Captain Arthur C. "Bill" Johnson
Mrs. Ashburn, has resided in Irvington, Virginia for all of her 90 years. She vividly recalls watching the steamboat from a second-story porch. As a girl, she and her friends loved to ride a skiff through the tough seas of the steamboat wake. These days she is a prominent, prolific and gifted painter.
Mr. Pratt resides on a family farm just south of Port Royal located on the banks of the Rappahannock River. The first part of the interview is conducted on the site of the steamboat landing in Port Royal. In addition to facts about the landing he also relates information about the Town of Port Royal. The second portion of the interview is conducted on the site of the old family estate, Camden. He first tells about the building of the house and then about its history. He talks about watching the steamboats go by at night and tells how periodically they would run aground not to far from the banks of the house. He finishes out the interview with a number of civil war stories connected to the house and his grand parents.The tape also contains b-roll of the river, houses in Port Royal and Camden.
At 101 and blind, Mrs. Braxton is articulate and good humored. A native of Middlesex County, she describes her tenure teaching at African-American schoolhouses and earlier, working in the dairy at her childhood home. She goes into great detail describing the work she did in tomatoe and potatoe factories.She graphically depicts the sounds and excitement that ensured with the coming of the steamboats. Her daughter Joyce Xennia Long rounds out the interview with her poetry on local life and culture.
A Gwynn's Islander in his mid-fifties, Callis teaches Social Studies and recalls his family's store and seafood processing plant on the bustling Callis wharf served by three steamers a week.
Tape: V28A, V28B Catherine Chilton
As the founder of the Mary Ball Washington Museum, Catherine tells us about how the Museum was founded. She then relates a number of stories about the town of Lancaster.
Mrs. Conner lives in the old family home on the banks of the Rappahannock River at Monaskon. She talks about her father who at an early age worked on the steamboats. He latter built the family home at the current site and operated a steamboat wharf. He also had a canning factory on the site. She describes the activities on the wharf and in the cannery. Lorena rode the steamboat to Baltimore with her family and she describes the Potomac. She also shows and discusses a number of items (i.e. cans, invoices etc.) as well as a folding chair and dinner bell that came off of the Potomac Steamboat.
With a father and grandfather who ran a cannery at the steamboat wharf, John Cowart brings to life the Adams Floating Theater, the rich singing of the back men in his family's oyster house, and the dynamic interaction at the country store.
In this second interview John talks more about Cowart's wharf and the other wharfs in the Coan River area. He also describes how his fathers canning business got started and explains the canning process. John also provides us with an interesting fact about the introduction of the green tomato business into the Northern Neck. Finally, he recounts some of the civil war stories about events that took place in the Coan River region.
John Cowart was also interviewed along with Norris Parks and Leonard Carlton on tape A47a & A47B
Mr. Crosby is an 86 year old African American raconteur, a Lancaster County legend, who founded a snack shop just north of White Stone on Rt. 3. A veteran of the fishing industry, he knows every aspect of boating and has sold seafood in Richmond over a forty-five year period.
Born on Gwynns Island in Virginia, Mr. Edwards relates descriptions of steamers (Piankatank at Callis Wharf, Potomac) as well as local commentary on life and activities on the island. Recalling a steamer noisy with chickens and cows to handling freight on carts, he mentions Captain H. Callis as well as the stevedores and the ship's crew who kept the steam boat operative. Locally, he recounts his Dad as a Waterman who oystered and sold seafood. A dance hall near the ferry, local stores, a fish factory on the bustling island are mentioned. Family history as well as the occupation that took him away from the island and his eventual return are part of his interesting story.
Tape: V23B Ella (Teenie) Edwards
From her mention of inhabitants of Gwynns Island as "honest folk" to her memories of growing up there, Mrs. Edwards recalls watching the steam boats sailing to Fitchett's wharf. Skiff rowing, dancing by piano at home, and recalling the Adam's Floating Theater docked at a Gwynns Island wharf during the storm of 1933 are part of her story. She specifically recalls Captain Homer Callis and her feeling of pride of his piloting steam boating skills. Local island observations of events and people encompass her feelings about t
he years on the island.
With Walther Fidler we are all ten-year-old boys, sneaking onto and all around the steamboat as it stopped in his home community of Sharps. Legislator Fidler speaks in vivid imagery of muscular black stevedores entertaining the masses while loading recalcitrant calves aboard the tall, white vessels. He describes the saloon area, recalling the sounds, odors, and swaying of the mighty steamers. He recounts tales of the James Adams Floating Theater. He also speaks of the disparity between blacks and whites in the community and marvels at the positive spirit displayed by African-Americans who worked around the steamers. He laments that while growing up in the midst of this lively culture he was unaware that he was experiencing the end of an era.
Since retiring to Lancaster County fifteen years ago, Harney says he has videotaped over 150 interviews with local people on boats, in homes and shops, in fields and marshes throughout the region. His reflections on the people he has met are heartfelt. He also talks about ice boating on the Hudson.
A local newspaper reporter, Haynes is owner of historic Hudgins House adjacent to the Crickett Hill Steamboat Wharf on the Piankitank River near the Gwynn's Island bridge. She discusses the handwritten boarding house ledger dating from 1916 and overnight guests who came from far and wide.
Weeks Hill recalls as a young girl going to the Irvington Steamboat wharf and watching the activity there. She also tells about how she and a friend would ride the steamers from Irvington to Weems and White Stone - all short rides. Weeks grandfather participated in the "Battle of Pop Castle" during the civil war. Her father related his story about the battle to her. Her father also took her over to Pop Castle to see the cannon ball in the wall.
By the age of fourteen, Hutt was running the family cannery, helping out on the farm and boxing eggs in the post office located in his father's general store. Hutt donated to the Museum several cannery tokens that were used in place of cash to pay his workers through the World War Two era.
Tape: V14A, V14A2 Captain Arthur C. "Bill" Johnson
Captain Johnson piloted international ships through the Chesapeake waters. He easily names the lighthouses he passed regularly along the Potomac River. Johnson speaks with great respect for the pilots of the passenger steamers with whom he exchanged light and whistle signals passing in narrow stretches of water. He outlines the terminology of steamships and speaks with high regard for the statuesque passenger boats around which local economies were based.
Kerns is a seventy-three year old surveyor in Gloucester Court House. He has childhood memories of the wharves and a compelling connection with the past.
Chandler was born and raised in Irvington, Va. Born in 1928 as a young boy he witnessed the end of the steamboat era on the Rappahanock River. He talks about his uncle owned a store in Irvington and also owned and operated the steamboat wharf. He also shares a number of stories about what it was like being a kid and brought up in Irvington. Among his stories is one about how he helped save the steamboat wharf. Another is how he worked for the James Adams Floating Theater when it came to Irvington. Chandler hauled water to the boat. Growing up he worked at a local oyster house earning forty cents and hour. He joined the air force and was away from Irvington for seven years. Upon returning he went to barber school and became the local barber. His stories are refreshing and detailed.
Tape: V22 Gladys M. House Lumpkin
A personalized narrative of Mrs. Lumpkin's steam boating experiences
from viewing the steamers with her father on the Pratt and Light
Street docks in Baltimore, Maryland to sailing herself beginning
at age of about eighteen in 1926 to Irvington, Virginia. She includes
early family history up to her marriage to Raymond C. Lumpkin,
son of Captain Andrew Lee Lumpkin, whom her father met on the
docks selling watermelon. Inclusive
in her story are mention of valued friends as well as landmarks
in the early Irvington era such as Irvington School, Christ Church,
White Stone Beach and the Adams Floating Theater. Sailing often
on the Potomac, she describes her 1926 journey relative to her
stateroom and the food served aboard.
Tape 25 William Eugene.Mattingly
Bill Mattingly talks about taking the steamboat to and from Washington, D.C. He and his family would visit relatives on the Northern Neck. He latter meet his wife there in Ditchley and traveled with her to and from Washington D.C. The trip would require going to Baltimore via train and then to the Northern Neck via the steamer Piankatank. He recalls the excitement as a young boy traveling overnight down the Bay with stops made to take on and load off passengers, produce and livestock. Bill tells several very amusing stories about Northern Neck Folks and their pranks. His description of driving down to Ditchley from Washington, DC in the early 1900s is particularly interesting. A trip that took 12 house and was done on mostly muddy roads in a Motel T Ford.
Tape 45 William Eugene Mattingly
Bill Mattingly provides a fascinating description of early 1900s Washington DC street cars, from horse drawn to electrified, horse drawn fire engines and the construction of Union Station. This interview was conducted in 1970 using early videotape recording equipment. Most of the interview is in good shape. A few short portions of the video are unstable but the audio is good.
Mr. McCarty was born to a farming family outside of Lively in Lancaster County. His boyhood interplay with the steamboats involved raising produce that he and his family then delivered to the bustling steamboat wharf to board the vessels for sale. McCarty provides vivid accounts of a rural steamboat wharf community, from a cooperative grower's packinghouse to the local Speakeasy.
With great clarity Mrs. Moore chronicles her life on Gwynns Island beginning with her birth into a wonderfully blended family. Her siblings are profiled as well as life on the island relative to her education, transportation available, and the occupations of its inhabitants. She recalls the steamer Piankatank at Fitchett's Wharf bringing goods to the island as a youngster, and later as a married lady relates the steam boat arrival as a real social event. Descriptions of the stores and their wares are included in her story.
Tape: V01A Louise and Harvey Morgan
At 100 years old Mrs. Morgan, with help of her legislator Harvey Morgan, recalls her honeymoon voyage aboard a side-wheeler in the 1920s. The Morgan Family has operated a pharmacy in Gloucester Court House for generations.
Tape: V11B Eliza Crosby Nutt
Having lived in Ditchley VA all of her life, Eliza Nutt talks about watching cattle and sheep being loaded onto the steamboat at nearby Harveys and Ditchley wharfs. She also describes a trip to Baltimore on the Steamer Piakatank where it cost $3 for a room with a bunk bed. Entertainment was provided by a men with guitars and a very good time was had by all. She goes on to describe her work in Baltimore as well as in Ditchley where she worked in the fields picking tomatoes as well as in local canners. She also worked in a nearby oyster shucking house (Carter Keene and J.P. Dize)
Ruby Lee, who still lives in a pre-Civil War house built by her great uncle near Topping on the Rappahannock River, remembers visiting steamboat wharfs with her father and riding the steamboats to Fredericksburg. She tells vivid stories of clerking in her father's store, whose merchandise was supplied by steamboats.
Mr. Parks first talks about the town he was born and raised in, Kinsale, describing the various buildings and layout of the town. He then tells us about taking the steamboat to Baltimore and describes the activities that took place on the Pratt Street wharf. He talks about going shopping with his parents in Baltimore, buying supplies for his fathers store. He finishes out his interview talking about his work in the Norfolk ship building yards as an engineer that designed ships during the 40's and 50's.
Norris Parks was also interviewed along with John Cowart and Leonard Carlton on tape A47a & A47B
At eighty-three Buck Rowe still keeps a store at Bena in the Guinea community of lower Gloucester County. The store was established by his father in 1920, at the height of the steamboat era. His vivid memories bring to life details of nearby wharves where he went twice weekly as a young boy with a wagon and team to pick up deliveries for the store.
Dave traveled the Old Bay line using it to get to and from Norfolk where the ship he was assigned to was at port. His first trip turned out to be an exciting one in that the steamer was laid up for several hours in fog just off of Norfolk. He also describes the facilities aboard the Old Bay Line and the entertainment that was provided. Dave talks about his childhood experiences visiting Pratt Street and the products that were delivered and shipped out by steamers.
Growing up on Gwynns Island, Mr. Stewart gives detailed accounts of the island activity complete with descriptions of the work in the canning factory to building canoes. He describes the Piankatank steamer in regard to its good food and mentions Captain Lucus along with job descriptions of the purser and quarter master. From the arrival of a Hawthorne bicycle at the dock to a kitchen set with which to furnish his home, he recalls the good days gone by. Additional recollections of the Adams Floating Theater with fun musicals round out his thoughts.
Dr. Williams talks about his experiences as a boy while living in Irvington, Va. The house he lived in was located right next to the steamboat wharf. He relates a number of stories about the town and its inhabitant and the activity on the wharf. One amusing story is about how a barrel of molasses was accidentally broken and the livestock on the dock became covered in it. He also recalls a trip to Baltimore on the steamer with his mother during which he swallowed a penny and was taken to the Captain's quarters for an examination by Captain Long.
Tape: V09B1, V09B2 Attorney T.A. Williams
Son of an innovative Menhaden fishing boat captain, Williams provides an inventory of steamboat landings and lighthouses. This lively octogenarian describes the wide range of goods delivered to and from Northumberland County by steamers.He also provides a thorough description of the Menhaden fishing process from catching to unloading at factory.
Lantane Trice lives just outside of Walkerton, Virginia on a farm located on the Mattoponi River. His stories provide us with information of a group of smaller steamers that were used to transport primarily goods up the Mattoponi from Westpoint. He also talks about products that were produced at the local cannery in Walkerton. He provides us with any number of humorous steamboat stories as well as two civil war stories about the area. He finishes out his interview with an overview of Kilmarnock in 1937 describing the businesses and people that owned them.
Tape: V14 Captain Charles Winstead
Captain Winstead spent most of his working life aboard a menhaden fishing boat. A powerful and articulate seaman, Winstead elucidates the inner workings of a steam-powered vessel, including singing an example of the chanteys he lead as a crew member to draw in the nets. Winstead, the first African-American in the region to acquire a pilot and captain's license, rode passenger steamboats on several occasions during his younger days. Tells a chilling story about a Menhaden Boat he was a pilot on that was lost off of the Carolina coast.
Tape: VV29A & 29B Elizabeth and Neill Ware
The Ware's live on the old homesite called "Bellvue". They provide a history about the house and their relatives that lived there. Elizabeth provides details of the origin and history of Wares Wharf located just north of them on the Rappahannock River. The Wares then tell the story about how the Bellvue was saved during the Civil War by a back slave. Neill also displays several Union Gunboat shells found on the property possibly fired from the Thomas Freeborn.
Tape V40 Palmer & Meredith Robbins
Both Palmer and Meredith were brought up in an area of Windmill Point called Antirap (now called Palmer - so named Antirap because it was between the Rappahannock and Antipoison Creek). Palmer worked in a Tomato Cannery and then latter on the Steamboat Nothumberland that was renamed the Norfolk. Earning $1/day he worked first as a fireman and then as an oiler. He describes the crew quarters and talks about his duties. During WWII Palmer worked aboard an oil tanker that operated out of Philadelphia. Meredith describes his father's store that was located in "Chile" on Windmill Point. He explains how produce was picked up and delivered to the nearby steamboat wharf at Westlands. Meredith also describes the Antirap railroad and the canal that was built on Windmill Point.
Peggy grew up in Baltimore and used to take the steamboat from Baltimore to Talchester. She recalls what Pratt Street was like and describes where she lived in Baltimore. Her husband was raised by his grandmother in Irvington, VA. Peggy and her husband made many trips to Irvington staying at the Irvington Beach Hotel. Peggy also used to take the ss from Baltimore to VA Beach.
In 1969 Tom and Louise purchased Pop Castle on the Rappahannock River. In their interview they provide historic information about the house going back to the War of 1812. Of particular interest and the real purpose of the interview was to have them talk about the research they had done concerning the 1861 shelling of the house by the Union gunboat Monticello. Tom has recovered numerous shells and shell fragments from that shelling and he talks about them and where he found them. Tom then goes on to tell us of his experience on the Cavalla a submarine that sunk the Japanese carrier Shokaku during WWII.
Tape 34 B.Brainard Edmonds, Jr.
As a young boy Brainard was told a story by an African American known locally as "Aunt Betsy" about an event that took place just outside of Kilmarnock right at the end of the Civil War. The event took place on Dymers Creek and involved the Confederate capture of the Harriett Deford steamer. Brainard also provides information on the James Adams Floating theater, the plays that were performed as well as a meeting with Beulah Adams. He goes on to describe the Hazel Building in Kilmarnock that had a theater and some of the plays that occurred there. Brainard recalls hearing the steamboat whistles on Dividing and Indian Creek and riding the steamer to Baltimore and the Collins Amusement Park. Finally he talks about his musical career that included playing with the John Warton Band and getting the Kilmarnock High School band started.
Jean moved to the Kilmarnock, VA area in her early teens. She recalls roller skating to Kilmarnock High School from the Gunther Farm where she lived located on Irvington Road. Jean talks about Kilmarnock recalling the five grocery stores that were located there and the two movie houses. She also remembers hearing the steamboat whistles however never did ride on a steamer. Jean also talks about her job at the Rappahannock Record and provides some background on the piece of property that she and her husband, Auther, built a house on in the early 50s. Jean closes out her interview with an amusing story about White Stone Beach.
Tape V44 James J. Kellum and Carrol Davis, Jr.
Videotaped at J.J. Kellum's Grocery Store in Weems, J.J. Kellum and Carrol Davis Jr. exchange stories about being brought up in families that owned and operated Country Stores in the in the 30s thru the 50s. In addition to describing what the stores were like the two also provide some stories about various "events" that occurred in the store.
Ms Thurston was born and raised in the Farnham area. She talks about going to Baltimore at the age of 16 on the steamboat with her sister and brother-in-law. She also recalls going to Wharton Grove.
Betty lived with her parents in Irvington at the Irvington Beach Hotel from 1938 to 1949. Her parents managed the hotel. Betty provides a lot of information concerning the layout of the hotel, the type of guests, meals and activities. She also provides a description of the various stores that were located in the town of Irvington.
Tape 43 Ann B. & Carrol H. Jr.Davis
Ann and Carrol met on the Old Bay Line steamer District of Columbia. In their interview they relate their "romantic" tale of how they met on the steamer. Carrol goes on to talk about his experiences in his father's store in Weems.
Tape V31Jo Lee Fleet Edwards, Leah Rubenett Fleet Waller, Robert H. Fleet, Jr., Alex McDonald Fleet
The two sisters and two brothers provide a wealth of information concerning the town of Irvington, the Adams Floating Theater and the Camp Meetings. Jo Lee provides a very good description of the Irvington Beach Hotel. Descriptions or places and events are accompanied by a number of amusing stories.
Penny Hugia'a grandfather Clinton Curtis was Captain of the first transitional steamer (vessel with both sail and steam) the Powhatan. She talks about Curtis his life style and adventures. Penny also tells us about numerous trips she took with her family aboard steamers from Washington DC to Norfolk. On one occasion she recalled seeing a man fall over board and being rescued.
Lorain talks about visiting her aunt at Claybank, Glouster. Her aunt's house was located on the banks of the York River and she would watch the steamers going up and down the river to and from Baltimore and West Point.
Curtis was born and raised in a house named Little Bay View located on Anti Poison Creek near White Stone. She recalls taking trips to Baltimore to visit her three aunts. She also remembers has a child going down to the steamboat with her parents to receive the coffin of one of her aunts.
At 102 Mrs. Yancy talks about riding to Washington DC on the Piakatank from Hardens Wharf. She attended the Shiloh School in Balls Neck.
Margaret was raised in the Taylors Creek area. Here father was a Waterman and as a result she had the opportunity to ride on his boat. She talks about going to Warton Grove to the church meetings there and getting there on her father's boat. She also recounts how she used crab around the coves for soft shell and peelers.
Ed lived in Urbana most of his life when he was not in the Army. He worked as a free lance carpenter and can remember the steamers coming into Urbana and unloading passengers and freight.
Lucille was interviewed allong with William and Elsi Mattingly. She relates her early childhood memories of Wharton Grove a church meeting camp that her family would take her to in the summer. She shares stories about the Northern Neck with both Elsie and William Mattingly.
Tape 46 William and Elsie Mattingly
William and Elsie are joined by their daughter in law, Suzanne Mattingly, grand daughter Marybeth and relative Lucille Hurst Parrish at Elsie's old home place in Ditchley Virginia. The interview covers a number of topics including stories about taking the steamer to Ditchley from Baltimore, going to Wharton Grove, summers on the Northern Neck as a youngster, driving a car down to Ditechly in 1920 and building thier DC house in 1932.
Tape 47a & 47b Leonard Carlton, Norris Parks & John Cowart - audio tape
Leonard, Norris and John provide information about steamboat travel and the steamboat wharfs. Leonard's comments are particularly interesting since he worked on the Dorchester and Calvert steamers. His initial job was as a look out. He soon became a helmsman. The boats he served on serviced the Rappanannock River. Norris talks of his many trips to Baltimore on the steamer and the family run store in Kinsale he grew up in. John Cowart provides information concerning the canning industry. Both John and Norris were interviewed latter on videotapes (Norris Parks V18 and John Cowart V17 and V39)