The News-Sentinel 1959 - Fulton County Public Library

Friday, January 9, 1959
Tully Pontious
Tully PONTIOUS, 88, vice president and director of the Rochester Telephone company
who held the distinction of being one of the oldest active continuous telephone employees in the
United States, died of a heart attack this morning at 5 o’clock in his home, 1018 Monroe street.
He had been in ill health the past five weeks.
Mr. Pontious started work with the local company when it was organized, in 1895, and in
the 63 ensuing years had remained an active participant in the business. Since his retirement from
the superintendency in 1941, he had attended all board of director meetings, had been on reserve
duty as a “trouble shooter” and had taken an interested part in administration by the board.
His longevity record with the company probably was unequaled by any other telephone
man in the nation. In September, 1957, Mr. Pontious cut into operation the first dial telephone in
Rochester, thus personally spanning the half-century and more when he helped erect the first
telephone lines in the city.
Beginning work as a pole-cutter at $7.00 a week, Mr. Pontious successively filled the
jobs of lineman, night operator, bill collector, repairman and installation operator--sometimes
doing several of these jobs concurrently. He became plant superintendent about 1912, soon after
his son, Roscoe [PONTIUS], now general manager, joined the firm. Mr. Pontious was elected
vice president of the company in 1931.
In his six decades of service, Mr. Pontious witnessed the telephone company’s growth
from 84 telephones to 3,620, from magneto, hand crank, sets to common battery service in 1909
and then to dial phones. He lived through the eras from trouble-shooting by foot, horseback and
bicycle to today’s use of high-powered trucks.
Born March 17, 1870, on a farm near Disko, Mr. Pontious lived in Rochester since the
early 1890s, when he came here from his birthplace. His parents were Samuel and Rachel
PONTIOUS.
His first marriage was in 1890 at Rochester to Rebecca WAGONER, who died Sept. 21,
1938. His second marriage was Jan. 21, 1943, to Lillian WILLIAMSON HARVEY, also in
Rochester. She survives.
Mr. Pontious was a member of the Rochester E.U.B. church and of the Telephone
Pioneers of America.
Also surviving are two sons, Roscoe D. PONTIUS, Rochester, and Howard A.
PONTIOUS, Evanston, Ill.; two granddaughters, Mrs. William (Marcia) NICHOLSON, Elkhart,
and Miss Linda PONTIOUS, Evanston, Ill.; one great-grandson, Jimmie NICHOLSON, and one
great-grandcaughter, Jane Anna NICHOLSON, Elkhart.
Funeral services will be Sunday at 2 p.m. in the Zimmerman Brothers funeral home with
the Rev. Kenneth FOULKE officiating. Burial will be in the Rochester I.O.O.F. cemetery.
Friends may call at the funeral home after Saturday noon.