William J. Nolan, master mechanic with the Union Pacific Railroad, having full charge of the roundhouse at Green River, was born at Grand Island, Nebraska, November 9, 1884, and was the eldest of a family of five children born of the marriage of William and Mary (Naylin) Nolan, both of whom were natives of Philadelphia and in early life removed westward to Nebraska. The father became an active business man of Wood River and later engaged in horse racing, owning some very fine running stock and following the circuits in Nebraska. He is still living at Grand Island, but his wife passed away in 1903 and was laid to rest in the cemetery at Green River, Wyoming. They had a family of five children: William J., of this review; Ralph Nolan, who is now connected with the aviation corps; Frank, a member of the United States army; Mrs. Anna Kreider, living in Bakersfield, California; and one who has passed away.
    The eldest of the family, William J. Nolan, spent his boyhood at Grand Island, Nebraska, where he pursued a high school course, after which he served an apprenticeship in the shops of the Union Pacific Railroad Company. Subsequently he was employed as a machinist by the Company at Omaha, Nebraska, and for one year he lived in Rawlins, Wyoming, but in 1906 removed to Green River, where he has since made his home. He was sent here to take charge of the roundhouse of the Union Pacific as foreman and later was made district foreman and eventually master mechanic, occupying the latter position since 1916 at the Union Pacific shops at Green River, with full charge of the yards and the roundhouse and also of the machine shops at that point. He has thus worked his way steadily upward, the passing years bringing him increased experience and efficiency as the result of his close application and his thorough workmanship.
    In June, 1908, Mr. Nolan was united in marriage to Miss Ida Viox, a daughter of Leo and Josephine Viox, who are mentioned elsewhere in this work. They now have one child, Norman Leo, born in Cheyenne in 1911 and attending school.
    Fraternally Mr. Nolan is connected with the Woodmen of the World and the Knights of Columbus, his identification with the latter organization indicating his religious faith to be that of the Roman Catholic church. In politics he is a republican and he is a member of the Commercial Club, cooperating heartily with all the well defined plans and projects of that organization for the upbuilding of the city, for the direction and extension of its trade connections and for the development and elevation of its civic standards.