On the River
Muscatine, Iowa
Rivermen
Book
compiled and copyrighted by
Georgeann McClure
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Eugene Bachelor
MUSCATINE JOURNAL
JANUARY 27, 1941
Capt. E. A. Batchelor, River Veteran Dead
Capt Eugene A. Batchelor, colorful river figure in this section of
the Country for some 75 years died at the home of Hugh B. Holcomb in
Blue Island Ill. At 11:30 a.m. today, he had attained the age of 94
years. His home here was at 509 East Front street.
Even the infirmities of his advanced age failed to keep the
well-known riverman from his favorite diversion, plying the
Mississippi river. He spent his summers here but had been going to
the Holcomb home for the winter months for several years.
Capt. Batchelor came with his mother from Michigan in a covered
wagon. He had made his home in numerous cities along the river,
residing here since 1892. He worked first as an operator on floating
rafts, before the days of the steam driven boats. He earned his
title of captain on several small boats, which plied the waters in
and around Muscatine. For several years Capt. Batchelor operated
boat liveries here and piloted many small craft up and down stream,
particularly in the Upper Mississippi regions.
He was a member of the Friends church and an honorary member of the
Muscatine Power Boat club.
Surviving are one son, Ben Batchelor; six grandchildren and four
great grandchildren.
The body will be brought to Muscatine by the Fairbanks Home for
Funerals Tuesday. Arrangements for rites are indefinite.
Transcribed by Georgeann McClure
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Thomas S. Battelle, Capt.
OLD SETTLERS PAGE 362 A
Died
At Monte Vista, near Los Angeles, Cal.,
Nov. 26, 1892, CAPT. THOMAS S. BATTELLE, aged
80 years, 3 months and 6 days.
The old settlers of Muscatine will recognize in the above
announcement that another of the early pioneers among them has
passed away. While it is true that he and his family did not remain
there as long as many, yet he and they made and left an impression
for good which the many years since they left have not erased from
the memory of those who knew them. Soon after moving to Muscatine,
in the 40’s, he bought and ran the then large steamboat ,”OSPRY.” in
the trade from St. Louis to St. Paul, and no captain of a
Mississippi steamer was ever more popular than he. Afterwards, he
kept the American House, which stood on the corner where Olds Opera
House now stands, and he and his good wife, with her sister, Miss
Sue Culbertson, were a tower of strength to Methodism there in the
early days. The power of Capt. Battelle’s excellent voice, which
almost always led in song from the “amen” corner, and Miss
Culbertson’s eloquent and heartfelt prayers, during protracted
meetings, will never be forgotten by the writer, who was then only a
lad, and doubtless the same is true of hundreds of others.
In 1852 the Captain and family removed to Northern California,
coming across the plains in that primitive way which required great
hardships and privations. Settling in Sierra county he was a
prosperous “rancher” and a prominent and very influential citizen
for many years. Here their children grew up, and there oldest son,
Thornton, and daughter, Mary, now live, while a younger son, George,
now lives at Sacramento. The second son Albert, having died several
years since, as did his wife. He finally sold out and removed to Los
Angeles early in the 1885, and here married her who is left as his
widow to mourn her loss of as kind-hearted and noble a Christian man
as it has ever been our lot to know. A peculiarity of his religious
life was that he was always a better man than he claimed to be, and
his religion was never used as a cloak to hide his shortcomings. It
was the writer’s privilege to know and admire him, as a boy might
know a man, in his early life, and to keep him in mind as a sort of
model to try to attain , and now , for the past seven years of his
riper age, to know him intimately and love him dearly for the pure
and beautiful life he had lived. Shortly before he passed away he
asked his good wife to bring his scrap book and had a friend copy
there from the following beautiful poem, as expressive of his life
and hope in death, and asked that it be read at his funeral which
was done. It bears on its space that sweet spirit of unselfish
humility. Which all who knew him must recognize as true to his life
as if composed by him.
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REGULAR PACKET
FROM ST LOUIS TO MUSCATINE & R. ISLAND
The Staunch, elegant and popular
Passenger, and Freight Steamer,
O s w e g o
Capt T. S. Battelle Master
Will run as a regular packet from St Louis to the above all
intermediate ports, during the season of 1850. Every exertion will
be made to render entire satisfaction to all who may favor the boat
with their patronage---her passenger accommodations are unsurpassed
by any boat on the river and every attention will be given to the
comfort of passengers and the interest of shippers
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MARX BLOCK,
Agent
Marx Block
Steamboat Agent
Mary Nietzel 1949
Marx Block, a native of Baden, came to Muscatine in 1842. He was in
the “Forwarding and Commission” business. When the Northern Line
Company of Steamboats was organized he was appointed as their agent,
and was one of the popular agents along the river.
In 1849 we find him living in the house that stands on the east side
if Pine street between 2nd and 3rd streets (back of Chester
Richards).
The directory of 1866 lists Mr. Block living on the N. W. corner of
Third and Pine Streets. Mr. Block built this house. It still
standing very little changed in appearance.
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 |
W G Block
Steamboat agent for the Diamond Jo Line.
Father of Marx Block.
|
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Blugh (Blough)
Captain Blough
~ Source: History of Muscatine County Iowa, Volume I, 1911,
pages 260-262
THE OLD GUN MAKER
Captain Downer, Noah Fiauk and "Old Man Blough" were famous
pilots and ferried the boys across the river and up the different
sloughs.
From Charles Braunworths memory
Published by Randalman
“Another great, good man to accommodate our merchants. After the
river was impassable, Captain Blough, with one boat, made the
necessary trips. “
________________________________________
Muscatine Journal August 6, 1862
River Intelligence
________________
BOATS LEAVING TODAY
For F. Madison Kate Cassel, Davis
For Rock Island Jennie Whipple, Morrison
PORT OF MUSCATINE
ARRIVALS AND DEPARTURES
Jennie Whipple Morrison, Rock Island for Keokuk
Kate Cassell, Davis, Keokuk for Rock Island
Henry Clay, Buford, St. Louis for St. Paul
_________________________________________________________________________
Kate Cassel, Regular for Fort Madison Packet Today
-Our readers will please bear in mind that Capt. B. W. Davis will
sail into port at about noon. This day, with his magnificent and
decidedly popular steamer Kate Cassel, bound for all points on the
Mississippi to Fort Madison. Close connections made at that point
with the packets for St. Louis. The Kate for speed, comfort, safety
and accommodations, has no superior in this trade, and but few equal
her. Her officers Capt. Davis and clerk S. Powers are gentlemen, who
by their untiring efforts to render all on board a pleasant And
agreeable trip. Have won for themselves a Host of friends. We most
cheerfully recommend The Kate Cassel to all bound down stream--
Remember, off today.
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George (Brasser) Breasseau, Capt.
Capt. George Brasser
Helen Shulenberg.........................................George
Brasser
owned by Shulenberg and Boeckeler Lumber Company, Muscatine
Blairs A Raft Pilots Log transcribed by Joan Bard Robinson
Davenport Democrat
Dec. 11, 1902
THE RIVER (obituary)
Captain George Brasser (Brasseau), one of the oldest river pilots on
the upper Mississippi, is dead at his home in Stillwater of cancer,
aged 70 years. He was until recently captain of the steamer Gypsy
and a steamboat pilot on the Mississippi and St. Croix rivers since
1857. He had been a resident of Stillwater for the past 46 years.
During the past season he worked on the Mississippi as a raft boat
pilot.
Captain Brasseau was the builder of the rafting steamer Robert Dodds,
which boat towed logs for the Joyce Mills of Clinton and Fulton
until she was sold last year and was taken into southern waters, and
which often passed here. He was master of the Dodds for 17 years
while the craft was towing logs for a St. Louis firm. He also ran on
the rafter Cyclone, remembered by our people, but which has not been
seen in these waters of late years, having been taken north for the
packet business between St. Paul and Wabasha. Captain Brasseau was
well known to numbers of the local river men, all of whom learned
with regret of his death.
Blairs “A Raft Pilots Log”
When we got out of Lake Saint Croix in the morning and below
Prescott we found Captain R.J.Wheeler with the steamer ' Henrietta'
and a large excursion barge, the 'Robert Dodds' and raft in charge
of Captain George Brasser and the 'Menominee' and raft, Captain
S.B.Withrow all tied up and lying quiet. I could see some small boat
down below in the cut. So we landed on the right above the others. I
took a skiff and visited the other boats, and learned that Dan Rice
with his little side-wheeled 'Ben Hershey' and half raft for Red
Wing had caught his right hand bow corner on that side of the cut
and then the stern swung over and rested on the sand on the other
side. The captains all thought he would soon get loose and drop out
of our way.
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Capts. Brooks & Reece
The Palimpsest
Bloomington Comes of age
Pg. 352
“On April 23, 1841, the town recorder advertised in the Herald
that the ferry lease would be let to any one furnishing a “good and
sufficient” steamboat. Captain John Phillips was granted the ferry
license when he provided the diminutive steam ferry Iowa, a vessel
which was condemned and dismantled at the close of 1842. For the
next two seasons Captain Phillips had to resort to a flatboat with
oars. In 1845 a horse ferry was introduced by Brooks & Reece. It was
not until July 1855, that the steam ferry Muscatine was placed in
service. With the opening of the high bridge in 1891 ferry service
was discontinued.
______________________
River Commerce
The record Mark Block, agent of the Keokuk Northern Line at this
place is an astonishing exhibit showing the largest season in point
of imports and exports for a number of years.
The business opened with the arrival from St. Louis of the Arkansas
on the 11th of March, and closed with the departure of the Belle of
La Crosse for St. Louis, November 15 - a season of 250 days, and 14
days shorter than the season of 1879.
The following tables show the totals of the business of the line at
this point this year:
EXPORTS NORTH
| |
Packages merchandise
Barrels of apples
“ of sweet
potatoes
Packages of oat meal
Head stock
Doz. Wash boards
Bales of hay
Sacks of grain
Bundles of wagon brakes
Cases canned goods
Melons
|
………… 25,514
..……… 2,500
...…….
5,000
.………… 1,000
.………… 1,500
.…………
300
..……….
570
.………. 2,587
..……… 312
…………. 1,120
…………. 50,000 |
|
| |
|
|
|
EXPORT SOUTH
| |
Barrels of flour
Packages of oatmeal
Sacks of potatoes
Barrels of sweet potatoes
Sacks of grain
Bales of hay
Empty barrels
Head of stock
Feet of lumber
Boxes of clay pipe |
……….. 554
…...….. 2,124
………… 8,741
...……… 1,500
…………. 11,320
.………… 2,361
…………. 800
………….. 59
.………… 150,000
…………. 2,500 |
|
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Joseph Buisson, Capt.
Cyprian Buisson, Capt.
Capts Buisson (Captains of the “Ben Hershey” owned by Hershey lumber
muscatine
CAPTAIN JOSEPH BUISSON
Joseph Buisson was born in Wabasha, Minnesota, February 17,
1846. His father, a French trader from Canada, was one of the
founders of the town beautifully located on Wabasha prairie and
named after a noted Sioux chief whose people made their home at the
mouth of the Zumbrota river.
Joseph took more to school and books than his brothers who were
fonder of outdoor sports and hunting, and as he grew up developed a
great fondness for reading, especially works on history and
biography, and was a well informed man. He belonged to several
fraternal organizations including Masonry in which he was a close
student and
233
his life exemplified its teachings. His family were Episcopalians
and while not a member he was an attendant of church, and for many
years he was the faithful Peoples Warden of Grace Memorial Chapel in
Wabasha. His life work on the river began when he was fifteen years
old. When nineteen he began piloting himself and as he soon
demonstrated his skill and ability in handling rafts and men, he was
constantly employed and by the best companies as long as the
business lasted. We recall the excellent work he did on the
side-wheeler 'Clyde,' then on the side-wheeler 'J.W. Barden,'
running lumber for the Daniel Shaw Company, then on the new
stern-wheeler 'Gardie Eastman,' several seasons running logs for
Gardiner Batcheler and wells of Lyons, Iowa; then on the fine large
'C.W. Cowles,' owned by Fleming Brothers of McGregor and later
bought and operated by
the Valley Navigation Company of which Captain Joe was president,
and as master and pilot of the 'Cowles' he ran logs to the Hershey
mill and Muscatine and several others until the finish.
When rafting played out he operated the 'C.W. Cowles' as a regular
packet between LaCrosse and Dubuque, but realizing little profit in
this, he sold her and went piloting the big packets of the Streckfus
Line in the Saint Louis and Saint Paul trade and remained on them
for awhile after they were converted into exclusion steamers. He
gave up this work to take the position of Deputy United States
Marshal at Saint Paul, and while filling it most acceptably the
final summons came to him October 29, 1918, and he was laid to rest
in the town of his birth.
234
CAPTAIN CYPRIAN BUISSON
There were four of the Buisson boys. Antoine, the second, only made
a few trips on floating rafts, and then went in the Dakotas and took
up farming. The other three, Henry, Joseph and Cyprian, stuck to the
rafting game as long as it lasted, except that Henry enlisted in the
Fifth Minnesota Infantry and served during the Civil War. Their
grandfather was Lieutenant Duncan Graham who commanded the small
detachment of British troops that with their Indian allies, defeated
the United States force under Colonel Zachary Taylor at the battle
of Credit Island near Davenport on September 5, 1814.
Lieutenant Graham married an Indian wife, probably of the sac tribe,
and their daughter was born on or near Credit Island. Lieutenant
Graham's duties took him to Minnesota for many years and this
daughter married Joseph Buisson, a French Canadian trader, who was
an early settler in Wabasha.
Whether Mrs. Buisson, the mother of these four sons and three
daughters, was a Sac or a Sioux, is in doubt, but one thing is sure:
she had children of whom any mother could be justly proud. They all
stood high in their old home town.
Cyprian, the third son of Joseph Buisson, was born in Wabasha,
Minnesota, September 25, 1849. His youth was spent mostly in
learning and playing the games of the young Sioux who were his
chosen companions. He was fond of hunting and
trapping and became very skillful in using a gun or a canoe and
always had both with him on the 'B.Hershey.' Joseph, his next older
brother, took more interest in school, but hard as he tried, he
could not keep young Cyp at his studies when condition were
favorable for
237
hunting or trapping. He told me Joe gave him many a licking for
running away from school. But if Cyp did not learn much in school he
leaned a lot outside. Perfectly at home in the woods, he knew more
about animals, birds, fishes, flowers and
plants than anyone I ever had the good fortune to know. When only
sixteen he began his work on rafts, pulling an oar for David
Craft on a lumber raft to Saint Louis. He quickly learned the river
and began piloting himself. His first practice running a raft was
when he and Jack Walker chartered the little 'Novelty' in the late
sixties. Then he and his brother Joe went on the 'Clyde' for three
seasons.
In the spring of 1877 he came out as master and pilot of the fine,
large, powerful raft-boat 'B. Hershey,' built at Kahlkes yard at
Rock Island for the Hershey Lumber Company of Muscatine, Iowa. For
twelve successive seasons he ran their logs from Beef Slough, West
Newton and Stillwater, making a record that nobody could beat. Then
the Valley Navigation Company was formed by Captain Cyprian, Joe and
a few others. This company bought the 'B. Hershey' of the Hershey
Lumber Company, the 'C.W. Cowley' of Fleming Brothers and the
'Lafayette Lamb' of C. Lamb and Sons and Cyp remained on the
'Hershey' for eight years
more running logs for Hershey Lumber Company on contract, making
twenty years of service on the one boat, clean, skillful,
satisfactory service, all of it.
Then he wanted a change and going to Dakota he tried farming six
years, but the lure of the river brought him back and he put in a
few seasons rafting, working government boats, had charge of the
steamer 'Helen Blair' in the Davenport and Burlington trade, and
238
wound up his steamboating on the big side-wheeler 'Morning Star' in
the Davenport, Saint Paul and Stillwater trade, until the end of the
season 1917, when ill health developed into serious and painful
sickness terminating November 24, 1920. He was first married August
18, 1876 to Elizabeth Stone of Wabasha, who died November 17, 1906.
In 1913 he married Lillian Enber of Saint Paul who gave him constant
and loving care through his long illness and survives.
There were no children by either marriage, but they adopted, raised
and educated three children who needed homes and parents and were
fortunate in having such care and guidance.
Captain Cyp was a handsome man, very modest and gentle in speech and
action but not afraid of anything or any person. A better pilot or
more pleasant companion one could not find. He was the highest type
of gentleman, whose memory we will always prize.
78
The 'Hershey' was in charge of that prince of pilots and thorough
gentleman, Cyprian Buisson, of Wabasha, Minnesota. There were four
of these Buisson brothers, of whom three, Henry, Joseph, and
Cyprian, took to rafting, and were very successful pilots and
masters.
Transcribed by Joan Bard Robinson
Blairs “A Raft Pilots Log”
Cyprian Buissons was called “Zip Buzzsaw”
48
The steamer 'Hartford' under Captain Henry Buisson, was busy
dropping out half rafts to places of safety, where they would lay at
owner's risk until taken away by some other boat.
Transcribed by Joan Bard Robinson
Blairs “A Raft Pilots Log”
