Archiving Form

LOG SHEET

Tape number: A47a and A47b - audio tapes - logged using counter on audio cassette player. Zero counter at beginning of tape.

Name: W.Norris Parks, Leonard Carleton, John Cowart

Location: Westminster Canterbury, Irvington

Date of Birth: Parks 1910, Carlton 1903, Cowart 1918

Date of Recording: July 14, 2003

Recorded By: Dianne Jordan

Log Sheet by: Grayson Mattingly

Item
In Point

counter number
Category
Description

01

Tape A

54
F,W Norris Parks - born in 1910 lived in Kinsale, VA lived in site of steamboat wharf. Taken to Baltimore when he was an infant. First two boats he remembers were the Northumberland and the Three Rivers. Father ran a store. Father got the goods from Baltimore on the steamer. Store sold everything from groceries and hardware to clothing. W.D. Parks General Merchandise.Father and two brothers also in the canning business (Parks Brothers Canning Company). 3 tomato canning factories in Kinsale.

02 150 SW Sunday, Tuesday and Saturday boats from Washington going to Baltimore, Baltimore going to Washington. Arrived in the AM. Live cattle and sheep shipped out, live chickens and eggs, slaughtered hogs, tomato cans, 9 captains of schooners lived in Kinsale. Weekends good many people taking a ride from Baltimore to Washington would get off and walk around Kinsale.

03 229 SC,W Mostly blacks handled the cooking and deck work, firing the boilers. Lot of people went on boats and sat up at night. Polish people would come down in the summer and work at the factories. Referred to as "Bohemiums".

04 280 W,F John Cowart talks about his families canning business - last remaining cannery on the Northern Neck . Describes the location on Coan River.

05 332 ST, SC, Leonard Carlton - Born in Urbana VA in 1903.Lived on a farm. 1915 family moved to Baltimore so kids could go to school. At 17 decided he wanted to work on the steamboats. Got a job as a lookout on the Dorchester. Was told to look for objects. Everyone worked 12 hours on and 12 hours off - everyday. Start work in the AM and then work through the day and eat every meal that was made (6 meals a day). Did that for four years. Then went to collage. Worked most of the time on the Dorchester (Three Rivers was a sister ship) also worked on the Calvert and Middlesex. MVD line covered the Western shore, and then the BCA covered the Eastern Shore. His area was the Rappahannock River.

06 386 ST Left Baltimore and would go to Fredericksburg - took five days. Stopped at 25 to 35 wharfs. Describes how the steamer would go from wharf to wharf. Captain Bernard Willing on Steamboat Road operated the store that is still there now used as a lawyers office.

07 418 SW Baltimore Bargain House biggest supplier in Baltimore from which store owners would order goods. The steamer would then take goods to stores. Also R.S. Bristers Store another supplier in Baltimore.

08 438 ST Continues describing trip up the Rappahannock, up the Carters Creek, up the Corotoman then over to Urbana and so forth back and forth. Eventually got to Fredericksburg. Sometimes when it had rained a lot and a lot of fresh water was coming down the river they would have to lay-over for a day at Leestown at a little wharf called Hopyard

09 456 ST,SW Coming back they would pick up a lot of items grown on the farm. Eggs were a big item also calves - not much in the way of vegetables. the Potomac would make an alternate trip to Norfolk.

10 466 SC,SW Not a look out very long and he became a helmsman - the person that steers the boat. Assisted in "making a dock". Captain would take ship in close to dock and then stand on bridge and direct the helmsman with hand signals. It took a lot of experience to dock the boat. Needed to know exactly what the wind was, the current was. Never saw a good storm.

11 496 SC The Calvert, a propeller boat was under powered. In order to increase her power that raised the smoke stack 6 feet. Wonderful story about the Calvert going from Irvington Wharf to Weems Wharf and how because of the boat being under powered she ended up slicing off six feet of the dock.

12 514 SW Docks protected by "dolphins" five or six pilings tied together. Steamers could lay up against them and they would bend but wouldn't break.

13 532 ST Mariners museum has a tape of Potomac steamboat whistles.

14 550 ST John Cowart talks about Burgess who's family came from Northumberland County. Became interested in steamers after visiting grand parents in the area.

15 565 SW John talks about the Coan River that was the Chicicoan (an Indian name). The house that he was raised in was right next to the steamboat wharf. Father had a store right next to the store. Talks about mail steamboats. Group discusses "packet boats". A term that Parks and Carlton couldn't identify.

16 632 ST, G Carlton speaking - talks about the pulp wood that was cut and shipped by schooners to Baltimore. Also shipped lumber and cord wood via schooner.

17
Tape B

18 10 ST.G Wheat, canned tomatoes, water mellons would be shipped by schooner - bulk items - a lot less expensive to ship via sail than steamer. watermelons would be shipped on boats and then sold right off the boats at the dock in Baltimore.

19 46 SW Cowart talks about power boats that picked up fright from wharfs for 15 years after the steamboats stopped running.

20 66 ST Reason why the steamers stopped. Penn Railroad felt that operating boats was too expensive. Bridge at Tappahannock allowed people to get to Richmond in timely manner. Better roads.

21 106 ST The storm of 33 knocked out a lot of the wharfs. Group talks about storm of 33.

22 150 ST The population has not changed that much from the time that the steamers were running.

23 183 ST Norris Parks talks about probation era and some of the local effects. The "Whiskey Run" a ferry that ran from Md. to Va. Colonial Beach was where the gambling went on. At one time they had a pier at Colonial Beach that had a gap in it so that it could be in Md. and thus allow gambling.Remembers gambling on boats, slot machines and horse racing with wooden horses.

24 268 W,F Cowart describes green tomato business or "Green Wraps". Formation of the Green Tomato Association that was formed to control the sale of the Green Tomatoes.

25 298 W During the winter most of the canneries would close down. John continues to talk about cannery business.

26 367 W Calton talks about the fact that the economy wasn't effected that much by disappearance of the steamers. Trucks gradually took over. Norris talks about the sample book his father used to provide customers with idea of suits they could buy and have made for them.

26 403 L John talks about the conditions of dirt roads. How cars would get stuck in the "sand beds" that were used as a base.

27 450 ST Carlton, Food on steamers was very good. People that worked on the steamers had a different feeling since they saw things that others didn't. Ham was a favorite, chicken, softcrabs. Norris talks about a trip to Baltimore when he was a child. Remembers waking up in the morning and seeing the harbor - all the activity - very impressive for a country boy.

28 476 ST Carlton and Parks remember seeing a big ball of fire in the sky that was caused by the Bethleham Steel Plant when they were firing up furnaces.

Return to Top of Log Sheet

Return To Categories

Return To Main Page

Item	In Point counter number	Category	Description
01	Tape A 54	F,W	Norris Parks - born in 1910 lived in Kinsale, VA lived in site of steamboat wharf. Taken to Baltimore when he was an infant. First two boats he remembers were the Northumberland and the Three Rivers. Father ran a store. Father got the goods from Baltimore on the steamer. Store sold everything from groceries and hardware to clothing. W.D. Parks General Merchandise.Father and two brothers also in the canning business (Parks Brothers Canning Company). 3 tomato canning factories in Kinsale.
02	150	SW	Sunday, Tuesday and Saturday boats from Washington going to Baltimore, Baltimore going to Washington. Arrived in the AM. Live cattle and sheep shipped out, live chickens and eggs, slaughtered hogs, tomato cans, 9 captains of schooners lived in Kinsale. Weekends good many people taking a ride from Baltimore to Washington would get off and walk around Kinsale.
03	229	SC,W	Mostly blacks handled the cooking and deck work, firing the boilers. Lot of people went on boats and sat up at night. Polish people would come down in the summer and work at the factories. Referred to as "Bohemiums".
04	280	W,F	John Cowart talks about his families canning business - last remaining cannery on the Northern Neck . Describes the location on Coan River.
05	332	ST, SC,	Leonard Carlton - Born in Urbana VA in 1903.Lived on a farm. 1915 family moved to Baltimore so kids could go to school. At 17 decided he wanted to work on the steamboats. Got a job as a lookout on the Dorchester. Was told to look for objects. Everyone worked 12 hours on and 12 hours off - everyday. Start work in the AM and then work through the day and eat every meal that was made (6 meals a day). Did that for four years. Then went to collage. Worked most of the time on the Dorchester (Three Rivers was a sister ship) also worked on the Calvert and Middlesex. MVD line covered the Western shore, and then the BCA covered the Eastern Shore. His area was the Rappahannock River.
06	386	ST	Left Baltimore and would go to Fredericksburg - took five days. Stopped at 25 to 35 wharfs. Describes how the steamer would go from wharf to wharf. Captain Bernard Willing on Steamboat Road operated the store that is still there now used as a lawyers office.
07	418	SW	Baltimore Bargain House biggest supplier in Baltimore from which store owners would order goods. The steamer would then take goods to stores. Also R.S. Bristers Store another supplier in Baltimore.
08	438	ST	Continues describing trip up the Rappahannock, up the Carters Creek, up the Corotoman then over to Urbana and so forth back and forth. Eventually got to Fredericksburg. Sometimes when it had rained a lot and a lot of fresh water was coming down the river they would have to lay-over for a day at Leestown at a little wharf called Hopyard
09	456	ST,SW	Coming back they would pick up a lot of items grown on the farm. Eggs were a big item also calves - not much in the way of vegetables. the Potomac would make an alternate trip to Norfolk.
10	466	SC,SW	Not a look out very long and he became a helmsman - the person that steers the boat. Assisted in "making a dock". Captain would take ship in close to dock and then stand on bridge and direct the helmsman with hand signals. It took a lot of experience to dock the boat. Needed to know exactly what the wind was, the current was. Never saw a good storm.
11	496	SC	The Calvert, a propeller boat was under powered. In order to increase her power that raised the smoke stack 6 feet. Wonderful story about the Calvert going from Irvington Wharf to Weems Wharf and how because of the boat being under powered she ended up slicing off six feet of the dock.
12	514	SW	Docks protected by "dolphins" five or six pilings tied together. Steamers could lay up against them and they would bend but wouldn't break.
13	532	ST	Mariners museum has a tape of Potomac steamboat whistles.
14	550	ST	John Cowart talks about Burgess who's family came from Northumberland County. Became interested in steamers after visiting grand parents in the area.
15	565	SW	John talks about the Coan River that was the Chicicoan (an Indian name). The house that he was raised in was right next to the steamboat wharf. Father had a store right next to the store. Talks about mail steamboats. Group discusses "packet boats". A term that Parks and Carlton couldn't identify.
16	632	ST, G	Carlton speaking - talks about the pulp wood that was cut and shipped by schooners to Baltimore. Also shipped lumber and cord wood via schooner.
17	Tape B
18	10	ST.G	Wheat, canned tomatoes, water mellons would be shipped by schooner - bulk items - a lot less expensive to ship via sail than steamer. watermelons would be shipped on boats and then sold right off the boats at the dock in Baltimore.
19	46	SW	Cowart talks about power boats that picked up fright from wharfs for 15 years after the steamboats stopped running.
20	66	ST	Reason why the steamers stopped. Penn Railroad felt that operating boats was too expensive. Bridge at Tappahannock allowed people to get to Richmond in timely manner. Better roads.
21	106	ST	The storm of 33 knocked out a lot of the wharfs. Group talks about storm of 33.
22	150	ST	The population has not changed that much from the time that the steamers were running.
23	183	ST	Norris Parks talks about probation era and some of the local effects. The "Whiskey Run" a ferry that ran from Md. to Va. Colonial Beach was where the gambling went on. At one time they had a pier at Colonial Beach that had a gap in it so that it could be in Md. and thus allow gambling.Remembers gambling on boats, slot machines and horse racing with wooden horses.
24	268	W,F	Cowart describes green tomato business or "Green Wraps". Formation of the Green Tomato Association that was formed to control the sale of the Green Tomatoes.
25	298	W	During the winter most of the canneries would close down. John continues to talk about cannery business.
26	367	W	Calton talks about the fact that the economy wasn't effected that much by disappearance of the steamers. Trucks gradually took over. Norris talks about the sample book his father used to provide customers with idea of suits they could buy and have made for them.
26	403	L	John talks about the conditions of dirt roads. How cars would get stuck in the "sand beds" that were used as a base.
27	450	ST	Carlton, Food on steamers was very good. People that worked on the steamers had a different feeling since they saw things that others didn't. Ham was a favorite, chicken, softcrabs. Norris talks about a trip to Baltimore when he was a child. Remembers waking up in the morning and seeing the harbor - all the activity - very impressive for a country boy.
28	476	ST	Carlton and Parks remember seeing a big ball of fire in the sky that was caused by the Bethleham Steel Plant when they were firing up furnaces.