The Steamboating Poes

Your website

I just took a quick glance at your website and it is indeed interesting. I have some pictures of a few of your boats of interest. Please email me at:
[email protected].

Museum information request.

I am planning an Ohio River museum tour. My intent is to visit as many river museums as possible in one week between Pittsburgh and St Louis. My prime interest is searching for data on the Poe captains from Georgetown, PA from 1850-1870. The current list of museums follows:

Brownsville, PA
Steamboat and Museum of Mississippi River History
Pittsburgh, PA
Heinz History Center
Carnegie Library PA Room
Sewickley, PA
Sewickley Valley Historical Society
Wellsville, OH
Wellsville Ohio River Museum
Marietta, OH
Ohio River Museum
Parkersburg, WV
Trans Allegheny Books
Pt Pleasant, WV
Pt Pleasant River Museum
Cincinnati, OH
Cincinnati Historical Museum
PLCHC
Covington, KY
Behinger/Crawford Museum
Vevay, IN
Life on the Ohio River Historical Museum
Jefferson, IN
Howard Steamboat Museum
Louisville, KY
Farnesley Moremen Landing
Paducah, KY
River Heritage Museum
Cairo, IL
US Customs House
St Louis, MO
Missouri History Museum
Union Station

Do you have recommendations for museums I have missed? Or suggestions for listed places I should omit?

Appreciate your advice.
Fran Nash

Also between Cincinnati and Jeffersonville is the Life on the Ohio River Museum, at Vevay, Indiana.
Vevay River Museum

There is the Behringer/Crawford Museum in Devou Park (part of Covington, Ky) but do not know the current state of their collection/expertise. When I was growing up, Ellis Crawford was the curator and his Grandfather was Henry McClanahan, long-time chief engineer on the CITY OF LOUISVILLE. Ellis KNEW a great deal about the river and river men though he never (I think) worked the river himself. But Ellis, I regret to say is long gone from there. The museum is celebrating 60 years of service and I knew him "Back then". There are about nine Poes listed the Way's PACKET BOAT DIRECTORY and about five listed in his TOW BOAT DIRECTORY. Two great museums are the one you list in Marietta and Cincinnati Library. A visit to the Cincinnati Museum Center should be added to your list (Mrs M'lissa Kesterman at that place). The Howard Museum is a treasure and you need to mine the S&D Reflector for which Alan Bates has supplied an index.

Museum Info

Mr S

Thanks for the museum info. The smaller museums and historical societies are the places I enjoy most.

I indeed have many volumes of the S&D Reflector dating back to Dec 1965. Capt Way was a fequent visitor to Georgetown,PA (not far from Sewickley)and provided copies of the magazine when Georgetown people were involved.

Again, thanks for the museuminfo.
Fran Nash

Georgetown Captains and Pilots

Ms Patsch

I thought I had sent an email to your account

Not sure it arrived.

I am always looking for photos of both the boats and their captains and pilots and engineers. I have inherited boxes of photos of strangely dressed men who I assume are Georgetown captains and pilots and engineers. Problem -- I can't identify them.

Fran

Ditto to what Tom Schiffer has to say. The Cincinnati Library houses the Inland Rivers collection--a chance to hold in your hands some rare volumes on river history. You could spend a LOT of time there alone--indeed, you could spend loads of time at ANY of the museums on your list! Each one is worth the visit. Be sure to check with each place beforehand about policies. For instance, some will let you take digital photos (no flash) of some of their collections under certain circumstances; some ask that you let them copy for a fee. Some will ask you to enter their rare collections with pencil and gloves only! The Cincinnati Library's collection is indexed online, which might save you some time. Good luck with your research--which is one of my favorite things to do!! Be sure to ride BB Riverboats when you are in town.

Account of Capt Adam Poe, Sr. River Experiences

I posted a wonderful account of the life and river experiences of Capt Adam Poe. Full of swash and buckle. The account was written by Adam Poe in 1887. It was printed in a serial form in the East Liverpool Crisis in 1889 or 1890. I have added a few comments, mainly dates highlighted in blue print, to add perspective. It is a wonderful read.

River Experiences Georgetown Steamboats

A copy of the Poe account is found in the Poe folder at the Beaver County Genealogy and History Center in Beaver Falls, PA.

The Book

Labor Day weekend my aunt lent me a hand written book identifying every steamboat built in Pittsburgh from 1811-1904. Its author was BM Laughlin (Benjamin M Laughlin) and it was presented on 20 Sep 1904 to his brother, RD Laughlin (Robert Dawson Laughlin). At that time, Robert D Laughlin was a steamboat steward who lived in the home built by Thomas W Poe. Benjamin M Laughlin credits "Mr Snowing" of the US Custom House in Pittsburgh for collection of the data. BM Laughlin also provided personal info such as

"I remember the flood on February 10th 1832."
"I commensed steamboating Augt 1844 sixty years ago."
"My first boat was the Rhode Island captain RD Dawson."

Last week I visited the National Archives in DC to do Enrollment and License research and cross check the data in the BM Laughlin book. The archives in DC have the Certificates of Enrollment for the US Custom House in Pittsburgh from 1831 - 1901. I am still trying to determine whether records before 1831 have been lost. Thursday afternoon at the National Archives, I looked at nine books with enrollment records. On Friday, I reviewed the Vessel Files in the military records for the Civil War. More on that visit in a later post.

This hand written book is a real find. It presents original source data I have not seen in any river museums and libraries that I have visited. The book has essentially eleven distinct chapters with personal notes about some of the Georgetown boats. As you will read, not all the data came from US Custom House records.

(1) SBs built at Pittsburgh 1811-1904
(2) SB Name Changes
(3) SBs built below (ie Marietta, Cincinnati, Louisville, Paducah)
(4) Record of High Waters in Pittsburgh
(5) Old Pitt Cin Packet Line
(6) Names of SBs Dismantled
(7) Diasasters
(8) 23 Str Burnt in St Louis
(9) 10 Str Burnt in Pittsburgh
(10) Names of Capt Deceased
(11) Names of Pilots Deceased

I have not yet decided what to do with this data in this book. The book is too fragile, and too thick, to scan each page.

Civil War Indemnity Requests

Based on the material found during a visit to the National Archives, I posted a couple pages on my website regarding the requests for indemnity for two steamers from Georgetown, PA lost during the Civil War. The steamers were the Clara Poe and the Horizon. The end results are compelling. Follow the links.

BM Laughlin Book v The Lytle-Holdcamper List

I am comparing The Lytle-Holdcamper List and the Benjamin Mackall Laughlin hand written book. A report comparing the names and features of the steamboats built at Pittsburgh between 1811-1834 has been loaded as an Excel 2003 spreadsheet on my website. The report will be updated as build years are processed. I plan to review "The Book" through 1848.

In the spreadsheet, a row of data from The Lytle-Holdcamper List is followed by a row of data from the BM Laughlin book for ease of comparison. In most cases, the two rows on a named steamer are harmonious. Cells with a red font indicate the data inconsistency. So far, approx 10 % of the boats listed by BM Laughlin are not listed in The Lytle-Holdcamper List.

I do not understand the differernces. Maybe the Laughlin book included canal boats/barges omitted by Lytle and Holdcamper. A number of small steamers (rated at 21 tons or so) are listed by BM Laughlin. The Little Beaver Creek which empties into the Ohio River opposite Georgetown was the route of The Sandy and Beaver Canal designed in 1828 to connect the Ohio River to Lake Erie. Canalboats/barges were built at boatyards on the Ohio River to transport goods to and from the Ohio interior. Pure speculation on my part!

This file can be downloaded for local artful analysis. The link to the spreadsheet is: Laughlin v Lytle-Holdcamper Comparison.

Corrections/comments/additions/theories/etc welcome.

In lieu of a Christmas card, I want to share a Christmas Eve dinner invitation with you. Unfortunately, this dinner took place more than 120 years ago at Georgetown Landing. The invitation to Capt Jacob Poe and family was written from the officers of the steamer Katie Stockdale. The dinner, featuring oysters, was a surprise party for Capt Thomas S Calhoon.

Wishing you a most Merry Christmas.
Fran Nash

That's a neat invitation. I love old stuff like that. Merry Christmas from me too.

The Benjamin Mackall Laughlin Book

There it is. There it absolutely and positively is.

The Benjamin Mackall Laughlin Book
The BM Laughlin Book listing every steamboat built at Pittsburgh between 1811-1904 has been loaded for your review. The Book has been loaded on six pages for ease of viewing.

The Book Scanned p1-43
The Book Scanned p45-85
The Book Scanned p87-125
The Book Scanned p127-163
The Book Scanned p165-205
The Book Scanned p207-294

Credits for the photography go to George Hellmann, a good friend.

Wow, thanks for sharing such a resource!

An Old Steamboat Book

Recently I have been entertained by another old book, "River Steamboats and Steamboat Men" by Capt Ellis C Mace. The book was published in 1944. The author, Capt Ellis C Mace, was born in Burlington, OH in 1862. Throughout the book, Capt Mace identified hundreds of the men who operated the steamboats in the Cincinnati region. He provided detailed stories of many of the pilots, clerks, engineers, and mates that he had known.

For the narrow frame of reference and time for my research, Capt Mace named the engineers on what he described as the "palatial steamers" of the Pittsburgh and Cincinnati Packet Line: Alfred Hoof, J Henry Best, Hy Tyler. About Hy Tyler, Capt Mace wrote "His reputation as one of the first-class river engineers was heralded throughout the valley… Mr Tyler lost his health in South America…". These brief biographies impart life into the steamboat men.

I believed that I had much of the data available on these luxurious steamers based on the files of Capt Thomas S Calhoon housed at the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh. Finding this book has provided a second and independent source.

As you have no doubt surmised, I take special pleasure reading early histories by authors who lived during the time. Maybe their styles do not rise to the level of literature, but their stories, filling each page, are eternal.

A Rare Photo

A rare photograph of the str Amelia Poe. Check it out.

My take on the str Amelia Poe differs in minor details. Compare the differences.

Fran Nash

Re-Discovered Steamers

My comparison of The Lytle-Holdcamper List and the BM Laughlin Book of steamers built at Pittsburgh from 1811-1904 is hereby duly declared complete. Each steamer named by BM Laughlin was searched for in The Lytle-Holdcamper List. The comparison was conducted through the year 1840 or, by another measure, after five-hundred-fifteen (515) steamboats. The comparison has been terminated because there were no differences found in years 1839 and 1840. By my count, forty two (42) steamboats have been re-discovered. Those steamboats, not listed in The Lytle -Holdcamper List, can be found at the page The BM Laughlin Re-Discovered Steamboats.

My search arguments in developing this report were quite generous. As long a steamboat was listed within plus or minus two years of the BM Laughlin build date with the same name or close to the same name and built in Pittsburgh or the Pittsburgh region, a match was declared. The rate of difference between the two lists through 1840 was still 8.16%.

Names presented the greatest challenge. For example, there are twenty (20) steamers named Delaware in The Lytle-Holdcamper List. BM Laughlin listed two additional Delawares that did not match any the build dates and/or places of build. Today with confidence I claim there were at least twenty-two steamboats named Delaware.

Where spelling and name abbreviations were questionable, I checked a combination of names. Str Eliza invoked checks on Elizabeth, Lizzie, Lady Elizabeth, etc. For Str Geo Baynard, I checked "George Baynard", "George MI Baynard", "General George Baynard", etc.

No doubt, I have missed a few steamboats -- omitted some because of inappropriate matches and included some because of failed checks. The raw data is available to those who can make the time to correct my errors.

Book Reference

Hi Francis,

Wheeling historian John Bowman recently published his latest book on steamboats entitled, "Steamboats on the Western Rivers in the Civil War" in 2010. The book is filled with pictures and detailed information regarding over 600 steamboats that plied the inland rivers during the war. He has also built five models of these vessels including the Conestoga, Lafayette, Queen of the West, and Liberty No. 2. Very interesting and well down book.

Upon a quick glance in the index of steamboats, I was able to find many of the boats you are speaking of. I highly recommend it to you.

You can contact John at [email protected].

Thanks

Mr Abbott

Thanks for the suggestion.

I did send an email to Mr Bowman and will try to purchase his book.

Fran Nash

Civil War 150

The 150th anniversary of the Civil War is upon us. In the Civil War 150 programs that I reviewed, there are few references to steamboats or the men who owned and operated them. So today I want to take a moment to honor specifically the men of Georgetown, PA and in general all of the men who commanded and operated those transports 150 years ago.

"Thousands of men, women and children lined the river bank to give the men a sendoff…The 78th PA Infantry was boarded on Captain Thomas Poe’s steamboat Clara Poe and the Moderator while the remainder of the men, horses, and canon boarded on the four other steam boats." "At 6:00 PM ropes were released, whistles sounded, anchors weighed, and the Clara Poe… sailed quickly from the Monongahela River into the Ohio River enroute to their jump-off point of Louisville, Kentucky, some three days away. Some of the soldiers standing at the ship's railing, watching the city quickly disappearing into the darkening sky, would never live to see Pittsburgh again.”

This sendoff was vividly recorded on Oct 18, 1861 - 150 years ago tomorrow. The Clara Poe was one of six steamboats chartered by Commodore WJ Kountz, who had charge of the transportation by river of troops and Government supplies. The other five steamers at the Monongahela Wharf that Oct day were the Moderator, Sir William Wallace, JW Hallman, Argonaut, and the Silver Ware.

On Apr 17, 1865, the Clara Poe was burned by the Confederates at Eddyville on the Cumberland River while transporting supplies and barges of hay to Nashville. [9] The Moderator in May 1863collided at night with the Horizon owned by Capt Thomas S Calhoon of Georgetown, PA. The collision, a Civil War tragedy where many soldier lives were lost, occurred near Vicksburg.

Lives Remembered

One-hundred-thirty years ago today, Thomas W Poe died (31 Dec 1881) while on a trip from St Louis to Pittsburgh aboard the str Fearless. In 1880, Capt Thomas W Poe bought the str Fearless to transport grain between Kansas City and St Louis.

The str Fearless was a large heavy-draft Mississippi River stern-wheel tow boat built in Pittsburg PA in 1865 according to Benjamin M Laughlin - it was 160 x 30' rated at 395 tons with two engines (20"x8') and five boilers (26' x 40")- with a working steam pressure of 150lbs. When it sank on August 26, 1882 in the Missouri River about 40 miles from its mouth near Lower Bonhomme Island, the boat was owned by the Kansas City Barge Line. The captain of the boat at the time it sank is unknown.

Unidentified Photos of Steamboat Men

I have loaded some photos of steamboat men from Georgetown, PA. My problem ― I am unable to identify them. To date, I have not been able to identify Capt Adam Poe, Capt Thomas W Poe, Capt George W Ebert, Capt Standish Peppard, Capt Jackman T Stockdale, and many other old family steamboat men ― Calhoons, Lyons, Kinseys, etc. Have a look.

CivWar150 19 Feb 1862

One hundred-fifty years ago, the mayor of Pittsburgh acknowledged the patriotic service of six steamboat captains. These captains with their boats, without pay, steamed to Tennessee to transport wounded and sick soldiers to Louisville and St Louis. Captains Thomas W Poe and Jackman T Stockdale were Georgetown steamboat men. Three of these six boats including the two from Georgetown were destroyed during the war: str Clara Poe, str Horizon, and str Emma.

Pittsburgh, PA,
Feb 19th, 1862

B. C. Sawyer, Jr., Mayor