WI BIO - Dane Co - LUTHER, R.C.
Biographical Review of Dane County, WI. Chicago: Biographical Review Pub. Co. 
1893, Vol I, pp 193-194

During the past twenty-six years our subject has been in the employ of the 
Chicago & Northwestern Railroad, for twenty-two years of that time engineer 
of passenger trains. He has borne tens of thousands of people in safety on 
their journeys; scarcely one thinking of him or knowing his name, yet upon 
him has been the burden of them all. Those who do know him feel secure when 
on his train, knowing how skilled, careful and conscientious he is. Yet he 
has had some narrow escapes since the beginning of his service as fireman, 
that being his first position with the company, two of which are memorable, 
namely those of 30 Jul 1878 (a collision between Oregeon, WI, and Brooklyn, 
WI) and 08 May 1883 (a serious collision near Wales, WI). These were among 
the most serious accidents of the system, yet in neither of these was Mr. 
LUTHER censured, nor has he ever been reprimanded for any causes by the 
company; he enjoys their fullest confidence and is generally selected to draw 
prominent officials and distinguished men over the road, among those 
ex-President Hayes, President Cleveland, and the late Commodore Vanderbuilt, 
who once presented him with a $10 bill as a testimonial to his skill, 
accompanied with words of confidence. He is an honored member of the 
Brotherhood of Railroad Engineers, Division No. 176, of Baraboo [Sauk 
County], WI, and has served upon a number of its important committees.

R. C. LUTHER was born in Franklin County, NY, 20 Jul 1843, grew up there, 
where he received a common school education, and from which he enlisted in 
1862, when eighteen years old, but his father refused to consent, and he was 
compelled to wait until 27 Aug 1863, when he joined Company I, 16th NY 
Volunteer Infantry, Colonel SEAVER commanding, the regiment forming part of 
the Army of the Potomac. He remained with that regiment for the two years of 
its enlistment, then later, with many others, was transferred to Company I, 
21st NY Volunteer Infantry, Captain KIDDER commanding, and remained with this 
company and regiment until the close of the war, when he was honorably 
discharged. He took part in the battle of Gettysburg, was a detached member 
of the regiment, and also participated in the terrible battle of the 
Wilderness and in the many conflicts around Petersburg, yet he was never 
taken prisoner and was wounded but once, and then but slightly. Our subject 
meets his old comrades frequently and relives those days of peril, in the G. 
A. R. meetings, he being a member of Cadwallader C. Washburn Post, No. 11. 
He is also a member of the lodge of Master Masons and the chapter of Royal 
Arch Masons, both at Madison.

R. C. LUTHER was married at Kenosha [Kenosha County], WI, to Miss Jessie 
NELSON, a native of Philadelphia [PA], who came to that place when quite 
young with her parents; was educated at Kenosha, and afterward was a teacher 
in its public schools for eight years. She is of Scotch parentage, being the 
daughter of Thomas and Rosaline (COOK) NELSON, who were married in Scotland, 
and after their emigration to this country, Mr. NELSON worked at his trade of 
designer and engraver for calico prints at Philadelphia. Mr. NELSON [p 194] 
had come West with his family in 1856, settling at the work of gold and 
silver engraving at Kenosha; also, being a skilled machinist, did clock and 
watch work. He was a just and upright man, being a devout member of the 
Presbyterian Church, and lived at peace with the whole world, respected by 
all who knew him. Thomas NELSON died at Racine [Racine County, WI], a the 
home of his daughter, Mrs. Margaret RALYEA, 21 Nov 1882, at the age of 
eighty-two, he having been born in 1800. Rosaline (COOK) NELSON died at 
Kenosha [Kenosha County, WI], 17 Mar 1878, at the age of seventy-five. She 
was a most estimable Christian woman, descended from worthy Scottish stock. 
Her brother, George COOK, was for many years a leading merchant of Glasgow, 
Scotland, and her father, Captain Robert COOK, was the captain of a merchant 
vessel. During the war between France and Great Britain he was captured on 
the high seas and held a prisoner of war in France for many years, but was 
finally restored to his family, who supposed him dead. Jessie (NELSON) 
LUTHER, the wife of our subject, is one of ten children, eight of whom are 
living and all of them married.

The parents of R. C. LUTHER were Charles S. and Betsy J. (ELLIS) LUTHER, both 
born in 1811, natives of North Adams, Franklin County, NY; were married 
there, spent their days and finally died there; Charles B. LUTHER on 28 May 
1886, and Betsy J. (ELLIS) LUTHER on 04 Dec 1884. Charles S. LUTHER was a 
man of sterling character, well read and well informed, who had many warm 
friends, including a number of distinguished men, among whom was the late 
Vice President William A. WHEELER, a close and intimate friend. He [Charles 
S. LUTHER] was a devoted Christian, liberal toward others, considerate and 
unselfish. The Baptist Church best reflected his views, and he lived and 
died in that faith. His wife, the mother of our subject, was a member of the 
Methodist Church, whose gentle nature unselfishly and uncomplainingly took on 
the pain of lingering consumption; no words of complaint or repining fell 
from her lips in all the long days of her illness.

R. C. and Jessie (NELSON) LUTHER have no children, but they have adopted 
Florence E. WELLAND, a bright, sweet miss of fourteen, now attending school. 
They are consistent members of the Congregational Church, and prominent in 
the social life of that church as well, as they are in Madison, WI, generally.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly