Nansemond County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Causey, Col. William B., 1936 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/vafiles.htm ************************************************ COL. CAUSEY DIES TODAY IN CHICAGO One of Suffolk's Most Notable Sons and Member of Prominent Family Succumbs After Long And Useful Life Mostly In Public Service Col. William Bowdoin Causey, 71, distinguished soldier and engineer, died at his home in Chicago at 1:30 a.m. today. He had been ill for several weeks. Funeral services will be held at an Episcopal Chapel in Chicago Tuesday at noon and final rites will be conducted at the graveside in Cedar Hill cemetery, Suffolk, Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. A native of Suffolk, Colonel Causey, after attending private schools, achieved a distinguished career in the field of railway engineering and management. As an army officer with the American Expeditionary Forces he rose in rank from Captain to Colonel during the war and was decorated by four governments. He served as city-manager of Norfolk from 1923 to 1925 and then entered the construction field at Chicago. He was deputy U.S. Commissioner for the Century of Progress Exposition at Chicago during 1932-33. Surviving Colonel Causey, who never married, are two sisters, Mrs. T.S. Miller, of Christlansburg; Mrs. George L. Barton, of Suffolk; and a brother, Dr. Peter P. Causey, of Sedley. Other survivors are four nieces, Mrs. Charles B. Godwin, Jr., and Mrs. C.M. Flintoff, of Suffolk, Mrs. White Conner, of Blacksburg, and Miss Neville Miller, of Christiansburg; and six nephews: William C. Phillips, of Chicago; George L. Barton, Jr., of Niagara Falls, N.Y.; Henry C. Barton, James C. Causey, Jr., and George C. Causey, of Suffolk; and Peter P. Causey, Jr., of Washington, D.C. William Bowdoin Causey was born in Suffolk, June 24, 1865, the son of Charles Henry and Martha Josephine Prentis Causey. After receiving education in private schools he began working as a chainman in the engineering department of the Atlantic and Danville Railway in 1883. He worked in the engineering departments of several railways, including the Union Pacific; the New York, New Haven and Hartford; the C.&N.W. Ry.; C.&A. R.R.; C.G.W. R.R.; also as chief engineer of the E.& J.E. Railway; and superintendent of the C.C.W. Railway. Leaving the railways, Colonel Causey was vice-president and general manager of coal company at Des Moines, Iowa from 1914 to America's entry in the World War. Commissioned a Captain of Engineers, he was assigned to the 17th. Engineers, U.S.A. He landed in France in August, 1917. In March 1918, he was promoted to major and in September was advanced in rank to Lieutenant-Colonel. Colonel Causey was sent to Austria as a coal and transportation expert; served as president of the Allied Railway Mission to Austria-Hungary, January to October, 1919; and technical adviser to the Austrian government from September, 1919, to July, 1923. For his services during and following the war, Colonel Causey was decorated an officer of the legion of Honor by France; the Order of Saint Sava, second class, by Jugo Slavia; the Great Silver Cross of Honor, by the Republic of Austria; and a citation from General John J. Pershing "for distinguished services" in France. Returning from his advisory post with the Republic of Austria to America in 1923, Colonel Causey was appointed city manager of Norfolk. He resigned in 1925 to form an engineering firm in Chicago. Colonel Causey was a prominent Episcopal layman and Mason. He belonged to several professional, social and fraternal clubs including the American Society of Civil Engineers, Americans, Railway Engineering Association, Engineers Club, Traffic Club of Army and Navy Club of Washington, Chicago, Masonic, Odd Fellows and Elks fraternities, the Country Club of Norfolk and the Princess Anne Club of Virginia Beach. Following the services in Chicago tomorrow, the body will be shipped to Suffolk, arriving Wednesday at 3:58 p.m. over the Norfolk and Western Railway. Final rites at the graveside will be conducted at 4:30 p.m. by the Rev. Herbert N. Tucker and officers of the Masonic order. Active pall-bearers will be nephews and nephews-in-law of Colonel Causey. Named for the service are M.K. Kendrick, Henry C. Barton, William C. Phillips, J.C. Causey, Jr., George C. Causey, Peter P. Causey, Jr., C.M. Flintoff and Charles B. Godwin, Jr. [photo, headed:] NOTABLE CITIZEN [captioned:] COL. W. B. CAUSEY ****************************************************************************** COL. WILLIAM B. CAUSEY The death in Chicago on Monday of Col. William B. Causey at the age of 71, marks the passing of one of Virginia's most distinguished citizens. A native of Suffolk, a brother of Dr. P.P. Causey, county health director, and of the late James C. Causey, Colonel Causey had won high renown and an international reputation in railroad construction, in the department of engineers in the World War, and as director-general of the rehabilitation of Austrian railways in that country immediately following the war. Colonel Causey also served the city of Norfolk with distinction as its City Manager from 1923 to 1925. Colonel Causey had had a wide and varied experience with some of the largest railroads in America, and was U.S. Deputy Commissioner of the Century of Progress Exposition in Chicago. He was a warm, personal friend of former President Herbert Hoover, who sent both flowers and a telegram of condolence to the family upon Colonel Causey's death. He was known and highly esteemed by many Southampton people, a large number of whom attended the funeral rites in Suffolk Wednesday afternoon. Lt.Col. William Bowdoin CAUSEY, former railroad civil engineer, WW-I veteran, b. 24 Jun 1865*, Suffolk, d. 10 Aug 1936, Chicago, IL, interred in Cedar Hill Cemetery (Block D, Lot 8*), Suffolk, 12 Aug 1936, "Suffolk (VA) News-Herald," Vol. 14, No. 118, Mon., Aug. 10, 1936, pp. 1 & 8; "Tidewater News" (Franklin, VA), Vol. 31, No. 45, Fri., Aug. 14, 1936, p. 1 *Additional information: Cedar Hill list, an extension of the Southampton County Historical Society {SCHS} Cemetery Project: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/nansemond/cemeteries/cedar_a.txt Photos of his gravestones - added by Jake Dog - are posted with Find a Grave Memorial #108282511, which gives d. 10 Jun 1936; one shows b. 11 Jun 1865. The Nansemond Co. B.Reg. gives Wm. B., b. 24 Jun 1865, son of Chas. H. & Martha J. CAUSEY. (1865 #27) Ancestry.com IL D.Index 1916-1947 gives William Bowdin, b. 24 Jun 1865, son of James B. CAUSEY. His parents, Charles Henry & Martha Josephine (PRENTIS) CAUSEY, are buried in the same lot. His father (1837 - 1890) was a Confederate veteran, having served as a first lieutenant in Co. E, 3rd VA Cavalry, and later a captain on Gen. MAGRUDER's staff. He was also a state senator. Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Mrs. Bruce Saunders (bs4403@verizon.net), and re-formatted by File Manager. file at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/nansemond/obits/c200w4ob.txt