Georgetown Steamboats

CivWar150 1 May 1863

fwnash — Wed, 01 May 2013 13:00:47 +0000

One hundred fifty years ago today, the str Horizon collided with the streamer str Moderator . Both boats were running after dark on a moonless night without lights, making evasive moves, and badly riddled by rebel cannons. The str Moderator had been damaged to the degree that it was unmanageable. The Horizon was not in trouble until the collision with the Moderator. Both vessels sunk. The str Horizon sunk on Island No 10 near Grand Gulf, MS.

Many soldiers, including Swedish members of Stolbrand’s Battery, were lost when the str Horizon sank. [1] In an eyewitness report by Gen Issac H Elliot, “I was down to the str Horizon and succeeded in getting out three gun carriages, but the stench arising from the 60 dead horses and men made my officers and men sick.” [2]

According to The Lytle-Holdcamper List ― Lives lost “Unknown”.[3]

According to the Gibsons, the US government paid $18,500 for the loss of the packet.[4] It is true that the owners applied for compensation, but two applications for indemnity were rejected by the US Army Quartermaster. I have no knowledge of any compensation received. At the time of the collision, the owners of the str Horizon were John N McCurdy, Thomas S Calhoon, Richard Calhoon, and William White (Jackman T Stockdale had sold his share in late 1862).[5]

References.

[1] Frederick Way, Jr.,Way’s Packet Directory, 1848-1994, (Ohio University Press, Athens 1994), p. 217.

[2] Gen Issac H Elliot,. Thirty-Third Regiment Illinois Veteran Volunteer Infantry In the Civil War.

[3] William M Lytle and Forrest R Holdcamper, Merchant Steam Vessels of the United States 1790-1868, (The Steamship Historical Society of America, Inc, 1975), p272.

[4] Charles Dana Gibson and E Kay Gibson, Dictionary of Transports and Combatant Vessels Steam and Sail Employed by the Uniion Army 1861 – 1868, (Ensign Press, Cambridge, MA 1995), p 152.

[5] John H Ewing, Biography of Thomas S Calhoon, Heinz History Center, The Ewing Papers Box 5, p 17.

Constructive Criticism

fwnash — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 12:56:31 +0000

A friend offered some constructive criticism recently. She explained that the GeorgetownSteamboats site was so large that she did not know how to approach it.

I agree. The site is huge, and growing. It is divided into blog posts and static pages and images:

            (1) Posts         181      ==     32,298 words
            (2) Pages        145      ==  107,082 words
            (3) Images      648

The total word count is not current yet easily matches an average sized novel – without images! I have more work in progress. Currently I am working on the Georgetown Cemetery list by analyzing three different sources : findagrave, the genealogypitstop, and an inherited hand written list. I am also working on additional CivWar150 posts. Seven more trips to the National Archives will complete my port of Pittsburgh steamboat registrations review. And I have a wish to visit, Cincinnati, St Louis, and Ft Benton historical societies, museums, and libraries. Only 22 of more than 100 identified to date steamboat biographies have been researched and put to Word. The percentage for steamboat owner and captain biographies is about equal to the steamboats. Where is Ken Burns when you need him?

The comment forced me to consider developing an outline for users. I have three classes of readers. One class is interested in Poe genealogy; another group prefers general steamboat and Ohio River history; and the Russians who we will exclude from consideration. The history of Georgetown and its local area stories fit into the Poe genealogy class.

So here it is. Analysis of the most frequently visited pages and posts provided by the POWWEB visitor stats mapped into my faves produced the following two lists of top ten pages and posts for my two classes of users.

Poe Genealogy and Georgetown History	Steamboat and Ohio River History

Site Introduction	Site Introduction
It Used To Be A River Town	It Used To Be A River Town
History in Homes	Civil War Transports
The Point of Beginning	No Place for a Lady
No Place for a Lady	Capt Jacob Poe
The Lost Frontier Fort	The BM Laughlin Book
Thomas Washington Poe	Thomas Washington Poe
Gentleman Charles E Poe	The First Steamboat War
The Preacher’s Note	Georgetown Cemetery
Poe Glass Plates	Str Clara Poe

The popularity of The Point of Beginning amazes me. It is the fourth most view page in the past twelve months.

In hand, I have two important original source documents: the Nancy Ann (Poe) Ebert journal and the hand written book by Benjamin M Laughlin (courtesy of the Frances and John Finley Collection). The Poe journal in a word is fascinating. The Laughlin book adds new information to the history of steamboats. A look at both will be time not wasted.

Again, I welcome your comments, criticisms, and corrections. An historian I am not. If information posted on GeorgetownSteamboats is incorrect, I appreciate having it brought to my attention for correction.

CivWar150 Editorial

fwnash — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 22:37:24 +0000

Reading historical accounts of events that took place 150 years ago provides enjoyment. But not in a normal fun sense. These histories are serious entertainment because they observe a celebration that commemorates the most turbulent era in our nation’s history. Somewhere in all this the contributions of steamboat men and their steamboats has been sadly overlooked.

CivWar150: 22 Apr 1863

fwnash — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 13:00:48 +0000

On this day 150 years ago, the str Horizon ran the Vicksburg and Grand Gulf batteries with supplies. Her civilian crew, except for her pilots, was temporarily replaced by Army officers and soldiers. Badly damaged by shell fire, she ran the gauntlet successfully. [1] According to the regimental history of the 11th Illinois Infantry, Second Lieutenant James D. Vernay of Company B received the Medal of Honor. He had been detached as a volunteer to the steamer Horizon during the Vicksburg campaign. The medal was issued for “Served gallantly as a volunteer with the crew of the steamer Horizon that, under a heavy fire, passed the Confederate batteries.”. [2]

The str Horizon was one of six transport steamers repaired to run the Vicksburg batteries after the failures of the “bayou” expeditions. On 22 Apr 1863, Capt GW Kennard 20th IL Regiment commanded the str Horizon. His boat left Millikin’s Bend at 9:00 PM. She steamed slowly to the bend then put on a “full head of steam”. At the second battery two artillery shots crashed through the bulkhead. At the next battery two shots hit the hurricane deck. In total fifteen or sixteen shots hit their target. All were forward and above the boiler room.

After passing the batteries, the str Horizon attempted to go to the assistance of the disabled str Moderator without success. The str Horizon then went to the aid of the str Anglo-Saxon. Later that day, the str Horizon was ordered to pass the Warrenton battery a second time and report at New Carthage. The str Horizon ”steamed up and reported” at New Carthage.[3]

Think for a moment about the power of the Medal of Honor. To single out for honor one person aboard one steamer would be a fascinating subject to explore.

How different the Civil War would have been without the Ohio River effectively separating much of the nation, North and South! And how different would have been the outcome without the steamboat , Union men, who knew the chutes, channels, and shoals of the Ohio and its tributaries.

References.

[1] Charles Dana Gibson and E Kay Gibson, Dictionary of Transports and Combatant Vessels Steam and Sail Employed by the Union Army 1861 – 1868, (Ensign Press, Cambridge, MA 1995), p 152.

[2] Regimental History of the 11th Illinois Infantry.

[3] JK Folmar I, California, PA 1849-1881: The History of a Boat Building Town, (Yohogania Press, California, PA 2009), p 58.

Thomas Washington Poe

fwnash — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 22:28:24 +0000

If there is a “night shade” hovering over any stone in the Georgetown Cemetery, it would be the spirit of Capt Thomas Washington Poe for good reason. Capt Thomas Poe was arguably the most far-famed and ill-fated steamboat captain from Georgetown, PA. Thomas Washington Poe was born in 1819 in New Lisbon, Columbiana Co, OH. He died on 31 Dec 1881 aboard the str Fearless on his way to Pittsburgh.

Misfortune paid its respects to Capt Thomas Poe many times and often far from home. On 11 May 1855 the str Georgetown was fatally snagged at Bellefontaine Bluffs on the Missouri in route to a military post. The str Georgetown was owned by Thomas W Poe and other partners from Georgetown, PA. He was the principal owner of the str Clara Poe which was burned during the Civil War by rebel forces on 17 Apr 1865 at Eddyville on the Cumberland River. He also owned the str Amelia Poe which was a complete loss when snagged on the upper Missouri river on 24 May 1868 and salvaged by 1,500 riotous Indians. And he was the owner of the str Nick Wall which met a tragic end on the Mississippi River near Napoleon, AK on 18 Dec 1870. Here a grisly incident occurred that Mark Twain retold in “Life on the Mississippi”. Though injured himself by the falling roof, Capt Thomas W Poe attempted to save his wife trapped in a stateroom. He chopped a hole in the roof with an ax striking the unfortunate Martha Jane Poe in the head. Martha Jane Poe, fatally wounded, was returned to Georgetown for burial.

Although Thomas W died on 31 Dec 1881 aboard the str Fearless on his way to Pittsburgh, his spirit lived on ― in the courts. The steamer sank eight months later on 26 Aug 1882 on the Missouri. The legal case regarding the property loss was finally decided by the Supreme Court of Missouri in Oct 1887― not in favor of the Poe heirs. This verdict feels perfectly appropriate.

George Washington Ebert

fwnash — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 18:27:53 +0000

George Washington Ebert was my great great grandfather. He was born 13 Aug 1810 and died in Georgetown, PA on 24 Apr 1879. Those were the years of great experiences and many great men. During his lifetime, GW Ebert established quite a record as a wide-ranging steamboat captain and owner. According to the Certificates of Enrollment for vessels more than 20 tons registered at the Port of Pittsburgh, GW Ebert was the principle owner of fifteen (15) packets and was a partner in eight (8) other boats owned by Georgetown men. My definition of “principle owner” is the person first named on the Certificate of Enrollment record for registration of the vessel. And I have not yet concluded my review of the Certificates of Enrollment for the Port of Pittsburgh. No doubt some data is missing due to water damage of early volumes and even worse because of lost or misplaced volumes. Even with incomplete data, the fragments pieced together paint an impressive picture.

Ebert Steamers

Date: 24 Mar 2013

Packet Name	Build Date Way’s Directory	Original Primary Owner (Signed Cert of Enrollment)

Belfast	1843	George W Ebert
Bridgewater	1843	George W Ebert
New England	1844	George W Ebert
Hudson	1846	George W Ebert
Hibernia*	1847	George W Ebert
Glaucus	1849	George W Ebert
Washington City	1852	George W Ebert
Yorktown	1853	George W Ebert
Clifton	1855	George W Ebert
Belmont	1856	George W Ebert
Melnotte	1856	George W Ebert
Argyle	1859	George W Ebert
Kenton	1860	George W Ebert
Yorktown *	1864	George W Ebert
Mollie Ebert	1869	George W Ebert

Fairmont	1837	Jacob Poe
Financier	1845	Adam Poe
Pioneer	1846	Adam Poe
Euphrates	1847	Joseph MC Calhoon
Tuscarora	1848	Jacob Poe
Golden Gate	1852	Joseph MC Calhoon
Caledonia *	1854	Richard Calhoon
Grand Turk	1854	AB Galatin

Note: The asterisk indicates the second boat with that name.

More Georgetown Boats

fwnash — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 21:33:18 +0000

Thursday afternoon and Friday were fun days at The National Archives. I reviewed eight volumes of the Certificates of Enrollment from the Customhouse Records for the Port of Pittsburgh. The records covered the time from 1 Jan 1863 to11 Jan 1867. Due to a gap in the records, data for the str JT Stockdale, and perhaps other boats, was not reviewed. Although the index of volume 6645 indicated that there were certificates registered between 17 Oct 1863 and 26 Jan 1864, there is no book containing the information. Sad. Those records are gone forever.

I did find eight new steamboats and one ferry which connections to Georgetown steamboat men. These newly indentified vessels are not listed in Capt Way’s directory. Most of the steamers are listed in The little-Holdcamper List. Of course, all of the boats , except str JS Cosgrave, are listed by Benjamin Mackall Laughlin in his hand written list of all steamboats built in Pittsburgh between 1811-1904. The following table lists the boats and whether they are listed by Capt Way and Little and Holdcamper.

SteamerOwner/Master	Build Year	Built Location	Way’s Directory	Little-Holdcamper

*Hawk Eye* George D Laughlin	1854	Pittsburgh	No	No
*Grey Eagle* BM Laughlin	1857	West Newton	No	Yes
*JS Cosgrave* George Calhoon	1858	Elizabeth	No	Yes
*Webster* HW Laughlin	1860	Pittsburgh	No	No
*Coal Bluff* GD Laughlin	1862	Bellevernon	No	Yes
*Gypsey* HW Laughlin	1864	Cincinnati	No	No
*JS Neil* BM Laughlin	1865	Pittsburgh	No	Yes
*Wild Duck* George D Laughlin	1865	Brownsville	No	Yes

*Driver* (steam ferry) Jesse Smith	1865	Pittsburgh	No	No

The current count of steamboats owned and operated by Georgetown men stands at 102. I have 24 more volumes of Certificates of Enrollment to complete my review from 5 Jan 1831 to 28 Jun 1901. Seventy years of Georgetown steamboating.

Note: Bellevernon is the spelling of the clerk who registered the Cert of Enrollment for the str Coal Bluff. Not mine!

TC Collins ― Boatman

fwnash — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 02:53:49 +0000

I found a rare and fascinating book

            “The Adventures of T. C. Collins ― Boatman
               Twenty-four Years on the Western Waters
                                    1849-1873″.

The book, edited by Herbert L Roush, Sr, was published in 1985. Like a limited edition print, I have signed copy number 10 of 750 copies. The book is the compilation of four journals written by TC Collins before his death in 1907. Those journals were given a place in the attic of the Collins family home for almost eighty years before the work was introduced to Rev Roush. The book is the transcription and editing of 2,800 pages of hand-written work.

The reason I find the book fascination is the career of TC Collins paralleled the time of my steamboat men from Georgetown, PA. He writes about the hardships of the life of a roustabout. From his writing, I learned details about flatboating, floods, ice jams, and steamer wrecks on the Ohio River. Born in Little Hocking, OH, TC Collins worked on the rivers that my ancestors worked. He named some of the boats that my ancestors owned. He did not name many of the captains of the boats, but he did identify people he worked with ― deckhands, pilots, and friends.

This TC Collins autobiography presents a first hand account of the expansion of the young American frontier. A wonderful read.

Capt Adam Poe’s Book

fwnash — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 19:53:31 +0000

In writing about his river experiences, telling about himself, he was also telling the story about the frontier and expansion to the West. Capt Adam Poe was contributing to the growing body of literature about the West. At that time Americans were avid readers of “Westerns”. These novels, and epic tales of the Indian Wars, were the core of the motion picture industry through the twentieth century – the struggle between good and evil and survival in a lawless society.

Make time to read The True History of… by Capt Adam Poe. The pages have been scanned and loaded for your entertainment. It is a wonderful story.

CivWar150 – 12 Jan 1863

fwnash — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 19:07:47 +0000

On Jan 12, 1863, the str Kenton was moored near the mouth on the White River according to a personal letter by Lt Cushman K Davis of the 28^th Wisconsin Regiment. Lt Davis was the aide-de-camp to Gen Willis Arnold Gorman. Approximately 18,000 troops had been transported to the White River from Helena or Napoleon, AR by a fleet of 30 steamers. The str Kenton steamed five difficult miles up the swollen White River on Jan 13. According to Lt Davis, the old General spent most of his time in swearing at the pilot who may have been Capt George W Ebert. [1]

Imagine the sight. Amid the noises of the night, thirty packets steaming down the Mississppi. The average packet was 185 ft x 33 feet not including its wheel. Its stacks were 50-75 feet high. With the usual 100 yards between boats that would calculate to nearly four miles of steamboats, bow to wheel, belching black smoke and raining sparks from their stacks.

[1] Lt Cushman K Davis Ltr, The Waukeska Freeman Newspaper, Feb 3, 1863.