There are three ways to analyze the Certificates of Enrollment data at The National Archives:
(1) Volume or year (Some volumes contain two years of data..
(2) Steamer name over multiple years/volumes.
(3) Steamboat master or primary owner over his career.
The following table summarizes the information for 1852 by vessel name and the master listed in the Cert of Enrollment. In 1852, the Certificate of Enrollment entries indicated that nine steamboats and one keel boat were registered at the Port of Pittsburgh by Georgetown masters. More than nine perhaps if an entry or two was missed. Absolutely no fewer than nine because the enrollment pages have been copied. For the nine steamers and one keel boat, seven different men were listed as masters on the certificates. In addition to the masters, the town also provided other officers such as pilots, engineers, clerks, stewards, and first mates. And roustabouts, firemen, and other service persons.
In 1850, Georgetown was incorporated and elected its first borough officers. The population according to the US census was 250. The population, according to an itinerant Methodist preacher’s wife, “was made up largely of river men – steamboat captains and pilots who were away from home a greater part of the time.” [1] The lives of the townspeople were centered on the river.
In 1852 the river transportation industry was booming. Four boats from Georgetown were new that season. Five of the 1852 boats were also enrolled in 1853. In 1853, three new boats were registered by Georgetown men although the total entries for that year was one less than 1852.
For historians, 1852 was a very good year because that volume of Certificates of Enrollment was well preserved compared to other damaged volumes where the print has faded due to water damage or pages have been torn. For the Georgetown men, 1852 was a typical year measured by the number of vessels working the western rivers.
Certificates of Enrollment for the Port of Pittsburgh 1852
| Steamer |
Build Year |
Master |
Registered in 1853 |
| Columbian |
1843 |
Thomas Poe |
No |
| Financier |
1845 |
Richard Calhoon |
No |
| Financier No 2 |
1850 |
Adam Poe |
Yes |
| Georgetown |
1852 |
Thomas Poe |
Yes |
| Golden State |
1852 |
Joseph Calhoon |
Yes |
| Huron |
1851 |
John McMillin |
Yes |
| Paris |
1848 |
George Ebert |
No |
| Royal Arch |
1852 |
Adam Poe |
No |
| Washington City |
1852 |
George Ebert |
Yes |
| Keelboat | |||
| KB Keystone |
1850 |
Benoni Dawson |
No |
Each vessel listed above has an entry in the volume of Cerificates of Enrollment for the Port of Pittsburgh in 1852.
The str Royal Arch sunk at Buffington Island in the Ohio River in Nov 1852. Later the wreck was struck by the str Tuscarora which also sank. For that reason, the str Royal Arch was “off the books” in 1853. The older boats were probably retired leading to their absence in the 1953 volume. . [2]
In 1852, the str Financier, Financier No 2, and the Georgetown were working on the lower Missouri River. The Financier is reported on the Osage River and the Financier No2 on the Kansas River. These years between the Mexican American War and the Civil War were the time of great movement of people on the rivers. Both the Oregon and Santa Fe trails began their long land journeys from the banks of the lower Missouri River during that time. No doubt the Georgetown men were transporting passengers and supplies to these starting points for the great migration and expansion of the west.
References.
[1] Eaton Mary Salome, Memories of The Wife of an Itinerant Methodist Preacher, The Commission on Archives and History of the Western PA Conference United Methodist Church, 1989, p23.
[2] Way Frederick, Jr, Way’s Packet Directory, 1948-1994 ,p404.
Copyright © 2019 Francis W Nash All Rights Reserved
No part of this website may be reproduced without permission in writing from the author.
