New Items - Steamboat Documents Towboat John J. Rowe Ledger 5 Sept 1948 Marine Insurance Company of St. Louis 1842 Document for Shipment of 182 hogsheads of Bacon Original document CARGO. Insured by the MARINE INSURANCE CO. OF SAINT LOUIS No. 1181 To Messrs. T.C. Rockhill & Morris Sum insured $6,000 for One Hundred and Eighty Two "Hhds" (abbreviation for Hogsheads) of Bacon To be shipped on Board the Steam Boat "Boston" from St. Louis to Pittsburgh and thence by Canal to Philadelphia Receipt on verso of Document has been inserted in the lower left hand corner in this composite: Policy No. 1181 Marine Department Marine Ins. Co. of St. Louis CARGO St. Louis April 28, 1842 $6000 Premium $90.00 Policy $1.25 TOTAL $91.25 A steamboat named BOSTON was wrecked on the shore of Lake Michigan at Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1846 but it's unlikely that this was the same boat that transported the cargo of bacon from St. Louis to Pittsburgh. The style of steamboats used on the Great Lakes would have been built in the manner of ocean going vessels to endure the violent storms on Lake Michigan. Shallow draft river steamboats would not have been suited to safely navigate under such perilous conditions. Boston (Steamboat), aground, 1 Nov 1846 maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca "The steamboat BOSTON, Capt. Pease, owned by Capt. John Robinson of Detroit, was wrecked at Milwaukee in the severe gale of last Tuesday evening. She was lying at the piers discharging her cargo at the time the gale came on, and in an attempt to make an offing, lost her smoke pipes, and was subsequently blown ashore from her anchorage, and lies broadside upon the beach, near the piers. It is supposed she will be a total loss. Most of her cargo is on board and will probably be saved in a damaged state. No lives lost. - Detroit Advertiser, Monday. Buffalo Courier Wed. Dec. 2, 1846 Milwaukee Nov. 28: - The BOSTON, There is a prospect of saving more from the wreck of this fine steamer than was at first anticipated. The cabin furniture was brought ashore Thursday, but little damaged. It is supposed that the engine will also be saved, and if the weather continues favorable, most of the cargo will be got out, though more or less damaged. The hull is full of water and will probably be broken up. Mr. Robinson, we learn talks of rebuilding his boat here this winter, taking the engine and as much of the hull as can be got from the wreck. The BOSTON cost $65,000 and was uninsured. Milwaukee Sentinal. Buffalo Courier Fri. Dec. 4, 1846 It is expected the hull of the BOSTON will be saved, with the furniture and most of the engine. She is to be taken to Milwaukee to be rebuilt. There was an insurance of $15,000 Buffalo Courier Mon. Dec. 14, 1846 We learn from Capt. Pease that the BOSTON is bilged and that all hopes of getting her hull ashore has been abandoned. It will therefore be left to the mercy of the winds and waves, until the return of spring. A large portion of the cargo is still in the hold of the vessel which will be a total loss. It is the desire of Mr. Robinson, Says the Milwaukee Sentinel, to build a new and larger steamer at Milwaukee this winter in which he will put the furniture, engine & c., of the BOSTON Buffalo Courier Thurs. Dec. 17, 1846 THE STEAMER BOSTON.---The Milwaukee Courier learns that plans are arranged and the work is to be commenced immediately, for raising the steamboat BOSTON from her sand bed, where she was wrecked last fall; and putting her on the ways for rebuilding and fitting. Mr. Robinson, of Detroit, the principal owner, is at Milwaukee to superintend the work. Detroit Free Press Fri. May 21, 1847 STEAMER BOSTON. We learn that Mr. Robinson, the owner of the BOSTON has contracted to have her raised and lengthened 30 feet, in time to have her make two or three trips this fall. Her engine has not been materially injured, and her hull is considered sound. It will be remembered that the BOSTON was beached at Milwaukee last fall. Buffalo Daily Courier June 21, 1847 THE WRECK OF THE BOSTON. The hull of the steamer BOSTON was lately sold at Milwaukee at auction for the sum of five hundred and twenty-five dollars. Buffalo Commercial Advertiser Saturday Evening, April 1, 1848 Diamond Jo Steamers Notice to receive freight 27 June 1885, St.Louis MARY MORTON Sternwheel Packet (Diamond Jo Line Steamers Notice to receive freight 27 June 1885, from the MARY MORTON St. Louis). Way's Packet Directory Number 3834 Built in 1880 at Dubuque, Iowa Owned by the Diamond Jo Line in 1895 : Captain John McCaffrey & Captain Robert L. Taylor Owned by the Anchor Line in 1897 Captain T.B. Sims Officers & Crew: John Killeen (master, 1880, 1882) Captain William Boland (master, 1882-1885?) Thomas Burns (pilot); Henry Link (pilot); Fred Buthman (engineer, 1882); Chas Byrnes (engineer, 1882); Frank Cook (pilot); Levi Williams (pilot, 1882); Thos. W. Burns (pilot, 1882 James Boland (master, 1892); Oby Callahan (pilot, 1892) Charles Ziegler (pilot, circa 1895); Harry Crane (pilot, circa 1895); Captain George Kieth (master, circa 1895); Captain Milt Harry (1896) Named for the wife of Diamond Jo Reynolds. She was built under the supervision of Captain John F. Killeen. Ran in the upper Mississippi River trades. She ran St. Louis-Memphis in November 1896 and in the summer of 1897 she ran the same trade but under charter to Anchor Line. On September 10, 1892 she sank at Clarksville Island while she was in Diamond Jo service Lost at Crain's Island near Grand Tower, Illinois in October 1897 One Bale of Cotton Received per R.E. Lee 20th October 1874 Cotton bale receipt Top of document: Received per R.E. Lee 20th October 1874 One Bale of Cotton by BAKER, LAWLER & CO. on account of Hearst & Dennis / Sold J.A. McCann & Co. Bottom of document: Mobile, Alabama 6th November 1874 Received Four Bales Cotton from the Steamer "Lee" Receipt filled in on the 17th of November 1873 at Mobile, Alabama from W.B. Shields (Dallas County) & J.A. Mooring (Sumter County) Cotton Factor & General Commission Merchants, To Hearst & Domms of Elm Bluff, Alabama. Received Four Bales of Cotton from the Steamer "Lee." THE STEAMBOAT "LEE" IS PRESUMED TO HAVE BEEN THE "ROBERT E. LEE" BUT THAT IS NOT CONFIRMED. Hermann Ferry & Packet Co 1897 Steamers Gasconade, Peerless and Mill Boy Hermann Ferry & Packet Co. Incorporated Covering the dates September 6th to 12th 1897 Steamers Gasconade, Peerless and Mill Boy Pilot's Certificate issued to Claudius Robinson 8TH March 1859 ORIGINAL VINTAGE PILOT'S CERTIFICATE Pilot's Certificate issued by the Inspectors of the District of Pittsburgh (who) certify that . . . Claudius Robinson . . . is a suitable and safe person to be intrusted with the powers and duties of a Piot of Steam Boats . . . (we) license him to act as such for one year from this date on the Ohio River from Pittsburgh to Louisville. Given under our hands this 8th day of March 1859 OHIO RIVER SAND CO. of Louisville 1919 Letterhead and the towboat DUFFY Letterhead on receipt from the OHIO RIVER SAND COMPANY 129-133 River Road, Louisville, Kentucky on the Ohio River at Brook and Fulton Streets. Detail of the Letterhead also included with towboat DUFFY, named for the bosses T. J. Duffy President & J.T. Duffy Vice President. Photo of the DUFFY with the AVALON being remodeled from the IDLEWILD. Receipt dated 1 August 1919 to the Louisville Axe & Tool Co. of Highland Park which was a neighborhood in southern Louisville DUFFY, 1921-1932, a stern-wheel towboat with steel hull (125 ft. x 25 ft. x 4.6 ft.), was built at Howard in 1921. Owned by Ohio River Sand Company in Louisville, Kentucky. DUFFY operated in the Louisville area. The Duffy became a familiar sight in Louisville towing sand from the company's sand digger to the foot of Shelby Street. DUFFY was retired in 1946. Howard Steamboat Museum Collection, University of Louisville Photographic Archives. 1888 original letterhead & envelope CONSOLIDATED BOAT STORE CO. Steamboat Supplies, Cincinnati, OHIO 1888 original letterhead and envelope that the correspondence says contained a Dividend for Captain J.H. Parker who was probably related to James D. Parker who was President of THE CONSOLIDATED BOAT STORE CO. "Groceries & Steamboat Supplies of Every Description." Located at No's 11 & 12 of the Cincinnati, Ohio Public Landing. The address on the envelop indicated that Captain J.H. Parker was residing or visiting Newton, Massachusetts (a suburb of Boston). Pass Cincinnati Portsmouth Big Sandy Packet Co. 1897 Pass issued in 1897 for the Cincinnati Portsmouth Big Sandy Packet Company that navigated the Big Sandy and Ohio river and served the towns of Maysville (in Kentucky) and Portsmouth & Pomeroy (in Ohio). Wikipedia The Big Sandy River is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately 29 miles long in western West Virginia and northeastern Kentucky in the United States. The river forms part of the boundary between the two states along its entire course. Via the Ohio River, it is part of the Mississippi River watershed. It is formed between Louisa, Kentucky, and Fort Gay, West Virginia, by the confluence of the Tug Fork and Levisa Fork. It flows generally northwardly in a highly meandering course, between Lawrence and Boyd counties in Kentucky and Wayne County in West Virginia. It joins the Ohio between Catlettsburg, Kentucky and Kenova, West Virginia, 8 miles west of Huntington, West Virginia, at the common boundary between West Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio. The river is navigable and carries commercial shipping, primarily coal mined in the immediate region. The name of the river comes from the presence of extensive sand bars. The Native American names for the river included Tatteroa, Chatteroi, and Chatterwha which had similar meaning to the English name. It was known to the Lenape as Sikeacepe meaning "Salt River", from the presence of salt licks on the river. The name "Big Sandy" was in use no later than February, 1789. The tombstone of David White, an early settler along the river in Kentucky, marks his passing in 1817 with the note that he lived many years near the Mouth of the Big Sandy. Two well-known fiddle tunes take their name from the Big Sandy River: "Sandy River Belle" and the "Big Sandy River". Loretta Lynn's "Van Lear Rose" and Dwight Yoakam's "Bury Me" also mention the river. The river also played a major role in the Hatfield-McCoy feud. Some Indian Tribes have links to the area and region, like the Tutelo, Issa, Cherokee and others. Steamboat Vignetted from the Cincinnati Portsmouth Big Sandy Packet Co. 1897 1895 PASS PITTSBURGH & CINCINNATI PACKET CO. Steamboat Departures Cincinnati Commercial Thursday 24th June 1880 Cincinnati Commercial Thursday 24th June 1880 Newspaper column: Steamboat Departures KATIE STOCKDALE NEW ANDES SALT VALLEY BUCKEYE STATE BOSTONA OHIO No. 4 TELEGRAPH POTOMAC WILDWOOD UNITED STATES GENERAL LYTLE GEN. PIKE L.A. SHERLEY ARIADNE ANDY BAUM JAS. W. GAFF J.D. PARKER VIRGIE LEE VINT SHINKLE CONS MILLAR GOLDEN CROWN CHARLES MORGAN An 1898 Pass issued by the White Star Line Steamboat Company - Coosa River documents / letterheads Louisville & Cincinnati Letterhead transcript of 1926 letter With the exception of images credited to public institutions, everything on this page is from a private collection. Please contact Steamboats.com for permission for commercial use.* All captions provided by Dave Thomson, Steamboats.com primary contributor and historian.