Grand Island man became national hero

After being honored nationwide for his heroism on the railroad, George Poell became county clerk for Hall County.

Yet, nearly 117 years later, both Poell’s heroism and his later fall from grace due to alleged financial misconduct as county clerk have been largely forgotten — until now.

The story of Poell’s rise and fall as a hero within the Grand Island community is retold in a newly published book, “Hero of the Rails,” authored by Jim Reisdorff of David City.

The 88-page book, self-published by Reisdorff, was completed with assistance provided by current and former staff members of the Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer.

It was on June 26, 1905, when Poell, then a locomotive fireman for the Union Pacific Railroad, saved the life of a 2-year-old boy, Paul Ussary.

The child was playing on the tracks near his home at Powell, a small town then located northwest of Fairbury, when the train on which Poell was working came steaming around a curve at about 30 mph.

Knowing that the train could not be stopped in time, Poell climbed out onto the front of the locomotive and, at the last possible second, swept Ussary off the tracks and out of danger. However, Poell then lost his balance and fell under the engine. He was subsequently maimed for life by the loss of a portion of his left leg.

Hailed a national hero for his life-saving action, Poell, who then lived in Grand Island, received three prestigious national medals for his actions.

“He became the first railroad employee in the nation to receive the Railroad Lifesaving Medal then recently established by Congress and personally awarded to him by President Theodore Roosevelt,” Reisdorff said.

“Two other national medals for his actions were subsequently awarded to Poell, including one for bravery that was awarded by the famed philanthropist Andrew Carnegie,” he added.

No longer able to work on the railroad, Poell was then encouraged to run for public office in Hall County.

Poell’s fame allowed him to easily win the election for county clerk in November 1905. He was subsequently re-elected to the position in 1907 and 1909.

However, in May 1910, the public’s perception of Poell was apparently shaken when he resigned from his position.

“This occurred after the Hall County Board of Supervisors received an auditor’s report that indicated that Poell may have possibly embezzled about $350 — more than $10,000 in today’s currency — from the county,” Reisdorff said.

Still under a cloud of suspicion, Poell apparently left Grand Island soon after that. That may have been the end of the story insofar as Poell’s time in Grand Island is concerned.

However, Reisdorff, a longtime railroad historian, uncovered the remainder of the story about Poell and his life after leaving Grand Island.

In addition to learning that Poell was still remembered for his heroism, Reisdorff discovered that a lifelong friendship was maintained between Poell and the child he saved, Paul Ussary.

“The Ussary family was very grateful to Poell for having saved little Paul. The father, who was station agent at Powell, afterwards raised funds for Poell by re-staging the rescue scene and then selling photographs of Poell and the child together to the public,” Reisdorff said.

Although the Ussary family later moved away from Powell, Reisdorff was able to trace what happened to young Paul. He grew up to also become a railroad employee and worked for the Rock Island Railroad as a train dispatcher.

Poell eventually returned to his hometown of Hanover, Kan., and worked in his family’s car business for many years.

“Until his death in 1952, Poell remained humble about his earlier heroism, despite media stories that would occasionally bring up the incident once again,” Reisdorff said.

Paul Ussary, who returned at least once a year to visit with Poell at his Hanover home, was quoted as having looked upon his rescuer as a second father.

Ussary lived a full life before dying in Pryor, Okla., in July 1986, at age 83.

Reisdorff noted that Poell’s passing in 1952 rated a brief mention in the Grand Island Independent of the time. The article, which told about Poell’s heroism and the fact that he later served as Hall County clerk, did not mention that he had resigned in disgrace.

Related to Poell’s life story, Reisdorff’s book also describes how the incident took place along the “ABC railroad” of the Union Pacific.

The ABC railroad is a stretch of track between Alexandria and Hastings where towns along the line were originally named in alphabetical order, a novel approach to early railroad construction.

The towns include Alexandria, Belvidere, Carleton, Davenport, Edgar, Fairfield, Glenvil and Hastings.

The town of Belvidere now includes a train viewing platform where visitors can watch UP freight trains roll through the town on a daily basis.

“It’s located just a few miles from where George Poell performed his heroic act more than a century ago and earned his place in railroad history,” Reisdorff said.

“Hero of the Rails,” priced at $19.95, is available from the author. More information on the book is available at www.southplattepress.com.

The mailing address is South Platte Press, P.O. Box 163, David City, NE 68632.