Thursday, October 8, 2015

In the News ... Steamboat Style

The news items about western Kentucky steamboat folk seem to be popular, judging by the comments received from readers of this blog. The following items pertain to steamboat families in Livingston and Crittenden Counties. I hope you enjoy them.

"We learned yesterday of the death of Capt. R.H. Brown, formerly of the steamer J.P. Webb, which melancholy event took place at his residence in Dycusburg, Kentucky, where he has been merchandising since he retired from the river. Capt. 'Hodge' Brown, as he was familiarly known, was a popular steamboat man and a merchant of high repute. We could learn no particulars of his death. He was about 60 years of age."[1]

"Capt. Robert Ferguson, a veteran steamboat man, died at his home in Smithland Friday night. He was attacked with pneumonia a few days ago and his advanced age made the disease hard to treat, and he succumbed. The deceased used to run on the river with Capt. Joe Fowler of Paducah. He was 75 years of age."[2]

"Mrs. Judge Fowler, step-mother of Capts. Gus and Joe Fowler, died at her late residence near Smithland a few days ago."[3]

"The estimable wife of Hon. W.P. Fowler, who died a few days ago at Smithland, Kentucky, was not the mother of the Paducah steamboat captains J.W., W.P., D.G., J.H. and L.A. Their mother was the sister of H.F. and D.A. Given, and the first wife of Judge Fowler."[4]








[1] "River Intelligence," Evansville Journal,  9 Jan 1877, page 9.
[2] "River News," Evansville Journal-News, 26 Mar 1902, page 3.
[3] "River Intelligence," Evansville Journal, 21 Apr 1877,  page 7.
[4] "River and Steamboat News," Evansville Daily Courier, 21 Apr 1877, page 3.

Published 8 October 2015, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/

No comments: