J. R. Coulston
J. R. Coulston, road master of the L. E. & W. Railroad, at Lima, where he has been located since May, 1900, was born in 1870 at Toledo, Ohio, and is a son of Mathew Coulston, a landscape gardener of that city.
Until 10 years of age, Mr. Coulston attended school both in Ohio and Pennsylvania, and then returned to Toledo, where his education was completed. After teaching school for several years, he studied for a year in the city civil engineering office at Toledo, and in the fall of 1890 went with the engineering corps of the L. S. & M. S. Railway. In the spring of 1891 he entered the government service as harbor inspector of the district between Cleveland and Toledo, efficiently filling this important position before he had attained his majority after completing the season's work he returned to the engineering corps of the L. S. & M. S. Railway, with headquarters at Jackson, Michigan.
After one season's work there, Mr. Coulston was placed in charge of the Lansing Division, his duties being doubled. He then came to Lima as road master of the Lake Erie & Western Railroad. Much of the efficiency of this road is directly due to Mr. Coulston's efforts. All the work with which he has been directly concerned has advanced most satisfactorily and the value of the property has been greatly increased.
On October 5, 1894, Mr. Coulston was married to Nita F. Houston, who is a daughter of James and Anna M. (Allardyce) Houston. The former is deceased. Mrs. Houston still survives and makes her home with her daughter, Mrs. Coulston. Mr. and Mrs. Coulston have one child, Joseph F. They are members of Christ Protestant Episcopal Church at Lima.
Mr. Coulston's railroad supervision covers the Lake Erie & Western tracks from Sandusky to the Indiana State line, a stretch of 145 miles. His ability is so well known that he has been given an opportunity to entertain a proposition connected with the construction of the Panama Railroad.