

1911

On 8 June, 1911, I.E.E Brougher received from J & NW Railway $125 for block 30 in linden. There is a stipulation that the contract will remain in full force as long as railway shall continue to operate, if discontinued this land shall revert to the grantor, heirs, executors and assigns.

P. 579 of Grantor/Grantee Book CCCO

1911

On 11 December 1911, W.H. and Ida Harris received $50 from J & NW, but the deed reads “the Sum of fifty dollars paid by the Jefferson and Northwestern railway company as follows ten (10.00) dollars cash, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged.

P. 580 showing J & NW purchase of land lying east of the Jefferson and Linden Road.

Grantor/Grantee deed

On November 1 1911, for the first time in the town’S hiStory, a regular passenger and freight train service began operation in linden.

1911

Farm produce, passengers, goods, wares, merchandise and the output of several saw and shingle mills began their trip to Jefferson. Cass county sun

J & NW Freight

In 1911, the J & NW shipped 3,000 to 6,000 bales of cotton and other products in the fall. Photo courtesy of pictorial history of cass county

In 1934, the line was sold under foreclosure. On October 31, 1934, and Rechartered as the J & nw railroad company. J & NW R.r. line operations were discontinued on September 9, 1941

1934 - 1941

Passenger car of the Jefferson & Northwestern .

Photo courtesy Kenneth Hitchcock

Timeline

• • • • • • 1912 – Built 31 .00 miles from Jefferson to Camp and 4.86 miles from Given to Linden 1917 – Built 4.25 miles from Camp to Marietta 1918 – trackage 35,429 miles on the first main 1926 – Built 9.00 miles from Marietta to Naples track; 4.297 miles of yard and side 1932-1933 – 29.31 miles from Linden Junction to Naples were abandoned • • • • 1935 – January 1 Jefferson and Northwestern Railroad acquires the line 1941 – Operations were discontinued on 1935 – j & NW R.R co. acquired line September 1 1941 – operations discontinued September 1, 1941 1942 – 19.03 miles of track from Linden to Jefferson were abandoned Photo Courtesy Kenneth Hitchcock

Visual Credits

Slide 1 – Photo courtesy of Kenneth Hitchcock Slide 2 – Photo courtesy of Kenneth Hitchcock Slide 3 – Photo courtesy of Kenneth Hitchcock Slide 4 –Photo courtesy of Kenneth Hitchcock Slide 5 – Photo courtesy of Kenneth Hitchcock Slide 6 – Photo courtesy of Kenneth Hitchcock Slide 7 – Photo courtesy of Kenneth Hitchcock Slide 8 – Photo by Texas Transportation Archive Slide 9 – Photo by Erin Mitchell Slide 10 – Photo by Erin Mitchell Slide 11 – Photo by Erin Mitchell Slide 12 – Photo by Cass County Sun Slide 13 – Photo courtesy of Kenneth Hitchcock Slide 14 – Photo courtesy of Kenneth Hitchcock Slide 15 – Photo courtesy of Kenneth Hitchcock Slide 16 – Photo courtesy of Kenneth Hitchcock Slide 17 - Photo courtesy of Kenneth Hitchcock

Bibliography

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Grantor deed from I.E.E. Brougher to The Jefferson and Northwestern Railway Company, 8 Dec 1911(filed 8 December 1911) Cass County, Texas. Grantor/Grantee Book page 579. CaSS County Clerk’S offiCe, linDen, texaS.

Grantor deed from W. H. Harris and Wife, Ida Harris to The Jefferson and Northwestern Railway Company, 11 Dec 1911 (filed 12 December 1911) Cass County, Texas. Grantor/Grantee book page 109. CaSS County Clerk’S offiCe, linDen, texaS.

Grantor deed from W.C. Taylor and Wife, Donie Taylor to The Jefferson and Northwestern Railway Company, 6 Dec 1911(filed 13 December 1911) Cass County, Texas. Grantor/Grantee book page 578. CaSS County Clerk’S offiCe, linDen, texaS.

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“notiCe of SpeCial meeting of StoCkholDerS of JefferSon & Northwestern ry Co.” CaSS County Sun 13 marCh 1917: 2. Photographs of J & NW at Lanier. Taken around 1911. Copy in possession of Kenneth Hitchcock, Linden, Texas. “Saw anD griSt millS of Cass County.” retrieveD 11 Sept 2012 http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txcass/resources/misc/casscosawandgristmills.html

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