Casey Jones facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Casey Jones
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| Born |
John Luther Jones
March 14, 1863 Cayce, Kentucky, U.S.
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| Died | April 30, 1900 (aged 37) Vaughan, Mississippi, U.S.
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| Cause of death | Train wreck |
| Burial place | Mount Calvary Cemetery, Jackson, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Other names | "John"/"Casey" Jones |
| Occupation |
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| Known for | Heroic sacrifice for refusal to abandon post to ensure the safety of passengers from an inevitable collision. |
| Spouse(s) |
Mary Joanna Brady
(m. 1886) |
| Children | 3 |
John Luther "Casey" Jones (born March 14, 1863 – died April 30, 1900) was a brave American railroad engineer. He became famous for his heroic actions during a train crash in Vaughan, Mississippi, where he saved the lives of his passengers but lost his own.
Casey Jones worked for the Illinois Central Railroad. He was known for always being on time, even if it meant taking some risks. On his last trip, he was driving a powerful train called "Cannonball" (Engine No. 382). He was running late but was trying to make up time.
As he neared Vaughan, he didn't know that other trains were blocking the tracks. He saw the danger at the last moment. Everyone agrees that Casey Jones used his amazing skill to slow the train down. This saved many lives, but he died in the crash. His bravery made him a legend, and he is remembered in a famous song called "The Ballad of Casey Jones".
Contents
Casey Jones's Early Life and Family
Casey Jones was born near Cayce, Kentucky. That's where he got his nickname, "Cayce," which he later spelled "Casey."
He met his wife, Mary Joanna "Janie" Brady, through her father. Casey was staying at her father's boarding house. To make Janie happy, Casey became Catholic before they married on November 25, 1886. They lived in Jackson, Tennessee, and had three children. Casey was known as a dedicated family man.
Becoming a Train Engineer
Casey Jones started working for the Mobile and Ohio Railroad. He did well and became a brakeman, then a fireman. A fireman's job was to shovel coal to keep the steam engine running.
In 1888, he moved to the Illinois Central Railroad (IC). He worked as a fireman on freight trains. On February 23, 1891, he achieved his dream: he became a train engineer! This was a top job in the railroad world.
Casey was known for always getting his train to its destination on time. People even said they could set their watches by him!
His Famous Train Whistle
Casey Jones was also famous for how he used his train whistle. His whistle had six tubes, making a special sound. It started softly, grew louder, and then faded away. People living along the IC line would hear it late at night and say, "There goes Casey Jones!"
Working at the World's Fair
In 1893, Casey Jones worked at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The IC railroad was helping thousands of visitors get to the fair. Casey enjoyed driving passenger trains there.
At the fair, he saw a new, powerful freight engine, No. 638. After the fair, Casey got to drive this engine back to Water Valley. He liked working with No. 638 because it meant he could be closer to his family in Jackson.
Later, he drove Engine No. 382, also known as "Ole 382" or "Cannonball." This was a very powerful engine for its time.
A Heroic Rescue
Casey Jones once showed his heroic side even before his famous crash. In 1895, his train was nearing Michigan City, Mississippi. He was outside the cab, checking parts of the engine. He saw a group of children near the tracks. All but one little girl got out of the way. She froze in fear.
Casey quickly shouted to his fellow engineer to stop the train. Then, he raced to the front of the train, leaned out, and pulled the frightened girl to safety. She was unharmed, thanks to Casey's quick thinking!
Casey Jones's Last Ride
In February 1900, Casey Jones moved to Memphis, Tennessee. He started driving a passenger train route between Memphis and Canton, Mississippi. This was part of a very fast "cannonball" route between Chicago and New Orleans.
On the night of April 29-30, 1900, Casey Jones was driving train No. 1. He left Memphis 75 minutes late because the train arrived late. He was determined to make up the lost time. The weather was foggy, which made it hard to see.
Casey drove very fast, reaching speeds of up to 80 miles per hour (130 km/h). He made up a lot of time. By the time he reached Durant, Mississippi, he was almost on schedule. He was happy, saying, "Sim, the old girl's got her dancing slippers on tonight!"
However, Casey didn't know about a big problem ahead in Vaughan. Three trains were at the station. One freight train was partly stopped on the main track, right in Casey's path.
As Casey's train approached Vaughan, his fireman, Sim Webb, saw the red lights of the caboose (the last car of a freight train) ahead. He yelled to Casey. Casey immediately told Sim to jump, which Sim did, just before the crash.
Casey quickly reversed the engine and put on the emergency brakes. He managed to slow the train down to about 40 miles per hour (64 km/h) before it crashed into the freight cars. Casey Jones was the only person who died in the collision. His actions saved the lives of everyone else on his train. His watch stopped at 3:52 a.m., the exact moment of impact.
Casey Jones's body was taken to Jackson, Tennessee. His funeral was held on May 2, 1900. Many railroad workers came to pay their respects.
After the Accident
Newspapers quickly reported on the crash. Headlines called Casey Jones a "HEROIC ENGINEER" who "Sticks to his post at cost of life."
The railroad's official report said Casey Jones was responsible because he didn't see warning signals. However, his fireman, Sim Webb, always said they saw no signals or warnings. Many historians also found it hard to believe that an experienced engineer like Casey would ignore such important warnings.
The crash caused damage to the trains and some minor injuries to passengers. Casey Jones's engine, No. 382, was rebuilt and put back into service. It was involved in other accidents over the years, but it kept running until 1935. Casey's favorite engine, No. 638, was sold to the Mexican government and ran for many more years.
Casey Jones's fireman, Sim Webb, lived until 1957. Casey's wife, Janie, lived until 1958. She never remarried and wore black for the rest of her life. Casey's family received some money from his insurance and a settlement from the railroad.
Casey Jones is buried in Mount Calvary Cemetery in Jackson, Tennessee. His tombstone has the wrong birth year, but his family Bible shows he was born in 1863.
Images for kids
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Casey Jones postcard with a commemorative postage stamp
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Casey Jones in cab of No.638 in 1898
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Marker in Memphis, Tennessee, commemorating Casey Jones
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Memorial plaque for Jones, in front of his home at the time of his death
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Casey Jones depicted on a 3-cent postage stamp issued by the United States Postal Service
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In Spanish: Casey Jones para niños
