BIOGRAPHY: John C. WALKINSHAW, Cambria County, PA 

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From Wiley, Samuel T., ed. Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria 
County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Union Publishing Co., 1896, p. 444-5
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JOHN C. WALKINSHAW, yard-master for the Pennsylvania railroad at Johnstown, 
Pennsylvania, is a son of James and Mary (Cressinger) Walkinshaw. He was born 
January 9, 1840, in Derry township, Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania. His 
great-grandfather, John Walkinshaw, was a native of Ireland, and died there in 
1829. The grandfather of our subject, William Walkinshaw, second son of John 
Walkinshaw, was born and reared in Ireland, but came to America in 1812. He 
finally located on a farm in Derry township, near the town of New Derry, in 
Westmoreland county, in the early twenties. This was his home until 1856, when 
he moved to Blairsville, where he continued to reside until his death, in 1872, 
at the age of ninety-three years. He was a prominent member of the Reformed 
Presbyterian church. 
     James Walkinshaw, father, was born in Ireland in 1812. He came to this 
country at a very early age with his parents. He followed various callings. For 
a time he was engaged in teaming between Baltimore and Pittsburg, and 
subsequently was employed on various public works. He died in Livermore, 
Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, November 27, 1884.
     John C. Walkinshaw was educated in the common schools. He entered the 
service of the Pennsylvania Railroad company on the 15th day of August, 1857, 
and has been in its employ ever since. He began as brakeman on a freight train. 
After a year and a half he was employed in the same capacity in the passenger 
service. Later he acted as extra passenger conductor for a year, when he was 
transferred to the Pittsburg yards.
     In 1861 he was promoted to yard-master at Pittsburg. From this position he 
was transferred to Derry, where he remained until 1865, then back to the 
Pittsburg yards, whence he was transferred on June 6, 1866, to Conemaugh as 
general yard-master, remaining until the time of the Johnstown flood in 1889. 
Thence he was transferred to Morrellville, where he has since remained.
     Mr. Walkinshaw is a thorough railroader; popular with the traveling and 
business public, and highly esteemed as a citizen. He was married to Miss Ruth 
Matthews, who died in 1876, and had seven children, viz.: J. Leslie, deceased; 
Vincent, Favavier, now at Lorain, Ohio; W. Jackson, at home; two died in 
infancy; Mary, at home, and Frank, married and now lives at Blairsville, a 
passenger brakeman.
     Politically Mr. Walkinshaw is a democrat. He served nine years as 
councilman; also as assessor and treasurer for East Conemaugh borough.