I often look back at the last fifteen-plus years of membership in the Ontario & Western Railway Historical Society, and I think of the friendships and acquaintances I have made, the facts and history I have learned, the memorable events, and the collection that just happened to accumulate as time marched on. It has certainly been an evolution, or a metamorphosis of some sort, but definitely rewarding and fulfilling.

   As I continue to hunt for more O&W collectibles, the human side of this experience to date is sometimes not in the forefront of my thoughts, but it really should be. I mean, we as a group work in our own ways to keep the memory of the O&W alive. Our efforts have resulted in a substantial chapter, a wonderful archives center, and many accomplishments along the way. All too often I forget about the fine relationships that have developed because of this interest, and I too am guilty of not remembering the people who made the O&W what it was. This is not unlike a personal collection.

   Speaking for myself, I have put much time and effort into acquiring this O&W collection, in order to present a collage of hardware, paperwork and advertising from this railroad. But, what was this railroad? Well, it was a physical plant of property, buildings and machinery, and, above all, it was a business. Sounds all too impersonal, but the same holds true for a railroad collection. It too is made up of property and equipment, and can also be impersonal. This brings me to the subject of this article.

   Last month, my taste in O&W collecting took a different turn, in which I found an item that was not owned or used by the O&W. Not made, purchased or produced by the O&W. In fact, this item has nothing to do with railroading whatsoever. I was fortunate last month to add to my collection a shaving mug. What, you say! Yes, an occupational shaving mug. From what I have learned, these mugs are collectible in their own right, and were quite popular in the early part of the twentieth century.

   For those who are unaware, as I was, before the advent of Bic, Gillette, and Schick razors, as well as the Sunbeam, Remington and Norelco electric shavers, shaving with a straight edged razor and shaving cream, worked into a rich lather with a brush, was the way in which a man shaved his face. Some men of the times, possibly those who were somewhat more successful than others, would choose to visit the local barber shop for a daily hot towel and shave. Of course the razor, towel and mug were always provided by the shop, but most surely used by many others. Assuming that it was for sanitary reasons, or for reasons of pride, some men chose to bring into the barber shop a personal shaving mug, to be left there, and to be used only by the individual. These mugs sometimes were personalized with the name of the individual, and almost always featured decorations and illustrations depicting a particular individual.

   This particular shaving mug bears the name of J. J. Little in script lettering. It has gold bands around the borders of the mug, as well as gold filigree. Under the name appears the image of a steam locomotive and tender. Under the cab window are the letters O&W. Inside the cab one can see the image of a man in uniform. The view of the locomotive is from the left side, or the fireman's side. This will be significant, as you will later see.
   Upon the purchase of this mug, I spoke to the owners of it, antique dealers by trade. They informed me that they purchased this mug, along with other items, from a house sale in Otisville, New York, after the death of an elderly woman, in 1995. The son of this woman, an elderly man too, revealed that his mother was a close friend of Mr. Little, who worked for the railroad. A photo of Mr. Little that accompanied this mug, but was not available for sale, depicted him as an African-American gentleman in a railroad uniform.

   Now prior to purchasing this mug, I felt I needed to do some research in order to verify that this man did indeed work for the O&W, and, in so doing, make this mug credible. Sure enough, in an O&W directory for the year 1904, Joseph J. Little was listed as a resident of Middletown, and as a fireman for the O&W. These directories were printed yearly by the O&W, and contained a listing of businesses, advertisements, and the names (and occupations if applicable) of those who resided in the towns the O&W served. Luckily, a fellow member and collector with several directories was kind enough to inform me that Joseph J. Little also appears as a fireman for the O&W in his 1916 and 1939 editions, but only as a resident in his 1940 edition. Therefore, we can assume that Mr. Little retired in 1939, and was employed by the O&W for at least thirty five years.

   As I look at this shaving mug, I can't help but feel that somehow I now have a connection to the life of a dedicated O&W employee. It is not a piece of railroad history, but it is a piece of history from someone's life, one that will have a special place in my collection. For a change, instead of collecting an item from the O&W Railway, I added an item from an O&W Railway man.

   Therefore, to start off the new millennium, I'd like to dedicate this article to all of the men and women who worked for the O&W; a physical plant of property and machinery, and now a legacy, that we hold so dear to us. I also dedicate this article to the present day O&W RHS membership, as we too are making history in our own way, and hopefully will be looked upon by future generations as we now look at past generations.

   Long live the memories of those individuals, past and present, who helped make the New York, Ontario & Western Railway a reality.