Killed By Trains

William Heckman, aged sixteen years, son of Gustave W. Heckman, a confectioner at Freehold, was killed by a freight train on Friday afternoon. He boarded a Pennsylvenia freight train, to steal a ride, as it left the station, At the main street crossing, a few yards from his home, he attempted to jump from the train but missed his footing and fell under the cars. He was carried four blocks under the wheels before the train could be stopped. Both legs and one arm were severed from the body and his abdomen was crushed in. He died about an hour after the accident. It is a custom of Freehold boys to steal rides on freight trains and the railroad companies have adopted various means to prevent it, but without success.

Source: Red Bank Register, Wednesday, Jul 24, 1901

Some additional excellent resources for your research are:

• New Jersey Census, 1772-1890 - Ancestry.com

• Calendar of New Jersey Wills, 1670-1760 - Ancestry.com

• Interment.net - NJ ~ New Jersey Cemetery Transcriptions on the net.

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