We continue to discover Williams family mementos tucked away in the last few boxes we recently retrieved from my father’s basement. The fountain pen below was one of our latest finds.
It has the following
inscription on the solid gold band encircling the cap:
E. C. WILLIAMS
PAST. PRES. No. 24
N.A.S.E. W.B. PA.
Although there’s not a lot of information online about the N.A.S.E., I did find
that the National Association of Stationary Engineers was organized in NYC on the 25th of October 1882, and they had
a lodge #24 in Wilkes-Barre, PA in the early 1900’s. Without ordering a book I
found at Amazon, I don’t know much more about them to share at the moment other than this old newspaper clipping I found online.
My great-grandfather, Edward Charles Williams, was an engineer at the Kingston Cake Co./Blue Ribbon Bakery for at least the last half of his working career, and he was always nattily dressed in 99% of the photos we’ve found so far. And it appears, much like my maternal grandfather of almost the same era, he definitely enjoyed a good cigar or pipe now and then.
My great-grandfather, Edward Charles Williams, was an engineer at the Kingston Cake Co./Blue Ribbon Bakery for at least the last half of his working career, and he was always nattily dressed in 99% of the photos we’ve found so far. And it appears, much like my maternal grandfather of almost the same era, he definitely enjoyed a good cigar or pipe now and then.
"Grandpa Eddie" circa ~1955
Up next:
Brigadier General Edward Charles Williams
Could this Civil War and Mexican War hero be my great-great-great grandfather?
Sarah M. and Edward C. Williams
My paternal great-grandparents circa ~1900
And we all know the story about the Civil War fife pictured below being given to young Eddie prior to Memorial Day 1891. And the hand-painted shaving mug in the photo below is definitely very old.
I'm now wondering which "ECW" the mug and fife originally belonged to?
Hi,
ReplyDeleteYour relative, Edward Charles Williams, must have been very dedicated to the field of stationary engineering and to his fellow engineers, in order to be chosen to serve as president of the local NASE chapter.
When NASE was founded in 1882 they had to deal with acusations and concerns that the organization was a union or in some way opposed to the concerns of the companies that employeed their members.
But the NASE preamble stated that they were never to work against the interest of their employers, other than NASE was committed to having boiler and steam engine license laws enacted.
NASE members were leaders in the effort to make steam power plants safer. Their successes contributed to the formation of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code in 1914.
NASE changed its name in 1928 to NAPE-the National Association of Power Engineers. They are still in existence today. I believe Pennsylvania has two active chapters Pittsburg 18, and Philadelphia 76.
The Past-President is typically honored at the Past-Presidents dinner, which may be where he was given his pen.
NASE/NAPE members are committed to helping one another, so it would be an honor if I could assist a Past Presidents family with anything related to his service or NASE.
Chris Marcella
NAPE 17 Lowell, MA President
asmecemnape@yahoo.com