Carl Nees

Charles William Nees, Jr., more commonly called "Carl," was born in Charlottesville, Virginia, to Charles Nees, Sr. and Arabella Omohundro. His father was the son of German immigrants and a farm laborer. His mother was a native Virginian and had been married before, to Teodor Wohlbruck, who had died. Nees had several half-siblings from his mother's first marriage. His uncle was folk hero, actor, and friend of Buffalo Bill Cody, "Texas Jack" Omohundro.

By 1900, Nees lived in Kenilworth (then part of Cranford and Union townships). He hired on with the Rahway Valley Railroad on June 20, 1910, as a brakeman. He was made fireman on September 4, 1912, and stayed in that position until June 1, 1913. Nees left the RV for a two year stint on the Central Railroad of New Jersey as a brakeman. He returned on December 16, 1915, as a fireman, but was promoted to engineer during the wartime rush on April 2, 1916, running the day freight out of Kenilworth. During the war, as engineer, Nees handled cars loaded with ammunition shells at the American Can Co. facility in Kenilworth. As many as eighty cars a day were handled. He alternated as fireman and engineer through October 2, 1922, when he was made Shop Foreman or "Master Mechanic." Eventually, he also gained the title of Superintendent.

Nees married Miss Helen Dembke of Brooklyn, New York, in 1923. Together, they had a son, John Sharon Nees, who was born in 1931; his parents called him "Sharon." For years, the Nees family lived at 601 Orange Ave. in Cranford. The younger Nees, who George Clark called "Poopdeck," would spend his summer recesses from school with his father, assisting him in the shop.