Career
- Engineer — Memphis, Clarksville & Louisville Railroad
Biography
Benjamin Bartle was a locomotive engineer for the Memphis, Clarksville & Louisville Railroad and one of the most notable railroaders in early Clarksville history. A native of Pennsylvania, Bartle helped operate trains during the railroad’s formative years and became closely associated with one of its greatest achievements.
Bartle is best remembered for engineering the locomotive W.B. Munford on August 6, 1860, when it became the first train to cross the newly completed Cumberland River railroad bridge in Clarksville. Hundreds of residents gathered to witness the historic event, which marked the successful completion of one of the railroad’s most significant engineering projects. Bartle sounded the locomotive’s whistle as the train rolled onto the bridge, while spectators anxiously watched from the riverbanks before celebrating the successful crossing.
In October 1860, Bartle traveled to Philadelphia to receive a new locomotive for the railroad and reportedly made one of the fastest return trips to Clarksville on record.
The outbreak of the Civil War complicated Bartle’s career. Because he was a Pennsylvania native and reportedly supported the Union, Memphis, Clarksville & Louisville President Robert W. Humphreys warned him in May 1861 to leave Montgomery County, saying his political views were unwelcome.