Employment records, when available, are a great genealogical source. They can vary greatly in content and scope. Over the next few days, we’ll look briefly at images from the employment file of Thomas Frame who worked at the Pullman Car Works in Pullman, Illinois. For all of my children’s ancestors, the Pullman Car Works is the only location where I have been able to locate employment records. Few of them have records of this type as most were farmers or farm laborers.

We’ve discussed and analyzed these in more detail in Casefile Clues, so that analysis won’t be repeated here.

This card in Thomas’ file gives his employee number, which is written on his card in at least three places. This card apparently indicates that as of 1909, Thomas was 71 years of age and had worked at the company for 28 years.

There are more cards from Thomas’ file to come.