Books & Their Owners, Part 2

Burton Howard Peake's parents were John Howard & Ella L. Peake.  John's employment was listed on the 1910 and 1920 census as Motorman on a trolley car.  

Being also a bit drawn to trains, I wanted to see what I could find out about trolley cars in Cleveland in the early 1900's.  This site, Cleveland Transit System Through The Years, has some great images that date from 1904 forward. The ones from the time period 1910 to 1920's are in the first row.  The Motorman on the trolley car was the driver.  There was likely a conductor on the car as well, handling the flow of human traffic, etc.  Lots out there on the internet on strikes during the early 1900's involving the employees of the Railway systems. 

 More history on Cleveland transportation at case.edu.  Streetcar lines in Cleveland in 1910 (according to a Wikipedia article) were operated by the Cleveland Railway, but date back as far as 1834 - when the first wood rail lines were created in the city - see LakeshoreRailMaps.com for some more wonderful images, maps and information from the time period.  

John Howard Peake was born in 1868 (approx) in Louisville, Kentucky. His and Ella's Marriage Record gives us a lot of additional information.   What a wonderful record! I now know Ella's maiden name and that she was previously married.  But we'll get to her later.  According to this document,

John Howard or J. Howard, as he signs his name, was a Conductor in 1901 when they applied for marriage.  He was born in Louisville, Kentucky to George J. Peake and Lucretia Cotton.  This was his first marriage.  The document is certified by the Rev. Harris R. Cooley that the couple were married on the 23rd day of February 1901. 

Aren't old documents a wonderful thing?  What new levels of this family's history this opens up to me. Maiden names, parents and their information.  It opens up the past.   Thanks to the hands who maintained them, microfilmed them and made them online accessible.

More to read, more to compile.