Charles W. Conant - Long Time Riverman of Smithland

Charles W. Conant

of Smithland, Kentucky

In 1936, an Evansville, Indiana newspaper published a series of articles on people from southwestern Indiana, southeastern Illinois, and western Kentucky. The people featured in these articles were ordinary citizens who were known in their communities for an unusual hobby or they had done something out of the ordinary.  One of these articles featured 82-year-old Charley Conant, “ the oldest resident in the town of Smithland. [1]  Mr. Conant had lived in Smithland all his life and much of that time was spent working on the river.  His parents, Peter H. Conant and Mary Ann Bowers, came from Massachusetts and purchased their house on the Cumberland River shortly before 1840. 

Charles "Charlie" Conant was born in that home and never lived in any other.[2]  He began his career on the river in 1866 when he was 16 years old. His first river trip was on a flatboat down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers to New Orleans. He was a deck hand, cook, fireman, mate and captain, but was never a pilot on a boat. He was encouraged to become a pilot, but it was his choice not to do so.  Even so, he had “steered” many boats, including taking the steamer Idlewild down the Ohio to the Mississippi to meet the Robert E. Lee and Natchez during their famous race to see which was faster during the summer of 1870.

Mr. Conant had 18 months of schooling during his life. The last time he was in school was in 1861, the year the Civil War broke out.  He was staying with two uncles in St. Louis, but they enlisted in the military and he had to return to his home in Smithland. Mr. Conant explained that “Smithland was filled with southern sympathizers, but my father, who operated a tannery and sold boots and shoes,[3] was a strong northerner. He was from Boston. Right in front of this house, father planted a tall flagpole and hoisted the Stars and Stripes to its peak.”  There was talk about it being ripped down, but no one ever attempted it.  The Union flag flew from this point, where not only people in Smithland but soldiers and sailors on gunboats that puffed up and down the Ohio and Cumberland Rivers could see it throughout the entire war.[4] 

Smithland is located at the confluence of the Ohio and Cumberland Rivers and was the perfect spot to watch steamboats go up and down the rivers.  Mr. Conant was always interested in steamboating and owned various boats during his lifetime. He also farmed and owned Cache Island, the last island in the Ohio River before it reaches the Mississippi River. Corn was planted on the 300 acre island and was shipped out by steamboat.

Charles W. Conant married Cora Cade on Valentine's Day in 1881 at the Methodist Episcopal Church in Smithland, according to Livingston County Marriage Bond Book 4, page 125. Cora was the daughter of James W. Cade and Helen M. Miles. Both of Cora's parents came were descendants of early settlers of Livingston County. 

Charles and Cora (Cade) Conant had no children. Three weeks after the article was published in the Evansville newspaper, Mr. Conant died  on 7 Dec 1936 and his wife died 17 April 1939. Both are buried in Smithland Cemetery.

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[1] “Veteran Riverman Owns Last Island in Ohio,” Evansville Press, Sun., 15 Nov 1936, p. 31.

[2] “Charles Conant, Long Resident of Smithland, Dies,” Paducah Sun-Democrat, Tues., 8 Dec 1936, p. 10.

[3] “Veteran Riverman Owns Last Island in Ohio.”  His obituary states his father operated the first flour mill erected in Smithland. It was located on the Cumberland River.

[4] Ibid.

Published 30 July 2020, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog,  http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/