Guide to the J. R. Jacks Collection Collection
Record Group 080
Date Span: 1888-1982 (bulk 1950-1975)
Extent: 0.66 cf
Biographical Note: John Russell Jacks, Sr. (Jan 4, 1910--Feb. 27, 2006), was employed by Southern Railway and Western Union. He lived in Dothan, AL, 1962-1995, where he was a member of First Methodist Church and a founding member of the Wiregrass Society for Railway History in 1967. Jacks was also a Kiwanis member and member of the National Rose Society. After leaving Dothan, he moved to Birmingham. He is interred in Barnesville, GA. (Jacks obituary, Dothan Eagle, March 1, 2006)
Scope/Content: Contains records of the Wiregrass Society for Railway History (WSRH), 1967-82, National Railway History bulletins, Central of Georgia Railroad information, Research materials and memoirs/histories concerning railroads, Southern Railway train orders and magazines, Railway maps, photographs, and artifacts.
Organization: Organized into 5 series:
- Series 1. Wiregrass Society for Railway History Records (WSRH), 194 – 1982, 19 file
folders. Contains WSRH governing and office records, WSRH correspondence and finance records,
WSRH publications, and train research materials.
- Series 2. Railroad History Reference Materials, 1903 - 1979, 19 file folders. Contains publications, rules/regulations, train orders, and photographs.
- Series 3. Personal Reference Materials, 1917 – 1975, 2 file folders. Jacks's final train order before retirement and miscellaneous documents.
- Series 4. Artifacts, n.d., 1 file folder
- Series 5. Maps, 1888 – 1952, 15 file folders. Commercial railroad maps (Cram's, Rand McNally), Railroad company maps, Southern Freight Association maps, general maps. Most from southeastern states, some from out of area.
Provenance: Dothan Landmark Park, as a local history repository, accepted Mr. Jacks's documents on local railroad. Mr. Jacks also deposited a separate set of documents relating to the WSRH, a local railroad enthusiasts' group (now defunct). Gift agreement unavailable.
Processing Note: Originally processed as part of RG 030 - Dixie Depot. The Wiregrass Archives staff reviewed material in 2006 and determined that it was not part of the Dixie Depot records. Assigned separate RG number of 080 in June 2007. Maps encapsulated in Mylar for preservation and ease of access.
Preferred Citation: J. R. Jacks Collection, RG 080, Wiregrass Archives, Troy University Dothan Campus, Dothan AL.
Date processed: June 2007
Processed By: TB
Inventory
Series 1. Wiregrass Society for Railway History Records (WSRH), 194 – 1982, 19 file folders. Contains WSRH governing and office records, WSRH correspondence and finance records, WSRH publications, and train research materials.
File I.D. File Label
080-04-0428-001-001 WSRH Founding/Governing Documents - 1967
080-04-0428-001-002 WSRH Non-Profit Organization Application and Status - 1968, 1973
080-04-0428-001-003 WSRH Charter Constitution and By-Laws, 1967
080-04-0428-001-004 WSRH Correspondence - 1967-1969, 1971-1972
080-04-0428-001-005 WSRH Financial Records - 1973-1974, 1976
080-04-0428-001-006 WSRH Membership - Wiregrass Chapter (1968, 1969, 1972, 1974, 1975)
080-04-0428-001-007 WSRH Meeting Notes - 1970 - 1971
080-04-0428-001-008 Baldwin Engine # 610 - 1967-1968, 1972-1973
080-04-0428-001-009 Diesel Locomotive # 1 - 1968
080-04-0428-001-010 Southern Railway Coaches 1016-1017-1018 - 1971
080-04-0428-001-011 Southern Railway Coaches 1201, 1202, 1203 - 1968
080-04-0428-001-012 SR - 126 Baggage and Express Car 1973
080-04-0428-001-013 Rail Museum - 1964, 1968, 1971, 1972-1973
080-04-0428-001-014 Hartford and Slocomb Railroad Company - 1967, 1971, 1973
080-04-0428-001-015 Excursions on Hartford and Slocomb RR; Southern RY R4 0 1973, 1971
080-04-0428-001-016 Insurance - Rail Excursions Tours - 1971-1972
080-04-0428-001-017 WSRH - Steel Wheel - 1967, 1970-1974
080-04-0428-001-018 WSRH - Newsletters - Member Chapter - 1971, 1982
080-04-0428-001-019 The Bulletin / National Railway Historical Society - 1970-1972 [all years incomplete]
Series 2. Railroad History Reference Materials, 1903 - 1979, 19 file folders. Contains publications, rules/regulations, train orders, and photographs.
File I.D. File Label
080-04-0428-001-022 Central of Georgia Employee Handbooks - 1917, 1958, 1960
080-04-0428-001-023 Central of Georgia Railway Company - Rules / Regulation Books [1917, 1958] Labor Agreement [1959]
080-04-0428-001-024 Central of Georgia Seniority Roster - 1964-1967
080-04-0428-002-001 Central of Georgia Magazine - Nov. 1939, April 1941, March 1943
080-04-0428-002-002 The Right Way, Central of Georgia Magazine, March 1956, August 1958, November 1958, July 1963, October 1963 (photocopy)
080-04-0428-002-003 Historical Record - River Junction [Chattahoochee] , FL - 1903, 1908, 1915
080-04-0428-002-004 Couch, H. A. - Memoirs - 1976
080-04-0428-002-005 Newspaper Clippings - 1969, 1972
080-04-0428-002-006 Displayed Steam Locomotives: Their Care and Maintenance Illinois Railway Museum [March 1974]
080-04-0428-002-007 Claude H. Ryan, "The General,” 1962 (“An original paper submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the certificate of membership in the American Society of Traffic and Transportation, Inc.”)
080-04-0428-002-008 W. E. Dorminey, "A History of the Central of Georgia Railway Company," 1965 (“An original paper submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the certificate of membership in the American Society of Traffic and Transportation, Inc.”)
080-04-0428-002-009 Locomotive Advertising in America, 1850-1900 (Scotia, N.Y. : Americana Review, 1960).
080-04-0428-002-010 TIES: Southern Railway System [Magazine] - July / Aug. 1972, Jan. / Feb. 1974, Mar. / Apr. 1979
080-04-0428-002-011 Time Tables - Railroad - 1957, 1962-1963, 1965, 1969, 1970
080-04-0428-002-013 Train Orders and Updates - Central of Georgia / Southern Railway - Dec. 18-25, 1962, Apr. 7, 1974
080-04-0428-002-015 45 Photographs of railway stations, rolling stock, tracks and trestles, people, maintenance, in southeastern Alabama, southwestern Georgia, northern Florida - 1974-1975 + Four prints of the last run of the "Nancy Hanks," and Barnesville, GA, station, 1971
080-04-0428-002-016 Five Max Calloway Photos of 1973 WSRH Excursion, Oates Street, Dothan, AL bridge, Railway passes and workers.- 1973-1975
Series 3. Personal Reference Materials, 1917 – 1975, 2 file folders. Jacks's final train order before retirement and miscellaneous documents.
File I.D. File Label
080-04-0428-002-012 Train Orders - January 31, 1975 - Last Train Orders Made by J. R. Jacks before Retirement.
080-04-0428-002-014 Miscellaneous [1917, 1936, 1955, 1967, 1969, 1971]
Series 4. Artifacts, n.d., 1 file folder
File I.D. File Label
080-04-0428-002-017 Artifacts
Series 5. Maps, 1888 – 1952, 15 file folders. Commercial railroad maps (Cram's, Rand McNally), Railroad company maps, Southern Freight Association maps, general maps. Most from southeastern states, some from out of area.
File I.D. File Label
080-04-0428-001-020 Cram's Township Railroad Map - Alabama [ca. 1888] - Original Doc.
080-04-0428-001-021 Cram's Township Railroad Map - Alabama [ca. 1888] - Photocopy [see also MC5 Item 1]
080-04-0428-002-018 Map - Rand McNally Pocket Map - Alabama [Map Missing] - 1932
080-04-0428-MD5-001 Crams Township Railroad Map - Alabama - [c. 1888]
080-04-0428-MD5-002 Map of Southern Freight Association, n. d., post 1912
080-04-0428-MD5-003 Railroad Junction Points Map of Southeastern Part of United States; Pre 1912 (year of Name Change of Abbeville Junction to Grimes [AL])
080-04-0428-MD5-004 Railroad Junction Points Map of Southeastern Part of United States; post 1912
080-04-0428-MD5-005 Distance Map: Showing Mileage Between Junction Points in Southern Territory - June 30, 1924
080-04-0428-MD5-006 Distance Map: Showing Mileage Between Junction Points in Southern Territory - June 30, 1926
080-04-0428-MD5-007 Map of the Southern Railway System, 1926
080-04-0428-MD5-008 Map of the Southern Railway System, 1930
080-04-0428-MD5-009 Atlanta and West Point Rail Company / The Western Railway of Alabama / Georgia Railroad, 1926
080-04-0428-MD5-010 Central of Georgia - County Map GA and AL, 1923
080-04-0428-MD5-011 Duplicates of Encapsulated Maps [(1) Southern Freight Assoc., (2) Central of Georgia]
080-04-0428-MD5-012 Out of Territory Maps
- Upper Midwest (Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, etc.)
- Chicago IL Rapid Transit Lines
- Florida East Coast Railway, 1926
- Florida Sectional Map (oversized), Florida Dept. of Agriculture, 1952
- Florida East Coast Railway, Miami, FL, 1927,
- The Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad, n. d.
- Illinois Central / Central of Georgia / Steamship Co. of Savannah, 1922
Contact Us
Wiregrass Archives
Troy University Dothan Campus
Everett 128
502 University Dr.
Dothan, AL 36303
Phone: 334-983-6556 x21327
Email: wiregrassarchives@troy.edu