River Historians Remembered

While looking for something else, I came across this faded print, made from a slide taken by Capt. C.W. Stoll on March 31, 1969. This august group of river historians is standing at the entrance to the restaurant aboard the Str. BECKY THATCHER (formerly the MISSISSIPPI) at St. Louis.

From left to right are: William L. Talbot, postmaster at Keokuk, Iowa, who was very instrumental in bringing the retired steam towboat GEORGE M. VERITY to that city as a museum and who, as chairman of the museum board, was long associated with its operation and maintenance. Bill also was a founder of the Midwest Riverboat Buffs and served as president for many years. Next is James V. Swift, who was on the staff of The Waterways Journal for over 60 years. Jimmy authored a book, Backing Hard Into River History, and probably personally knew more river people than anybody on the face of the earth. In the middle is Capt. William H. Tippitt, who was a longtime river pilot for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and served on the MISSISSIPPI. Capt. Bill did extensive research on the Anchor Line and Lee Line, putting much of it on microfilm. Next is Miss Ruth Ferris, beloved educator who taught at the Community School for 35 years and was also assistant principal. Following her retirement in 1957 she was curator of the River Room at the Missouri Historical Society until 1965. In 1966 she designed, and was curator of, the Midship Museum aboard the BECKY THATCHER, until her third retirement in November, 1970. Last is Capt. Roy L. Barkhau, long associated with Greene Line Steamers and later with The Waterways Journal as circulation manager. The occasion for this photo was a luncheon aboard the BECKY in honor of Capt. Roy's retirement, following which he moved to Louisville and was purser on the BELLE OF LOUISVILLE until suffering a stroke later that year. Roy authored two booklets, one on the history of the Eagle Packet Company and the other about the race between the NATCHEZ and ROBT. E. LEE. Also attending the party, but not in the photo, was Wilbur Finger, longtime president of the Golden Eagle River Museum Club, whose wife, Marga, was aboard the Str. GOLDEN EAGLE on that fateful night in 1947 when she sank at Grand Tower below St. Louis.

Sad to say, throughout the past 41 years, all of the dear people in the image, including the photographer, have departed this earth for a distant shore on a shimmering river, with even the BECKY THATCHER now gone from us. But all of them left a legacy in what they accomplished to, not only preserve and promote our steamboat and river heritage, but to encourage interest in young people with their kindness and enthusiasm. A long and two shorts of the whistle in gratitude to them and in tribute to their memory.