Topic starter
14/07/2011 6:46 pm
Does anyone know if a biography of Captain Thomas P. Leathers of Natchez fame exists? He's such a colorful, long-lived character I thought that there must be, but a search of Amazon and used book sites has turned up nothing.
14/07/2011 9:54 pm
*RE: Capt. Thomas P. Leathers*
Hi, Loren:
Your quest on the above interesting topic on Steamboats.org. I'm far away from my papers, files, books unable to grab resources as per your request. Others on this web I know have more readily available sources. Capt. Fred Way in his earlier S&D REFLECTORS wrote much about Leathers and his family relating to the ROBT. E. LEE/NATCHEZ race. I don't have my index with me here.
Go on Internet and type in Capt. Thomas Leathers, biography. Some webs pop up referencing him along with daughter-in-law Blanche Leathers who married his son Bowling Leathers. Other sources often appear with such web sites. Also try resources at Tulane University, possible newspaper files in New Orleans, Memphis, Natchez, St. Louis etc. along with files held by WATERWAYS JOURNAL. Others here know far more than I do. Authoress Manly Wade Wellman did a classic book on the great steamboat race printed some years ago. Keep us posted.
R. Dale Flick
Summer: shores of northern Lake Michigan.
16/07/2011 1:35 pm
Source in Natchez
Inasmuch as Capt. Leather's home, Myrtle Terrace is extant and well maintained in Natchez, Mississippi, and his final resting place is in the city cemetery, I would recommend that you contact the Historic Natchez Foundation, of which I am a member. Mimi Miller is the executive director and could assist you with other sources of information in the city concerning the colorful captain.
Historic Natchez Foundation
P.O. Box 1761
108 South Commerce Street
Natchez, MS 39121
601.442.2500
[email protected]
21/07/2011 2:20 pm
*RE: Capt. Thomas P. Leathers bio.*
Hi, Loren, Keith & Steamboating colleagues:
Just now 'catching up' on .org postings here today. Further digging RE: Biographical information on Capt. Thomas P. Leathers has surfaced with other gleanings in the works at the Library of Congress.
1. 'Hill Memorial Library,' Louisiana at: www.lib.lsu.edu/special/findaid/1548.pdf
2. 'Tulane' sources at: http://www.tulane.edu/Nlmiller/Transportation
Both sources I pulled from my computer references back at the Literary Club of Cincinnati library. Hope they may be accessed with problems. Library of Congress research in the works now.
R. Dale Flick
Summer: shores of great Lake Michigan in the far north.