Jack Bevin, popular president of the ICRR from December, 1938, until his death in 1945, was born in McComb in a house owned by the railroad. At 13 years of age this engineer's son became a $25-a-month messenger boy for the railroad; working his way to the elevation of president. For the first time in the railroad's history, the company had a home-grown president born into an IC family. This World War II ICRR leader looked upon the Illinois Central as an organization which would function best if a high priority were given to goodwill and friendship.