A page, Civil War Transports, has been added to tell the story of the civilian steamboat men from Georgetown who served their country during the Civil War. None achieved much renown during their lifetimes.
Copyright © 2012 Francis W Nash
All Rights Reserved
I have scanned the book written by Capt Adam W Poe. The book, “A True History of the Three Brave Indian Spies, John Cherry, Andrew and Adam Poe“, includes a partial genealogy of the Poe family in America and a version of the famous frontier Indian battle between the Poe brothers, Andrew and Adam (the author’s grandfather), and the Wyandot Indian war party led by Big Foot son of Half King. The final segment is a memoir written in 1887 that includes stories of Capt Adam Poe’s river experiences. There is a kind of mythology that stories like this tend to drift toward. A wonderful read.
The book was made available by the University of Pittsburgh Libraries. I printed their eBook and scanned and loaded the pages.
Copyright © 2012 Francis W Nash
All Rights Reserved
My Aunt Frances Finley let me review old Georgetown documents in her possession. Most of the documents are deeds which follow the transactions of the Jacob Poeproperty. The earliest deed is dated 1804. In that deed Samuel Lyon sold Georgetown Lot No 21 to John Christmas for $30. Lot 21 is “The Poe House“. In 1850 Jacob Poe bought Lot 21 for $350; in 1873 he sold it to his son George WE Poe for $3,500.
Another interesting factoid is that Jacob Poe bought “Poe Wood” (Patent Book b page 334 in 1786 and Deed Book G page 204 in 1825). In 1850, Jacob Poe bought Poe Wood from the heirs of Andrew Poe, the famed Indian fighter. “Poe Wood”, as the story goes, was granted to Andrew Poe in 1786 by the Commonwealth of VA. His brother and partner in the famous battle, Adam, was also granted a Patent named “Poesville”. The disposition of that property is unknown.
Another interesting document is a Debt Judgment. In 1811 Thomas Smith won a judgment against William Carneagy for a sum of $47.18. Samuel Power was the High Sheriff of Beaver County at the time.
The old Georgetown documents are catalogued in an Excel spreadsheet for your review. The link to the data is called GeorgetownDocuments. Some of the Lot No 21 deeds have also been scanned and loaded.
Copyright © 2011 Francis W Nash
All Rights Reserved
Reading the Sep 2011 volume of the S&D Reflector made me think about the wide-ranging relationships of the early steamboat men. The names of the steamboat men and their vessels are interwoven on the tapestry of river history. In the Sep 2011 article “Str. PENNSYLVANIA at Wheeling“, John Panhorst , Jr. described the role his second great grandfather, Capt John Simpson Klinefelter, played in the Wheeling Bridge Case. The str Pennsylvania which Capt John Simpson Klinefelter commanded was built in Shousetown, PA in 1854.
Capt JS Klinefelter was also the master of the str Hibernia No 2. It too was built in Shousetown in 1847. After Capt JS Klineflelter’s brother, Jesse, died of cholera in 1849, Capt CW Batchelor acquired an interest in the str Hibernia No 2 and remained its master till 1852. It was during the command of Capt CW Batchelor that the str Hibernia No 2 was damaged while steaming under the Wheeling bridge.
According to the grandson of Capt Thomas S Calhoon (Dr John Ewing), Capt George Washington Ebert had an interest, either ownership in or command of, the str Hibernia* (his notation for str Hibernia No 2). Capt George Washington Ebert was my second great grandfather. I can not confirm his interest with a citation from Capt Way; nor do I know the years of his interest. What I can show, in a circular way, are the relationships of some of these captains and pilots from Beaver County, PA area which in turn suggest the Ebert interest in the str Hibernia No 2 was true.
According to Capt Way, Capt Jacob Jay Vandergrift’s first river job was cabin boy aboard the str Bridgewater when it was commanded by Capt George Washington Ebert. [1] The str Bridgewater was built in 1842/43. Later, Capt JJ Vandergrift was the master of the str John B Gordon No 2 with Capt Benjamin Mackall Laughlin serving as his clerk. Capt Jacob Poe was the principle owner of both the str John B Gordon and str John B Gordon No 2. Capt George Washington Ebert was married to Capt Jacob Poe’s sister with whom he shared ownership in many Poe family boats. Capt Benjamin Mackall Laughlin also hailed from Georgetown, PA. That evidence establishes the business relationship between Vandergrift and the Georgetown men: Ebert, Laughlin, and Poe.
Between 1845-1848, Capt JJ Vandergrift was the first mate on the str Prairie Bird owned by his uncle Capt John Vandergrift. CW Batchelor and William J Kountz of Civil War fame, were pilots on the str Prairie Bird. CW Batchelor married the daughter of John Vandergrift. That seals the family relationship of Vandergrift and Batchelor.
In 1859 Capt JJ Vandergrift built the str Conestoga which served in the Civil War until it was damaged in a collision with the str Gen Price on 8 Mar 1864 near Grand Gulf, MS. All of these named men served during the Civil War in the western theater – another link in the chain connecting their names. Like Capt Thomas S Calhoon, Thomas W Poe, and Jacob Poe, JJ Vandergrift lost a vessel, the str Red Fox, while towing coal barges to Island No 10. Like the other owners, he also received no indemnity from thet US government before 1895. [2]
In 1874, Capt Frank Y Batchelor, the brother of Capt CW Batchelor, acquired the str Mollie Ebert from Capt George Washington Ebert. The str CW Batchelor named to honor Capt CW Batchelor, was the Saturday boat in the Pittsburgh and Cincinnati Packet Line in 1892 -93. The Pittsburgh and Cincinnati Packet Line was organized by Georgetown men: Capt Thomas S Calhoon and Capt Jackman Taylor Stockdale. Theodore C Poe, son of Capt Jacob Poe, was the clerk of the str CW Batchelor. That bonds the business relationships between Batchelor and the Georgetown men: of Ebert, Calhoon, and Stockdale.
I recognize this analysis is a classic example of loopy logic. But is also illustrates the rich and long-standing relationships of these steamboat men who competed for river business and yet worked together often on nothing more than a shake of hands.
As a key to this example, I intentionally focused on JJ Vandergrift because other than Henry M Shreve, Jacob Jay Vandergrift is the only steamboat cabin boy, mate, pilot, or captain to be recognized on a PA Historical Marker. Even with his long career as a steamboat man, the marker only commemorates his work as a pioneer in the transportation of petroleum and natural gas from the PA oil country in the 1870′s. At that time it was reported that Jacob Jay Vandergrift was one of the wealthiest men in the world.
References.
[1] Contemporary American Biography Biographical Sketches of Representative Men of the Day, (Atlantic Publishing and Engraving Co, New York, 1895), p 46.
[2] Contemporary American Biography Biographical Sketches of Representative Men of the Day, (Atlantic Publishing and Engraving Co, New York, 1895),p 48.
Proceeding on.
Ironton. My interest in Ironton is the role Capt Thomas S Calhoon and his steamer, Katie Stockdale, played in the delivery of Ohio River relief between Pittsburgh and Ironton after the Flood of 1884. Details of the relief effort are found in The Mercy Mission.
Ironton was founded in 1849 by John Campbell, a noted pig iron manufacturer. Until the nearby iron reserves played out and the demand for steel replaced iron, immense wealth was generated. Many fine residences were built. Unfortunately the floods of 1917 and 1937 plus the Great Depression devastated the city.
Today, I was pleasantly surprised by the buzz in Ironton. It by far is the most vibrant river town I have passed through. Its community leaders are obviously implementing good policies. It was pouring so I did not get out of my car nor did I talk to anyone. Like Pt Pleasant, Ironton has a wall between the river and town. It also has a railroad track and station along the river.
Lawrenceburg. In 1865 a cub pilot aged nineteen on the sidewheeler CT Dumont made two important trips to Lawrenceburg, IN from Parkersburg, WV. The occasion the return of Union Soldiers from the Civil War battlefields. The cub pilot was George WE Poe, the son of Jacob Poe.
Like many of the other river towns, Lawrenceburg is 200 years old with an appealing main street missed by most highway travelers because of the by-pass. Early in its history, Lawrenceburg was notorious from Pittsburgh to New Orleans for its sin and vice. After the advent of steamboat commerce, its “Gamblers Row” grew quickly.
Today Lawrenceburg was surprisingly busy. Nice main street leading to the “Watch Walk” which is a stone levee and park. Nice when the weather and river stage permit.
Vevay. The “Life on the Ohio River” Historical Museum in Vevay, IN was a fun stop. Its primary connections to Georgetown, PA is the Billy Bryant Showboat and the str CT Dumont. The Bryants were always guests of Charley Poe when they landed in Georgetown. In fact the friendship was so strong Billy Bryant dedicated a chapter in his book to Charley Poe who he described as “one of the most fascinating River characters we have ever met”. At age nineteen while learning the river between Pittsburgh and Louisville, George WE Poe was a cub pilot on the CT Dumont which ferried two crammed loads of returning Civil War soldiers to Lawrenceburg in April 1865. Charley Poe and George WE Poe were brothers.
Vevay is a now stilled community of simple businesses and beautiful homes. It has a wonderful park along its waterfront. Founded in 1802 by Swiss immigrants, Vevay claims to be the home of the first commercial winery in the US. Today there is no significant industry to the best of my knowledge.
Proceeding on.
Marietta – nice place.
Capt John Calhoon of Georgetown, PA was the victim of an accidental drowning in the Ohio River at Marietta in 1846. At the time, he commanded one of Jacob Poe’s boats according to Harriet Calhoon Ewing during an interview conducted by Capt Frederick Way. During that period, Jacob Poe owned and operated four steamers: Fairmont, John B Gordon, Tuscarora, and John B Gordon No 2. Jacob Poe’s brother, Adam, was the principal owner of the Cinderella, Pioneer and Financier during the same period. To date, I have not been able to confirm Harriet Calhoon Ewing’s statement. Nor have I found any information about an accidental drowning in 1846 at Marietta. Capt John Calhoon was the father of Capt Thomas S Calhoon and the grandfather of Harriet Calhoon.
I failed to satisfy some of my Ohio River/Marietta/steamboat questions so I took a side trip to Athens, OH to visit their Historical Society and the library at Ohio U. Again, no luck, but the Rare Books Library at Ohio State has papers of Capt William B Anderson who was a pilot on the str Kenton.
Copies of two of Jacob Poe’s Master Licenses show the range of his accomplishments. From his conquest of the Allegheny River to Olean, NY in 1837 at age 24 years to his Masters Certificate dated 1 Dec 1890 at age 77 years, his life was stunning in a thousand different ways.
The original licenses are part of the collection of the Wellsville Ohio River Museum. The post “Ohio River Museum Donation” explains how the Jacob Poe licenses were discovered.
Jacob Poe Master License 1873 (Courtesy of the Wellsvile Ohio River Museum)
Poe Master License 1890 (Courtesy of the Wellsvile Ohio River Museum)
Copyright © 2011 Francis W Nash
All Rights Reserved
I have been thinking about Capt Jacob Poe. Uncle Jake as he was known to all in Georgetown, PA had a fascinating life which deserves more homage than I have offered. Events involving Jacob Poe and the str Clara Poe interest me on two levels:
(1) What was the pilot certification test in 1890? Could a steamboat man aged 77 years know every bar, chute, shoal on the Ohio and Cumberland Rivers between Pittsburgh and Nashville?
(2) Who was Chas C Townsend? As the US Army Deputy Quartermaster General in 1890, Chas C Townsend signed the letter denying Jacob Poe compensation for the loss of the str Clara Poe which was burned by rebels on 17 Apr 1865. It was Chas C Townsend who wrote a note in the margin of an earlier letter requesting an investigation of the event by the Dept of War. That undated letter I assume was written much earlier than the final correspondence. The battle for compensation was waged over 25 years through six presidencies ― with the same man ― Chas C Townsend.
I hope to find some reasonable explanations to both questions.
An index of all the people identified by Capt Adam Poe in his autobiographical book of river experiences has been loaded for your review. The page is Index of Names.
Based on the readings from the National Archives, I loaded a page describing the collision of the str Horizon on the Mississippi River. The page link is called A Case for Indemnity.
The losses of the Horizon and Clara Poe differ in several ways. The Horizon was definitely under contract to the US Army Quartermaster. Yet the military Vessel File at the National Archives has more original source papers regarding the burning of the Clara Poe .
One interesting aside from Horizon were letters from an engineer named Kemper. In a letter dated 4 May 1874, Kemper’s attorney requested pay for service on the str Horizon while running the batteries at Vicksburg. As you no doubt have guessed, the response from the US Army Quartermaster was negative — stating “our records do not show that Kemper rendered the services”. Eleven years after the event the US Army Quartermaster refused to pay the engineer Kemper’s day wages even though Kemper had an affidavit from an officer on the boat stating that Kemper served at Vicksburg. No records – no pay – period! You gotta admire these US Army logistics agents.