Last Updated on August 6, 2012 by
J. G. Pollock, agent of the U. P. R. R., was born in Washington County, Iowa. In 1862, then being eleven years of age, he enlisted in Company E, Thirtieth Iowa Infantry, as drummer boy; remained in the service about one year; was discharged on account of physical disability; returned to Washington County; soon after went to La Grange, Mo.; there learned telegraphing; was employed with the M. & W. R. R., and later with the C., R. 1. & P. R. R. as agent at Plattsburg and other stations; continued with the company three years. He then was appointed Train Dispatcher of the T. P. & W. R. R., at Peoria and Warsaw; held this position about one year; was then employed by the C. B. & Q. R. R.; was operator at about all the principal stations in Iowa; was appointed Assistant Ticket Agent at the Grand Central Hotel Ticket Office at Omaha, from 1873 to 1876; in 1877, he was appointed operator at Valley Station, on the U. P. R. R, and was soon after made agent at Valparaiso, for the U. P. From there, he opened all the stations to Stormsburg–the terminus of the O. & R. V. Division. On July 28, 1880, he came to Norfolk, where he has since been agent of this company. He is also agent of the C., St. P., M. & O. R. R., and Pacific and American Express Companies.