John Nolan Jr. was born in Tennessee in 1868. He was the son of John Nolan and Ann Donnely Nolan.

John Nolan Sr and his wife Ann Nolan were both born in Galaway, Ireland and later immigrated to America. They eventually settled in Nashville Tennssee, where John worked the Nashville Chattanooga Railroad.

John Nolan Jr. married Letitia Doherty from McEwen, Tennessee before the turn of the century.

Letitia's parents were John Doherty of Donegal, Ireland and Margaret Fitzsimmons of Cavan, Ireland. After immigrating to the United States the Doherty family settled in McEwen Tennessee. John Doherty was a miller and during the Civil War he was incarcerated at the Union Fort Andrew Johnson located inside the Tennessee
State Capitol Building. Mr. Doherty was arrested and confined for providing bread to the Army of Tennesse.

John and Letitia Nolan had three children, Angela Nolan and John Joseph Nolan II. Another daughter died young. Angela was born around 1898 and John II was born in 1910.

In 1914 Angela graduated from St. Cecilia's Boarding School in Nashville.

The Nolan family lived on 24th Avenue South in Nashville. Several members of their extended family lived nearby.

John Nolan Jr. was an engineer for the NC&StL Railway and would often let his young son ride with him when the train he was drving passed through McEwen Tennessee. Mr. and Mrs. Dohtery would meet the train and Mr. Nolan would hand over his son. Young John would visit his grandparents until his father's return trip back to Nashville.

On July 9, 1918 Mr. Nolan was "deadheading" on the Number Four train, bound for Memphis. The train driven by Engineer David Campbell Kennedy left Nashville's Union Station shortly after seven a.m.

John Joseph Nolan Jr. was the trains scheduled engineer for it's return trip back to Nashville.

Mr. Nolan was riding in the smoking car as the train approached Dutchman's Curve.

He was killed in the collision.

John Nolan Jr. was buried in Nashville Tennessee at Calvary Cemetery on July 11, 1918. He was buried near his parents in the Nolan family plot on Priests Circle.

John & Letitia Nolan

Denise Nolan and her brother Patrick Nolan at the grave of their grandfather, John Joseph Nolan. Photo by Kim Hoover.

Mutilated Bodies Beneath Debris.

(From The Tennesean, July 10, 1918)

"All morning long attention centered about the telescoped smoking car of the outbound train, train crews working hard to raise with jacks the heavy body of the express coach beneath which was pinioned or crushed most of the white victims."

THE DEAD
(From The Tennessean July 10,1918)

John T. Nolan, Nashville.