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Below is a family biography included in the book,  Portrait and biographical record of Lehigh, Northampton and Carbon counties, Pennsylvania published in 1894 by Chapman Publishing Company.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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RICHARD CAFFREY, a well known resident of South Bethlehem, is one of the oldest men in the service of the Lehigh Valley Railroad, and has made a success of his chosen occupation, that of railroading, in which he has been engaged in one capacity or another for about forty years. The position he now holds is that of General Roadmaster of the whole system of the Lehigh Valley Railroad.

A native of the Emerald Isle, Mr. Caffrey was born in County Meath in 1837, being a son of John and Mary (Gibney) Caffrey, likewise natives of Ireland. The father, who was a farmer by occupation, brought his family to America in 1846, and settling in Easton took a position at the iron works of Cooper & Hewitt at Philipsburg. During his later years he was in the employ of the New Jersey Central and Lehigh Valley Railroads as section foreman. He departed this life in Philipsburg at the ripe age of seventy-two years. His wife, who is now over eighty-two years of age, is still living, her home being in Philipsburg. Of their three children, who are all living, our subject is the only son.

The early years of Richard Caffrey were passed in his native land, and when nine years of age he came to the New World, attending the schools at Philipsburg and Easton. In 1853 he entered the employ of the New Jersey Central Railroad, and two years later became track foreman in the construction of the Lehigh Valley Railroad. On the completion of the same he was section foreman on the Lehigh Division for nine years. For the succeeding ten years he was Roadmaster of the Penn Haven & White Haven Division, after which he occupied a similar post on the Wyoming & Lehigh Division for fifteen years. For the next five years Mr. Caffrey was Roadmaster of the same divisions, and also of the New Jersey Division, when the title of Roadmaster was changed to Supervisor, during the lease to the Reading Company. Mr. Caffrey is a member of the Roadmasters’ Association of America, and has attended several of their meetings. In 1889, when they met in Denver, he was a member of the Executive Committee, and has taken a very active part in the work of the oganization, being a member of several committees.

From 1864 to 1891 Mr. Caffrey made his home at White Haven, and for several terms during that period was City Councilman, and also served as Auditor. His present home is at No. 232 Packer Avenue, South Bethlehem. He was married at Eckley to Eliza McAsy, who is also a native of Ireland, and to them have been born eight children, namely: Mary, Annie, John, Julia, Lauretta, Lucy, Nellie and Josephine. Mary is the wife of T. F. Lawless, of Kingston, Pa., and John, the eldest son, is a druggist in Philadelphia. In politics Mr. Caffrey deposits his vote in favor of the Democratic party, and he and his family are members of the Church of the Holy Infancy.

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This family biography is one of the numerous biographies included in the book, Portrait and biographical record of Lehigh, Northampton and Carbon counties, Pennsylvania published in 1894 by Chapman Publishing Company. 

View additional Northampton County, Pennsylvania family biographies here: Northampton County, Pennsylvania Biographies

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