Peter Francis Cohen was born 23 Dec 1881 to Peter Cohen and Katherine B. Gorman Cohen (1855-1916).
On 13 May 1904, Peter was a fireman for Illinois Central working on engine No. 286 when he was severely injured when a plug exploded from the boiler and sprayed him with steam. He was confined to bed for months but in time recovered.
Henderson Morning Gleaner • Sat, May 14, 1904:
As a result of an accident to the boiler of the Illinois Central engine No. 286 yesterday morning at 10:45 o’clock, near Mr. Elijah Sellars residence or something over a mile south of Weaverton, Pete Cohen is now at Letcher’s hospital in a critical condition from being burned and scalded. The freight train in charge of Conductor Langley was coming north at the rate of eighteen miles an hour and everything was going along nicely.
Mr. Cohen, who was the fireman on the engine, decided to fire up, but had scarcely begun his work when an explosion occurred which proved to be the blowing out of a plug in the boiler and at the rear end of the fire box and from the fire box there immediately came a big blaze, glowing coals and cinders; then the hot steam and water The freman was standing almost in front of the fire box and therefore received the full force of the escaping steam. He was staggered back to the side of the engine and not knowing what might happen, he dropped from the moving train to the ground.
H. B. Nickell, who was seated in his cab had not been idle. Being at the side of the fire box, he escaped the full force of the explosion and in order to be on the safe side, crawled out of the window on to the top of the cab. When the steam had almost ceased escaping he crawled back into the engine and succeeded in stopping the engine with the air brakes. He then tried to find his fireman, but was not successful, but on going about three-quarters of a mile down the track he found the fireman still conscious but suffering excruciating pain. He was taken to Mr. Sellars residence and Dr. Jas. H. Letch-er summoned. Soon Dr. Letcher and Miss Mattie Priest were aboard the switch engine, and were taken to the side of the wounded man. At one o’clock the sufferer was brought to the city and in Rudy’s ambulance was taken to Letcher’s hospital where upon examination no bones were found broken, but his hands, arms, and legs, from waist down, and neck were found to be painfully scalded and burned. Engineer escaped with only a slight burn on his left hand from one of the flying cinders. Both the engineer and fireman are young men between twenty-five and thirty years of age, and reside in Hen-derson. Mr. Cohen resides on First street beyond Alvasia and is unmarried The injured engine and the train were pulled into the city about one o’clock.
Peter F Cohen married Mary Rose Byrne (1893-1979) on 19 June 1926.
Peter and Mary Cohen adopted two children, Rosemary Cohen and John Michael Cohen.
They also had Frank Hayes living with them in 1940.
Peter Cohen died in 10 March 1945. He is buried in St. Louis cemetery.
Obituary:
Henderson Morning Gleaner • Sun, Mar 11, 1945:
Peter F. Cohen, well known county resident passed away at his home on the Zion Road at 3:30 Saturday morning following a very short illness.
Mr. Cohen was weightmaster and superintendent at the Henderson Elevator Company where he has been employed for more than thirty-five years. He was known and highly respected by a wide circle of friends both in the county and in the city.
He is survived by his wife, Mary Byrne Cohen; a daughter, Rose-mary; a son, John Michael, all of Henderson and a sister, Mrs. Mary Welden of Evansville and a nephew Sgt. Peter A. Welden of Camp Atterbury, Ind. The funeral mass will be read at 9 delock Monday morning at Holy Name church, with the Rev. Father Robert Giperich officiat-ing, and burial be in St. Louis cemetery.
The body will be removed from the Rudy-Rowland chapel to the home of the late John M. Byrne,
520 Center street, where it will remain until the hour of the funeral services. The Rosary will be read at 7:45 Sunday evening, at the Byrne home. Pallbearers will be Wyatt Baskett, Charles Scott, Tam Burton, T. B. Crawley, Herman Elam, Lawrence Bassett, Lannie Boswell and Fred Wilkerson.
