Greening (Greenan) Family in Panama Canal Zone
(Continued - with photos)
Peter Valentine Greening worked as a steam shovel engineer in Panama. He operated a steam shovel digging dirt out of the channel. There is a famous picture of President Teddy Roosevelt sitting in one of these giant earth movers. According to Greening (Greenan) family lore, Teddy was sitting in Peter V. Greening’s steam shovel. This famous picture was taken in 1906. We know Peter was an early worker as we can see his name on a 1907 passenger list departing Cristobal, Panama, for New York City. Perhaps Peter is the man sitting at the controls of the steam shovel in this same picture. It appears a close likeness.
The following was taken from Peter’s obituary: “He was one of the first steam shovel operators employed on the construction of the Panama Canal in 1905, and worked on that project until the completion of the canal. He held the hourly, weekly and monthly record for the amount of earth moved in that project. In 1916 he became a dredge operator, and then chief engineer of the Cristobal Dry Docks, Panama, until he retired in 1938.” From a book published in 1911 an entry appeared showing the salaries paid for Steam Shovel Engineers. According to this book, Peter Greening was paid $236.00 per month. In 1909 Peter was making $226.00 a month and was contracted through the NY Erie company
In the 1920 Panama Canal census we see both Joseph and Peter Greening’s names listed living in the Canal Zone. By 1930 we only see Peter’s name listed in the Canal Zone census. In 1930 Joseph was living with his sister, Lillian, and her husband in Louisiana. Peter may have spent some time down in Louisiana too. Greening family lore tells us some of Peter’s relatives may be buried in Metairie Cemetery in Louisiana.
We found the following items of family interest.
1) May 1907 Passenger Manifest for the S.S. Esperanza sailing from Cristobal, Panama, to New York City which shows the name ‘Peter Greening’. So we know Peter was working in Panama at least by early 1907.
2) 1909 Passenger Manifest for the S.S. Colon sailing from Cristobal which shows Peter Greening’s family (wife, Bertha, and three children Edward, Walter and Charles).
3) 1920 Panama Canal Zone census which shows Joseph Greening’s name. Occupation is Boiler Shop Man. He was based out of Balboa, Panama.
4) 1920 Panama Canal Zone census which shows Peter Greening’s name. His occupation was listed as Steam Engineer for the Mechanical Division. He was based out of Cristobal.
5) Picture of a steam shovel used in Panama.
6) Oversized map of the Canal Zone.
7) Picture of the Cristobal Dry Docks which were managed by Peter Greening.
8) Picture of French cottages lined in Cristobal.
9) Short bio and
picture of Peter Greening. This was found in an old book dated 1911
about important people working in the Panama Canal Zone. According to
this book, Peter came to Panama in 1907. Peter’s obituary says he
arrived earlier. (Book: "The Makers of the Panama Canal and
Representative Men of the Panama Republic"
1911; Compiled & Edited by F E Jackson & Son)
10) President Theodore Roosevelt sitting inside a Panama Steam Shovel. Greening family lore says this was Peter Greening’s steam shovel. This picture was found in an old book about the Panama Canal dated 1913. Look at the guy who is sitting at the steam shovel controls. We think this is Peter Greening. (Book: Panama and the Canal in Pictures and Prose by William J. Abbot; Syndicate Publishing Company; 1913. This book was sold by Michael Smith.)
11) Picture of the middle lock in Panama under construction.
12) Picture of Gatun Lock in Panama.
13) Picture of an older Peter Greening in Panama. Perhaps this was taken in front of his residence in Cristobal.
14) Picture of the Gaillard Cut.
15) 1909 Ship Manifest from the S.S. Panama which shows Peter Greening’s name.
16) Picture of a buried steam shovel. This was something that happened frequently as this was dangerous work.
17) Picture of steam shovels working on the Gatun Dock.
18) Stereoview picture showing Teddy Roosevelt sitting in Peter Greening’s steam shovel.
19) 1924 ship manifest showing Joseph Greening’s name. We do learn something interesting from this record though. We learn his residence was Cleveland, Ohio. At this time Lillian, possibly Julia, were living in Cleveland, Ohio, at this time too. Later we see Joseph living with sister, Julia, and her husband in Louisiana.
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