Joseph Polite Obituary Submitted by Patricia Fuller on August 24, 1998. This obituary appeared in the Toledo Blade, February 6, 1912. Toledo, Ohio. Joseph Polite was born in St. Lawrence County, NY, but his family moved to Michigan when he was a little boy. Patricia Fuller ---------------------Begin Actual Transcription--------------------------- HE BRAVED DEATH OFTEN Jos. Polite Dies Peacefully After Adventurous Career Wounded Many Times in War -- In Various Wrecks on Lake Shore Railroad. Joseph Polite, veteran of the Civil War and employee of the Lake Shore railroad for 40 years, died at his home, 712 Oliver street, at 4 Tuesday morning. He had been failing in health for about a year and a half and for three weeks was in a serious condition suffering with heart trouble. He leaves a wife and an adopted daughter. Through the dangers of the Civil War including four months in Libbey prison, numerous injuries on the railroad the veteran lived to nearly the three score and ten years allotted to man. He was born in Morristown, N.Y. and when 18 years old enlisted in a Michigan regiment in March, 1862. At the battle of Spring Hill, March 4, 1863, he was wounded, necessitating an operation later when a portion of his breastbone was removed, and 14 pieces of bone taken from his wrist and arm. His escape from death three times while on duty as an engineer was quite remarkable. He entered the employ of the Lake Shore railway as brakeman soon after the close of the war, running on the Elkhart division. His first serious accident was in 1872, when he suffered a broken collar bone, and this was the beginning of a chapter of accidents. This mishap befell him at Elkhart, when his engine crashed into a freight train that had no signal lights. A similar accident happened in the yards at Fremont at another time, and resulted the same. In the yards at Cleveland several years ago, his engine, drawing a flyer, crashed into a pony engine and he was thrown, broken and bleeding to the floor of his cab. Besides breaking his collar bone for the third time, his ribs were broken and he suffered other injuries. His condition was so serious that he was not able to leave the hospital for nearly six months. Three years ago he suffered a fractured leg, when a reach rod of his engine broke and struck him. He remained at his post until he reached Toledo, when he was taken home. His death was due directly to an attack of heart trouble with which he was stricken Saturday. The funeral will be Thursday afternoon at Oliver Place Baptist church, and will be in charge of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. ************************************************************************ USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ************************************************************************