How Grace Thayer fits into Georgetown and steamboats is a puzzle. There are no Thayers or Wilkins in my Poe genealogy reports. My data on the Calhoons and Parrs is weak so I do not know whether she was related to the Calhoons or Parrs or another old Georgetown family. I do know that the photos were included in the Poe boxes inherited so I assume Grace Thayer was related either to the Poes or a Calhoons. I do have a list of Georgetown steamboat men with a Wilkins who was a steamer captain and/or pilot. More effort required.
The photos of Grace Thayer are dated 1889, 1900, and 1912. A twenty-three year long relationship with either Lillian May Poe or Parthenia Parr Calhoon. The photo of interest to me is dated 1912 with writing on its backside. It was signed by Grace W T. Its location was Bois Blanc Island which is three miles of water from Mackinac Island, MI. As the back of the photo indicated, Mad Anthony Wayne built the blockhouse on Bois Blanc Island in the photo postcard.
Another reason for a Poe to visit this specific area was to visit the works of Orlando Metcalfe Poe , and/or relatives. During the Civil War, Orlando M Poe was the chief engineer of the XIII Corps and gained fame for his defense of Knoxville. He followed Gen Sherman on his march to the sea and the later Carolinas campaign. After the Civil War, Poe also served with Sherman in the Indian wars from 1873-1883.
In 1870 Orlando M Poe was promoted to Chief Engineer of the Upper Great Lakes 11 Lighthouse District where he designed unique lighthouses which became known as “Poe style lighthouses”. A total of eight Poe lighthouses were built. He also designed and built the first lock and dam, named the Poe Lock in Sault Ste Marie. That lock, made larger in 1960, continues to serve the Great Lakes freighters today.
Orlando Poe died from an on-duty accident at the Soo Locks on 2 Oct 1895 and was buried in Arlington Cemetery.
I am amazed by the Georgetown Poes and the range of their travels. Two trips to New Orleans and one to Ft Benton in the year 1869 is unthinkable today for a normal family. Vacationing by steamboat and horse and buggy in remote upstate Michigan is beyond amazing. I have a photo postcard of a sunken steamboat from Chautauqua, NY where I assume the Poes vacationed because of their longtime support and membership in the Methodist Episcopal Church. Simply amazing!