The most accomplished unknown Georgetown steamboat pilot is Capt Richard Calhoon. His career as an active captain and pilot spanned more than 50 years. He owned and built approximately 15 boats. He served as a captain or pilot of civilian transports during the Civil War, including the str Horizon when it collided with the Moderator near Vicksburg. At least one of his boats ended with a boiler explosion, several ended in fire, and some were dismantled. A storied career by any measure.
I am not related to the Calhoon rivermen. Most of my info comes indirectly from the Poes and, of course, the boat details are courtesy of Capt Frederick Way’s Packet Directory.
If any Calhoons are reading this post, please send corrections/additions/comments. I have no photos of the Calhoon captains or their vessels.
As a newspaper delivery boy in Georgetown, I knew some of the Calhoons. They were proud of the distinctive spelling of their name, although some Calhoons changed the spelling from “oo” to “ou” at the turn of the century.
Tags: capt richard calhoon, civil war transports, richard calhoon, steamboat