Photo courtesy of Susan Conley Fanara

Photo courtesy of Susan Conley Fanara

Photo courtesy of Susan Conley Fanara

Photo courtesy of Susan Conley Fanara

Photo courtesy of Susan Conley Fanara

Photo courtesy of Susan Conley Fanara

This photo was featured in the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle and Rochester Herald on March 14, 1926, along with an interesting article about his life.

 
NEWS ARTICLE
INCAPACITATED FOR TWO YEARS, 77 YEAR-OLD MAN HOPES TO RETURN TO JOB

Dad' Hassinger Not Daunted by His Broken Hip

At the age of 77, Gilbert Hassinger of N?, Joseph avenue, is looking forward to the day when he will have recovered sufficiently from a broken hip and arm to go back to work in the car shops of the local ? of the New York State Railways.

Mr. Hassinger suffered the serious injury that has kept him from work for more than two years, when he fell into a pit in the car barns where he has been employed for twenty years.

"It was the first accident I ever suffered, that amounted to anything and I tell you I will be glad when I can get back to work," said the elderly employee. "I don't care anything about this enforced vacation. But you can bet I'll be back to work in time. I'm not ready for a wheeled chair yet."

As a matter of fact. Mr. Hassinger to-day looks as though he will be able to resume his regular work within a comparatively short time. He is again able to wolk, and although he employs the aid of a cane in his daily strolls, he is improving rapidly.

Mr. Hassinger, "Dad" as he is known to many street railway employees, has roamed over many parts of the world in various occupations. He was born in Scio street in this city in 1848 and at the age of 10, he enlisted in the Thirtieth Michigan Regiment at Detroit as a drummer boy and served as such until the close of the Civil war, when he returned to this city and started to work as a carpenter in the shop of George W. Aldeidge,(sp?) Sr., in Hachange street. Later, he moved to Avon, where he was married in 1870, and still later he migrated to Olean, where he had charge of the Opera House in that city.

Mr. Hassinger was employed in the Olean Opera House when Buffalo Bill played that theater in a wild west act. "Bill" at that time was organising his First Wild West show and he engaged Mr. Hassinger to act as his advance man. Mr. Hassinger joined the big show in St. Louis in 1884 and toured with the show for four years, both in this country and Europe.

"That was the life," related Mr. Hassinger, yesterday. "We had a great time during the two seasons I was with the show in Europe - playing London, Paris, Berlin, and all of the large European cities. But I think I had my greatest experience when Bill's show stood? for six weeks in New Orleans during Mardi Gras time. The old town was gay and giddy in those days. I'll tell the world. And none of us fall very far behind the band. Hot dog! that was the life."

In 1887 Mr. Hassinger married the second time and for nineteen years settled in Philadelphia, where he was employed at the J. G. Brill car shops, and later by the Philadelphia Traction Company.

In 19?? he returned to Avon and soon afterward moved to Rochester and obtained employment in the St. Paul street yards of the street railway company, where he worked steadly until he suffered the accident that incapacitated him on Movember 6, 1923.

"A fellow naturally slows up a little at my age," said Mr. Hassinger, "but there is no reason any more, war(?) a man should retire merely because he has gone a little beyond three score and ten. I feel first rate-or will be, just as quickly as these injuries permanently heal up. I'll be working in a short time now."

JOWEST

 
 
 
 
Created January 3, 2012

Updated June 14, 2012