esc to dismiss
x
Home / 📁 Tone / Sumner Larue Tone (1864-1942)

Sumner Larue Tone (1864-1942)

  • Born in Cincinnati. That's unexpected since he seems to have grown up in Bergen, NY. He was the first child of Thomas Jefferson Tone (1830-1903) who served in the Ohio "Squirrel Hunters" in 1862, so his father may have still been in Ohio at the time (and presumably visited by his mother). His father lived in Bergen before and after Sumner Larue's birth.
  • Married Emma Blanche Torrence (1868-1925) 28 Dec 1892 in Beaver, PA. Beaver is northwest of Pittsburgh, possibly on the way from Bergen to Pittsburgh. She seems to have been from Beaver.
  • Graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1886, studying civil engineering.
  • "He came to Pittsburgh in 1888 as assistant engineer in construction of the first cable railway", from his obituary below.
  • Numerous involvements with streetcars/trolleys in Pittsburgh, see below.
  • Residence at 5305 Westminster, Pittsburgh, in 1918
  • Traveled to Havana for the 🔹 1930 RPI Reunion with Katharine Spofford Tone (1904-1983)
  • Additional info may be available from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Archives ($7.95/month, can save to Ancestry, don't know if it can print/save/download).
  • A letter from Florence May Tone (1871-1943) mentions a hospital stay by Sumner in late 1934 or early 1935. A letter from Frank Jerome Tone also mentions this.
  • In addition to notes below, a two detailed professional biographies are included in The Years of '86.
  • Served on boards of directors (or similar roles) for Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh, Third Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh, and the Pittsburgh Association for the Improvement of the Poor

Pittsburgh Railways Company

An undated newspaper article is headlined

S. L. TONE PUT ON STREET CAR RECEIVERSHIP:
CITY TO ASK FARE REVISION
Wants Distance Basis Instead of Territory.
WIDE CHANGES ARE PROPOSED

This article contains numerous details about Sumner Larue's career:

S. L. Tone was named yesterday the third receiver of the Pittsburgh Railways Company.

Mr. Tone was president of the Pittsburgh Railways Company before it went into the hands of the receivers, and at one time was a member of the state public service commission. His only comment on his appointment was: "I am looking forward confidently to complete agreement in the conduct of the receivership."

"We are highly gratified with the appointment of Mr. Tone as one of the receivers. His standing and achievements as an engineer. and his long experience as vice president and later as president of the pittsburgh Railways"

LONG TRACTION EXPERIENCE

When the company went into the hands of the receivers Mr. Tone closed 31 years' association with traction affairs in Pittsburgh. By profession he is a civil engineer, graduating from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, N. Y. with the class of '86. He began practice here as an engineer the next year, entering the service of the cable railways of Pittsburgh, where he was assistant engineer 1887-8-9; was assistant engineer Duquesne Traction Company 1890-1, and then subsequently chief engineer of the West End Traction Company, Second Avenue Traction Company and the United Traction Company. Upon the organization of the Pittsburgh Railways Company in 1902 Mr. Tone became essistant to the president, and then vice president and president.

His service in traction affairs he in- terrupted in 1913-14 to serve as a member of the state public service commission. Mr. Tone, besides these activities, has been consulting engineer in many big engineering projects in and about Pittsburgh and in other parts of the country. He resides at 5305 Westminster street.

This article is probably from 1918. It notes that Sumner Larue had "31 years' association with traction affairs in Pittsburgh". Following details show that began in 1887, which indicates 1918 as the article date. Also, Pittsburgh Railways Company went bankrupt in 1918, which fits with the article's content.

Other events from archives

  • Sumner Larue and Emma Blanche Torrence (1868-1925) visited Colorado in 1915. In this photo Sumner Larue is seated at far left wearing a flat-topped boater hat, and Emma is seated directly behind him.

  • He appeared in this undated newspaper cartoon

Obituary

From The Pittsburgh Press, Monday 17 August 1942

Sumner LaRue Tone
Sumner LaRue Tone, vice president and member of the board of the Pittsburgh Association for the Improvement of the Poor, died last night in the Presbyterian Hospital, of complications following a fall in a downtown building last Monday. He was 77.

Mr. Tone, of 5305 Westminster Place, was a trustee of the Pittsburgh Railways Co. during previous reorganization proceedings.

Walking in the vestibule of the downtown building last Monday, he fell over a rubber mat, and suffered a fracture of his left hip. Pneumonia developed and caused his death, according to a Coroner's report.

Mr. Tone was a member of the Duquesne and University Clubs. Born in Cincinnati, he was graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute as a civil engineer in 1886. He came to Pittsburgh in 1888 as assistant engineer in construction of the first cable railway. He had lived here since, and for over 50 years had been identified with trac- tion developments in this city. He was at one time president of the Pittsburgh Railways Co.

He was a director of the Fullerton-Portsmouth Bridge Co. and treasurer of the. West Darlington Clay Co. In 1913, Gov. John K. Tener appointed him a member of the first Public Service Commission of Pennsylvania

Another death notice includes the value of his estate:

$207,000 Left In Tone Will

The $207,000 estate of S. L. Tone, of Pittsburgh, who died August 16. was left to his three children by his will, probated yesterday. They are Mrs. Elizabeth T Hosmer. of Belmont, Mass.; Mrs. Katherine T. Harrington, Tenafly, N. J. and George L. Tone, of Wallingford, Pa.

Backlinks

Tags

{_obsidian_html_node_id_pattern_:Sumner Larue Tone (1864-1942)}
x