Str Mollie Ebert

January 25th, 2019

Str Mollie Ebert (Photo courtesy of Murphy Library, University of Wisconsin – La Crosse)

This year is the 150^th anniversary of the build date of the str Mollie Ebert. Built and launched in Pittsburgh, her maiden voyage was a family trip to New Orleans.

Another bit of river romance was published inn the Evansville Journal on 15 Mar 1873. A child was born aboard the str Mollie Ebert and as tradition demanded the child was christened George W Ebert Smith. George WE Smith corresponded with his namesake and celebrated his 21st birthday aboard the str Mollie Ebert with Capt George W Ebert and the pilot Dan Weaver who according to the news clip was the pilot at the time of birth. No doubt Capt Standish Pepppard was also on duty at the time of both events.

So, Capt George W Ebert, Pilot Dan Weaver, and chief clerk Standish Peppard worked together for more than twenty years.

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Str Nick Wall Updated

January 13th, 2019

The story of the tragedy of the str Nick Wall has been updated to include three reports from the NY Times in Dec 1870. Mark Twain also covered the story as well, in “Life on the Mississippi” chapter 30 with a considerable amount of literary license.

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Georgetown Connection

January 8th, 2019

Kirby Snowden, Company C, OHS Cadets (Omaha High School).

Information on the front of the photo indicates that Allen was the photography studio at address 996 N 24 St, Omaha, NB. That section of Omaha was the street of dreams in the 1890s. See A History of 24 Street in North Omaha.

In my Family tree, James O Snowden is listed and married to Mary Kirby. Mary Kirby was born in 1854 in Georgetown. She was the daughter of Sarah H Poe (b1823-d1870) and Timothy Kirby.

: Kirby Snowden ca 1890 ( Anna L and John F Nash Collection)

The name, Kirby Snowden, sounds right; time of birth of Mary Kirby fits our purpose. Kirby Snowden is my 2^nd cousin 2x removed.

Kirby Snowden ca 1890 ( Anna L and John F Nash Collection)

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Allegheny Cemetery in Pittsburgh

January 8th, 2019

Allegheny Cemetery is one of the oldest and largest in Pittsburgh. It is located in the Lawrenceville neighborhood. Stephen Foster, Thomas Mellon, Stanley Turentine, Josh Gibson, and the unidentified remains of 54 victims of the Allegheny Arsenal explosion in 1862 are among the notables buried there.

David Sloan from the attached receipt and proprietors pass is also buried there in Section 9 Lot 219. Find A Grave list his birth unknown and death about 1850. That date I question and yet have not visited the cemetery to confirm.

Allegheny Cemetery Pass (Anna L and John F Nash Collection)

Curious. I know not David Sloan. George WE Poe (b1844-d1943) married Lauretta V Sloan (b abt 1860 – dnnnn?). George WE and Lauretta had no children.

The Allegheny Cemetery memorabilia, dated 1878-79, probably came from the belongings of George WE and then through Lillian May (Poe) Wagner, uncle and niece, who lived in The Poe House in Georgetown.

Another mystery to unwind.

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Ohio Riiver Freighter

January 3rd, 2019

Unusual siting on the Ohio River – deep draft freighter. The photo was taken from the banks of the Ohio River in Georgetown in front of the old River Inn hotel. The photo is not dated but I would guess from its size the 1940’s. The ship is either an ocean oor Great Lakes freighter.

No clue on what the occasion for the passing of this style of vessel.

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Georgetown Sand

January 2nd, 2019

Two images of Georgetown Sand And Gravel dated May 1962 (Unknown )

Georgetown was assailed by sand and gravel companies both upriver and down. Its high-quality sand deposits were extracted for many, many years. Over that long time several different companies owned each of the two mining operations. Much of the sand was shipped by barge and truck to mostly Pittsburgh construction projects.

The two images are dated May 1962 on the obverse. That was near the beginning of the sand removal on the upriver site.. The end look of this site was a huge lake with dangerously steep, shifting-sand sides because the sand was extracted well below the water level of the river.

Georgetown received little benefit from its sand and gravel. No jobs and no extraction fees to the best of my knowledge. Georgetown did receive two big holes – one on each side of the borough. Two watery blemishes fenced with barbed wire.

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Str Mollie Ebert Anniversary

January 2nd, 2019

Str Mollie Ebert (Photo courtesy of Murphy Library, University of Wisconsin – La Crosse)

One hundred-fifty years ago, the str Mollie Ebert was launched into the Monongahela River. In a high-profile ceremony, the packet was christened by Mollie Ebert Trimble and her Aunt Elizabeth Poe Mathews.

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Future of GeorgetownSteamboats

December 31st, 2018

How much farther is the future? What is GeorgetownSteamboats worth? What did GS cost? Will it matter if GS is lost?

Beginning year ten.

Facing erasure, GS does not matter. Futures are over-rated.

Happy New Year!

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Personal Heroes

November 27th, 2018

My world travelling partner and I just returned from 19 days in Spain followed by a now traditional family gathering for Thanksgiving at our home. In addition to the Ohio River men, I have found other heroes who move me.

The image left is important to me. Our Spanish Civil War guide in Madrid, Dr David Mathieson, took the photo on 3 Nov 2018. We were walking the frontline of the siege of Madrid which began on 17 Jul 1936. Installed on the University Campus, the pillar is the only monument in Madrid dedicated to the International Brigades that served in the Spanish Civil War 1936-1939. There the Civil War is a raw wound still. Franco is revered and hated to like degree. For many years, I have been a big fan of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade composed of approx 3,000 Americans volunteers who fought Franco fascism before fighting fascism was fashionable. American heroes who on their return to the US were persecuted for years after the war by the Hoover led FBI. More than 800 volunteers from the Abraham Lincoln Brigade died in Spain. I felt proud standing by their modest monument after 80 years of too little attention.

Hemmingway in Madrid (Nov 2018)

Of less merit I confess that we also searched out the taverns, bars, and hotels that Ernest Hemmingway supported when he was a war correspondent. Tipped a beer or a glass of cava to him in several sites in both Madrid and Barcelona. Today Hemmingway’s reports would be decried as “fake news” and his reputation denigrated because his professional judgement was not in tune with the political thoughts of the leaders of our government of the day.

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Heinz History Center

October 22nd, 2018

After considerable deliberation, I decided to gift my steamboat memorabilia to the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh, PA. A number of people who have found my site have given me books and steamboat items, such as photographs, bill of sales, and advertisements. Others have given me information that I have used to further develop the Georgetown story. Many thanks to you for your generosity.

I wanted to find a good home for this stuff. It is important to me that it be made public – available to researchers of river history and genealogists. Looking back 150 years, these steamboat men were remarkable by any measure. More than that they were my ancestors.

I will continue to maintain the GeorgetownSteamboats website. Someday I hope to complete my review of the Certificates of Enrollment volumes for the Port of Pittsburgh housed at The National Archives.

Again, many thanks to all for your advice and support over the last ten years. With your help, I have learned a lot about my family history. And many thanks to Carly Lough, a Heinz archivist, who helped me through this process. A tip of my hat to you.

Ltr from Heinz History Center Archivist Carly Lough dated 16 Oct 2018

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Str Mollie Ebert

Str Nick Wall Updated

Georgetown Connection

Allegheny Cemetery in Pittsburgh

Ohio Riiver Freighter

Georgetown Sand

Str Mollie Ebert Anniversary

Future of GeorgetownSteamboats

Personal Heroes

Heinz History Center

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