Margaret Elizabeth Sellers was born on 28 Jul 1865 at Tradeston, Glasgow.
On her birth certificate (which I have not sighted), the occupation of her father, Robert Sellers (my 3rd great grandfather), is stated as being "Railway Company, Ship Building Manager, Panama, Central America".
Was there only one Railway Company operating in Panama at that time? i.e. the 1855 Panama Railroad. If so, are its personnel records likely to have survived?
I have reviewed Obtaining personnel records about Panama Canal without going to Panama?Obtaining personnel records about Panama Canal without going to Panama? but the Panama Canal Company to which that refers seems to belong to a later period (1904-1914).
On the Death Certificate of Robert's wife Margaret (nee Clacher) on 5 Nov 1867 at Tradeston, Glasgow, his occupation was given as "Railway Company Ship Building Manager" and this is the last record I am confident to attribute to him.
Our family story is that he and Margaret "died building the Niagara Falls" (which makes no sense) and I suspect (with no evidence) that Robert probably died in Panama soon after 1867 and by the 1871 Scotland Census their four children (aged 5-16) were living in Glasgow with Margaret's brother-in-law (John Lamont), sister (Elizabeth) and mother (Mary nee Campbell), which suggests that they had been orphaned.
Consequently, I think it is the Panama Railroad Company records from about 1855 to not long after 1870 that will be the most likely to hold mentions of him.
