John S. Thostesen Family papers
Finding aid created by California State Railroad Museum Library and Archives staff using RecordEXPRESS
California State Railroad Museum Library and Archives
2020
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Sacramento, California 95814
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Title: John S. Thostesen Family papers
Dates: 1916-1986
Collection Number: MS 470
Creator/Collector:
Thostesen, John S.
Extent: One half box + 1 oversized folder
Repository:
California State Railroad Museum Library and Archives
Sacramento, California 95814
Abstract: Papers collected by John S. Thostesen while he worked as an engineer for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad and those
of his wife, Marie. Material includes dues receipts from the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen & Enginemen, and Veteran's
Association of the Burlington Lines membership cards. Marie Thostesen's papers include membership cards from the Veterans'
Association Ladies' Auxiliary and passes to travel on the railroad.
Language of Material: English
This collection is open for research at our off-site storage facility with one week's notice. Contact Library & Archives staff
to arrange for access.
Copyright has not been assigned to the California State Railroad Museum. All requests for permission to publish or quote from
manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the CSRM Archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the CSRM
as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must
also be obtained by the reader.
John S. Thostesen Family papers. California State Railroad Museum Library and Archives
Gift of Patrick Hopkins [great-grandson of John and Marie Thostesen], 2014.
Biography/Administrative History
John S. Thostesen was born on January 22, 1888 in Nebraska. He grew up in Nebraska and went to Colorado College in Colorado
Springs. In 1916, John joined the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad as an engineman. By 1926, he was an engineer on
the Sterling Division. He belonged to the Brotherhood of Locomtotive Firemen & Enginemen. He retired in 1955 or 1956.
Mr. Thostesen died on December 30, 1957 in Sterling, Colorado.
Marie (Thurman) was the wife of John S. She was born on October 10, 1898 in Lordsburg, New Mexico. The Thostesens were married
on February 22, 1936 while they were living in Denver, Colorado, but later moved to Sterling, Colorado. Both Thostesens were
active in the Veterans' Association of the Burlington Lines.
Scope and Content of Collection
Papers collected by John S. Thostesen while he worked as an engineer for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad and those
of his wife, Marie. Material includes dues receipts from the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen & Enginemen, and Veteran's
Association of the Burlington Lines membership cards. Marie Thostesen's papers include membership cards from the Veterans'
Association Ladies' Auxiliary and passes to travel on the railroad.