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Excerpts from a log of keel and flat boats traveling the Ohio and Mississippi from
Wellsburg to New Orleans between 1834 and 18367 disclosed some interesting facts
about this mode of transporting produce and goods. The log was presented to the Brooke
County Historical Society by Ada Finley in memory of Robert L. Finley.
Captains of the boats were James P Palmer, Lattimor, Curran, Logan, James
Gillesthrop, Crawford, Thompson, Logue, and William Connell. The captains
received 1/3 of the profit made on a trip.
One keel boat was called "Crusade", another "Everett Starr", and still
another "The Star of (Name not legible" At other times the boats were
designated as Number 1,2,3 and etc.
Apparently all of the boats were made in Wellsburg and cost approximately
$184.87 to build. Applegate and Gass were mentioned as building one of the
boats. Outfitting the boat for the trip included one or two skiffs, and extra pump,
potatoes, bread, coffee, sugar, spices, candles, tea, bacon, soap, brooms, nails, whiskey,
gin and brandy at an approximate cost of $38.41. Insurance for 66 days on the cargo
added another $19.75 and extra cash for whiskey and emergencies was $57.00, or a total
cost, including the boat of $300.03.
Sometimes the boat was sold in New Orleans for the lumber and other times it was
brought back to Wellsburg loaded with a cargo of sugar and spices etc.
Profits as low as $424.90 and as high as $1,360.66 could be expected and a very
good trip netted one owner $10,139.00. Of course, this type of trip was the exception,
not the rule.
Stops were made at Wheeling, Cincinnati and other points along the river to pick
up and discharge cargo. The cargos consisted of: Flour from the mills of CLARK
AND TIERNAN, HUNTER, WAUGH, PATTERSON, MILLER AND GIST, FOWLER,
PUGH, MAHON, CLARK AND FOWLER, AND ERSKINE - 278 barrels at
$67.50; Window glass 8 x 10, 10 x 12 and 145 x 16, and boxes of glass wares from
J. AND D. MARKLEY, LOWTHER AND COMPANY, LOWTHER AND MILLER OF
WELLSBURG AND ENCELL AND PLUNKET OF WHEELING--$740.00 and
$101.05....Stoneware from BAKEWELL $89.70; 3 lb nails - 25 cents; 1 gal whiskey 37
cents; 5 guns from MC CONNANT - $90.00; 15 lbs coffee - $2.40; 14 casks of cheese -
$122.64; 4 kegs butter - $20.60; 29 kegs lard - $82.50; 1 gal gin- 75 cents; 2 bushels
potatoes -$10.00; tea kettle and coffee pot $1.00; 8 teaspoons - $1.12; one secretary and
bookcase $36.00; three dozen chairs and Lloyds - $37.00; wagon - $40.00; drag $30.00;
50 lbs sugar - $5.50; also horse collars, bacon, paper, onions, jugs, wheat, molasses, all
kinds of spices, tinware, hops, bedsteds and etc.
The Finleys are to be congratulated for contributing so much to the history of the
county.
