A. K. and MARY HARDIMAN
Albert (AK) HardimanPosition Held Dining Car Head Waiter and Waiter Railroad Line Illinois Central Trains City of Miami, City of New Orleans Panama Limited Routes: Fulton to Chicago, Chicago to Miami, New Orleans Years Worked 1940s-1970s Lived in So. Fulton TN and Chicago while working on the railroad Home Town: Cleveland OH dob: early 1900s |
Mary L. (Rose) HardimanPosition Held Commissary Worker- Sandwich Cart Railroad Line Illinois Central Trains City of Miami, City of New Orleans Panama Limited Routes : Fulton & Chicago Stations Years Worked 1940s-1971 Lived in So. Fulton TN and Chicago while working on the railroad Home Town: Fulton KY dob: early 1900s |
Mr. Hardiman lived in South Fulton TN and worker for the railroad as a Dining Car Waiter and Head Waiter for many years. His wife, Mary L (Rose) Hardiman, worked on the railroad also... scroll to below photos for additional information.
Dorothy Jackson's Kentucky Oral History Commission Interview on her father and mother is currently being transcribed. The video will be available for viewing in the Fulton KY Library shortly.
Dorothy Jackson's Kentucky Oral History Commission Interview on her father and mother is currently being transcribed. The video will be available for viewing in the Fulton KY Library shortly.
Mr. Hardiman lived in South Fulton TN and worker for the railroad as a Dining Car Waiter and Head Waiter for many years. His wife, Mary L (Rose) Hardiman, worked on the railroad also.
Mr. Hardiman was a good father and firm but calm disciplinarian. He was friendly and well-liked as evidenced from the note from a new employee who took the picture on the following page and wrote this warm note to “AK’, i.e. Mr. Hardiman.
Respectfully submitted by his daughter,
Mrs. Dorothy Jackson
So. Fulton TN
Mrs. Hardiman worked for the railroad at the height of its success during the 1940 -70s, same time as her husband dining car head waiter, Mr. AK. She worked as what her daughter reminiscently refers to as a Sandwich Cart Lady. With limited work for women in African American women in Fulton, these jobs were much desired.
With more than 20 passenger trains a day the staff was very large and the women would meet each train – morning, noon and late into the night with delicious welcoming services of sandwiches, fried chicken hot steaming coffee and ice-cold milk. While some of he ladies boarded the trains to serve seated passengers, others stayed on the station platform to serve those passengers directly from the cart, that needed to “stretch their legs.” In usually a short while, the train would pull out again and the passengers
would leave with full stomachs and a cheerful and pretty memory of Fulton.
(For an additional photo see The Pretty Sandwich Cart Ladies group page.)
Mr. Hardiman was a good father and firm but calm disciplinarian. He was friendly and well-liked as evidenced from the note from a new employee who took the picture on the following page and wrote this warm note to “AK’, i.e. Mr. Hardiman.
Respectfully submitted by his daughter,
Mrs. Dorothy Jackson
So. Fulton TN
Mrs. Hardiman worked for the railroad at the height of its success during the 1940 -70s, same time as her husband dining car head waiter, Mr. AK. She worked as what her daughter reminiscently refers to as a Sandwich Cart Lady. With limited work for women in African American women in Fulton, these jobs were much desired.
With more than 20 passenger trains a day the staff was very large and the women would meet each train – morning, noon and late into the night with delicious welcoming services of sandwiches, fried chicken hot steaming coffee and ice-cold milk. While some of he ladies boarded the trains to serve seated passengers, others stayed on the station platform to serve those passengers directly from the cart, that needed to “stretch their legs.” In usually a short while, the train would pull out again and the passengers
would leave with full stomachs and a cheerful and pretty memory of Fulton.
(For an additional photo see The Pretty Sandwich Cart Ladies group page.)