LOG SHEET

Tape number:03

Name: Charles A. Kerns Jr.

Location: Glouster, VA - Claybank Steamboat Wharf on York River

Date of Birth: 1929

Date of Recording: 11/03/03

Recorded By: Dianne Jordon

Log Sheet by: Grayson Mattingly

 Item

 In Point

 Category

 Description

 01
00/30  SW Steamboats used the wharf up until 1940s. Land and county surveyor

 02
 1/34  SW  Electricity came to Glouster in 1933 - father was with power company and Charles at 7 years old used to go around with him to read meters - made many visits to steamboat wharfs (Claybank and Almonds wharf) - Describes the wharf. Had red mule at Claybank and Gray mule at Almonds used to pull flat cars out on to steamers since docks where built a long distance out into the river to get to deep water.

 03
 3/11  SW  Talks about what the mule would haul out to the steamboat - wharfs were very long because river was shallow so they had mules that pulled wagons that were on tracks. things that were shipped - chickens, barrels of potatoes and oysters - grandfather would ship 100 barrels of oysters a day. Grass bags full of wild ducks, quails and ducks, rabbits scurrilous.Had ware houses out on docks where they would store products to be shipped. Also steamers had to take on a lot of water.

 04
 7/31  W  50's York River still alive with oysters

 05
 8/10  SW describes the loading and unloading of products from steamboat. Sailboats would also leave from this wharf - used to haul water mellows to Baltimore.

06 
10/13  W  Grandfather would hand tong for oysters - 100 barrels per day. Describes oystering. Surveying job - difficulties of York River.

 07
 13/00  SW  Named wharfs on stops from Claybank up to West Point.

 08
 14/07  W  Grandfather first to put motor in bug eye - palmer engine - describes motor. Describes how Statan Island skiffs were used to oyster. Continues to describe oystering techniques

 09
 18/48  SW  Mr. Harper ticket agent for steamboat - describes what he did. Comments about crew.

 10
 21/09  W  Reasons why York River is in bad condition now - sewage problem

 11
 25/00  SW  Visited four to five wharfs with father on his job. Green Brothers ice plant. Used hand pushed flat cars to push ice out to boats. Describes icing process.

 12
32/00  ST  Describe steamboat travelers - mostly upper class. Had bands, bars, played cards. Plenty of fresh oysters - chickens - fresh foods.

 13
 36/00  L  Talks about Rosewell - mother went to parties there.

 14
 36/19  L  Talks about storm of 33 - wind blew so hard had to crawl back to house

 15
 46/00  L  talks about light houses in the area, light house tenders,. How Wolftrap got its name. Steamers used light houses to navigate rivers.

 16
 54/40    b-roll on map - not very good shot of where wharf used to be,

 17
 58/40  SW  Describes the shot of the wharf, stands next to ware house

 18
   

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