Edgar M. Heaton holds the responsible position of general yardmaster of the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad, at Bradford, and is well qualified to discharge the important duties which devolve upon him. He was born July 7, 1864, in Louisville, Kentucky, and is a son of Edgar Rush and Ester Ann (Melvin) Heaton. The mother was a resident of London, Ohio, and a daughter of Rev. John Melvin, a Methodist minister, who removed to the Buckeye state from New Jersey. The parents of our subject had a family of four children, all of whom reached years of maturity. One of the number, H. Allen, died in Baltimore, Maryland, at the age of twenty-five years. The living are: J. M., who is now a railroad man in California; Edgar Melvin, of this review; and Lydia R., wife of Edward Schurmann, of Indianapolis. The widowed mother also resides in that city. The subject of this review spent the days of his boyhood and youth in Indiana and Illinois, living in Urbana and Champaign, of the latter state, until thirteen years of age, when he started out in life for himself, going, to Greeley, Colorado. There he began work on a ranch owned by a Mr. McLellan, riding on horseback in charge of large herds of cattle. Later he spent several years in Texas, New Mexico and Arizona as a cowboy, being thus employed until 1882, when he returned to Indianapolis. He then entered the employ of the Pittsburg, Cincinnati & St. Louis Railroad Company as a yardman, but on the second night he lost his left hand. When he had sufficiently recovered he returned to a ranch in Texas, and was again employed in the Lone Star state for two years, but fences having been built, thus keeping cattle within certain enclosures, there was not so much demand for cowboys and he returned once more to Indianapolis. In his youth he had been of a restless and ro- mantic nature, and this led him to seek the free and untrammeled life of the plains; but on again coming to the north he settled down to business as a caller for the Pittsburg Railroad Company, but ultimately was promoted to the position of first assistant yardmaster in the night yard at Indianapolis. On the 20th of May, 1894, he was appointed to his present position as general yardmaster at Bradford, and now has fifty-six men under his charge. The position is an important and responsible one, and he performs his duties in a most able manner, thus winning the unqualified confidence and respect of his superior officers. Mr. Heaton was married, in Indianapolis, May 30, 1886, to Miss Otto Emma McCall, a native of Lexington, Kentucky. Theirs was a happy married life of ten years, at the end of which time the wife was called to the home beyond in 1896. Mr. Heaton was again married, August 31, 1899, his second union being with Miss Nellie K. Hoake, a native of Westville, Ohio. Her father died during her early girlhood, but her mother yet survives. Mrs. Heaton is a graduate of the Westville schools, and a lady of culture and refinement who presides with gracious hospitality over their pleasant home. Mr. Heaton is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of the Red Men, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Knights of Pythias fraternity, and has filled many offices in those different organizations. Although he had limited school privileges in youth he is a man of scholarly attainments, having for a number of years given much time and attention to study. He is the possessor of a fine, large library, to which he is consistently adding, and many of his most pleasant hours are spent amid his books. The position to which he has attained both along intellectual and business lines is due entirely to his own efforts, and for this he certainly deserves great credit. He is a trusted and competent employe of the road and is a frank, genial and courteous gentleman whose estimable qualities have endeared him to a large circle of friends.