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RIVER MEN

CAPTAIN WILLIAM DALZELL
Complied and Transcribed by Sue Rekkas
Gravestone photo taken by Sue Rekkas
 
Davenport Daily Gazette, March 8, 1858, page 8.
COMING AROUND.--Capt. Dalzell. of this city, was to have left Pittsburgh yesterday with his excellent steamer Mary Cook, for Davenport. He will start out with a good cargo at first rate prices, and will complete his full load by engagements at Wheeling and Cincinnati. The freight is principally for Keokuk, Rock Island and Davenport. The Mary Cook may be expected here about the 20th. We hope Capt. Dalzell may make her first trip successful, as it will be pecuniary if he meets with no accident.
 
Daily Iowa State Democrat, Sunday Morning, May 15, 1859, page 1.
PERSONAL--We have the gratification to announce, that Captain Bill Dalzell, the popular commander of the steamer Mary Cook, has returned home, after a long cruise in the lower waters. The Captain is as hearty as a brick. He will please accept our thanks for late southern papers.
 
Davenport Daily Gazette November 1, 1859 page 1
RIVER ITEMS
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MARY COOK--The Cincinnati Commercial says that it is the intention of Capt. Dalzell to put the Mary Cook in the Memphis and White River trade. We wish Captain great success in whatever trade he may run with the gentle Mary.
Excerpts from Report No. 1436 54TH CONGRESS, 2nd Session, February 10, 1897
Honorable Discharge William Dalzell
"William Dalzell was enrolled May27, 1861, for three years, as corporal of Company B., Second Infantry, and is reported on the muster roll of the company for September and October 1861, as having been transferred to the recruiting service for the State of Iowa October 1, 1861. With the exception of the roll for July and August, 1862, on which he is similarly reported..."

"About October 1, 1861, Capt. R. M. Littler, of Company B, Second Iowa Infantry, transferred me to the Navy Department under command of Captain Penneck, who was then in charge of the naval station at Cairo. Having for many years previous to enlistment been a steamboat captain, I was ordered by Captain Pennock to take charge of the steamer Eugene, which I did. I ran said boat until October 1, 1862, on which date I was ordered to go with the boat to Memphis, stopping at Randolph, Tenn., to find out about the killing of a lieutenant a few a days before. While ashore at Randolph I was taken prisoner, but saved the boat by calling to the pilot to back her off. Later I was paroled and released. Returning to Cairo, I was informed by Captain Pennock to go home until he got an exchange of prisoners. I afterwards learned that there never had been an exchange of naval prisoners; that I could not go back to my company, as Captain Pennock claimed me, and that I was a paroled prisoner."

"Quincy McNeil, of Quincy, Ill., swears that he was in command of Island No. 10 from May, 1862, to October, 1862; that he is well acquainted with William M Dalzell, of Davenport, and has so known him for about forty years; that said William M Dalzell was a steamboat captain, and as such was in command of the steamer Eugene in the service of the United States in the war of the rebellion; that he frequently saw said steamer with said Dalzell in command; that sometime in October, 1862, said steamer landed at Island No !0, at which place affiant was then in command, and reported that at a place about 12 miles above, Captain Dalzell, while ashore, had been taken prisoner. Affiant placed Company L, Second Illinois Cavalry, on the boat to proceed to New Madrid, Mo., and in conjunction with Company D of said regiment to pursue the captors, which was done. Captain Dalzell was not rescued, although the expedition returned with about twenty prisoners of the marauding party."

"Abram H. Clark, of Peoria, Ill., swears that he was a member of Company B, Second Iowa Volunteers, in which company and regiment said Dalzell served until October 1, 1861, when he was transferred to the navel transport service, in which he served for one years; that he was taken prisoner while in command of the naval transport steamer Eugene, and afterwards paroled and sent home.
 
 It also appears from the report made by the War Department that there were other affidavits in support of the statements made by said Dalzell, including the affidavit of Captain Littler, who was in command of Dalzell's company at the time the transfer is said to have been made.

So far as any record appears bearing upon the question of transfer to the marine or naval transport service, such record sustains the claim and statements of the beneficiary, and on this evidence the transfer, although perhaps not made strictly as it should have been, must be conceded to have taken place. That William Dalzell was in the naval transport service and was taken prisoner and paroled is sustained by the affidavits of Col. Quincy McNeil, who from May to October, 1862, was in command of Island No. 10, and Abram H. Clark, of Peoria, Ill., who was a member of the same company with said Dalzell. The soldier's affidavit shows that there never had been any exchange of naval prisoners, and that he was informed by Captain Pennock, under whom he served on the naval transport Eugene, that he could not go back to his company while a paroled prisoner.

Your committee have arrived at the conclusion that no intention to desert appears in the case, and that the charge of desertion has grown out of the peculiar circumstances surrounding the soldier, and for which, in the opinion of your committee, he should not be held accountable.
******

Click on image to view a full size printable version.
Home of Captain William Dalzell where his death occurred in 1900. It is located at 1314 LeClaire Street Davenport Iowa.
~ contributed by Susan Rekkas
 
 
The Davenport Daily Leader, Sunday, February 4, 1900, page 4.
OBITUARY
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DalZell.
Click on image to view a full size printable version. Mother
Achsah (Pomeroy)
wife of Wm. M Dazell
Apr 14, 1825
Jun 12, 1908
Father
Wm. M. Dalzell
Aug 21, 1821
Feb. 3, 1900
  Capt. William M. Dalzell & Achsah (Pomeroy) Dalzell
Oakdale Memorial Gardens, Davenport. Iowa
~ Photo taken and contributed by Susan Rekkas
 
The death of William H. Dalzell occurred at 1314 LeClaire Street, at 11:30 o'clock yesterday morning. The deceased was born August 21, 1821, at Pittsburg, Pa. He came to Davenport in 1844.

In his early life deceased was engaged in boating on the river, which he followed until about 1870. He later engaged in the coal business.

The death of the deceased was said to have been due to convulsions, he having been in fairly good health yesterday. The deceased is survived by his wife and three sons, one of which is E. M. Dalzell of this city. Mrs. Martha Cantwell, widow of the late Dr. Cantwell is a sister of the deceased.
The funeral arrangements have not yet been made.
 
The Davenport Times, Saturday, February 4, 1900, page 2.
DIES VERY SUDDENLY
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Convulsions Cause the Death of William M. Dalzell.
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WAS WELL KNOWN MAN YESTERDAY
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Deceased Was One of the Oldest of Davenport's Pioneers--Survived by a Wife and Three Sons.
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William H, Dalzell, one of Davenport's highly esteemed and old time residents, died suddenly this morning at 11:30 o'clock, at his home, 1314 LeClaire Street.

Wm. M. Dalzell was born Aug.21, 1821, in Pittsburg, Penn., and came to Iowa, locating in Davenport, in 1844. In 1861 Mr. Dalzell enlisted in the Second Iowa, but was transferred to the transport service the following year. He served in this department of the army until his discharge. In his earlier years, deceased was engaged in boating on the river, and he followed this for a time after the close of the war. Later he engaged in the coal business, from which he retired sometime since.

While well advanced in years, Mr. Dalzell enjoyed quite good health; was in fact down town yesterday, and the suddenness of his death is a shock. Physicians announce the cause of his death to be convulsions, with which Mr. Dalzell was taken last night. He later sank into unconsciousness from which he could not be aroused. Deceased is survived by his wife and three sons. Of the latter, E. M.. resides in Davenport, being engaged in the business of plumbing. F. B. is located in Peoria, and is in the employ of the Rock Island and Peoria Railroad company as passenger engineer. Wm. M. lives in Spokane, Washington, and has been notified of the death, but on account of the distance, it is hardly probable that he will be present at the funeral. Besides these, two sisters mourns the death. They are Mrs. Martha Cantwell, and Clara, who lives at Vineland, N.J.

Arrangements have not been completed for the funeral, but interment will take place in Oakdale Cemetery.
 
Davenport Times, Monday, February 5, 1900, page 4.
OBSEQUIES
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Last Rites for a Number of Davenport People who are Well Known.
 
The funeral of the late William M Dalzell was held at the family residence, 1314 LeClaire Street, this afternoon, conducted by Rev. Rollins.

The Pall bearers were J. W. Stewart, Mr. Camp, William Watts, Captain Spencer, David Burrows, R. C. Clayton. The burial will be private and at Oakdale.
 
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