Topic starter
10/11/2006 1:00 am
Capt Ephriam Wells has logbook for 1901-1902 for the steamboat 'Stonewall Jackson', any additional information about the Captain or the Stonewall Jackson would be appreciated. Transcribing the journal over the next few weeks.
10/11/2006 3:24 am
Re: Str. STONEWALL JACKSON and Capt. Ephriam Wells. There is a listing in WAY'S STEAM TOWBOAT DIRECTORY for Str. STONEWALL JACKSON Entry No. T2351 Pg. 213. The SJ was a sidewheel tug, 1861-1862 and originally built in Cincinnati, 1849. Used as tug for sailing vessels up the Mississippi to New Orleans from the Passes. April, 1862 Federal Fleet attacked New Orleans and wiped out the Conederate fleet except for the JACKSON, which was deliberately beached. No Capt. Ephriam Wells is listed in Way's index as per either the STEAM TOWBOAT DIRECTORY or WAY'S PACKET DIRECTORY. If there's another such boat by that name I can't find it here. 1901-1902 you say? Check those journal dates again. Others on this web may know more.
R. Dale Flick
10/11/2006 2:36 pm
Capt. Ephriam Wells was on the Str. Joe Fowler in 1914. Capt. Wells built the famous Wells Hotel in Sistersville, WV. He also built and ran two gas sternwheelers called the " Stonewall Jackson" ( official name was Stonewall J.) and the "Cuba". His grandfather Charles Wells founded Wellsburg, WV. In the late 1960's his grandson J. Wells Linkaid still ran the hotel, then known as the Wells Inn. I stayed there several times while on job sites and the walls had numerous photos of steamboats, of Capt. Wells and the two gas boats.
10/11/2006 3:21 pm
Hi, Bill:
EUREKA! Thanks for the insights on Capt. Wells and the STONEWALL JACKSON. I sleuthed back and forth here last night and kept coming up with -0-, zilch. The name kept popping up in my mind with some familiarity but I couldn't put my fingers on it. Indeed, it 'takes a village' to tell the story.
Cheers,
R. Dale Flick
Topic starter
13/11/2006 6:52 pm
Thanks for the reply. Charles Wells founded Sistersville, WV don't know about Wellsburg, WV? The Wells Hotel in Sisterville was run by family Wells Kinkaid as you provided. The log book came to our family via Sistersville connections. You did spark memory of the pictures in the hotel. Thanks so much for your information. My brother is translating the log and this will help. Charles Wells was my great, great, great grandfather.