The Memphis Commercial Mid-South Memories April 29, 2012 reported “The steamer JACK FROST left yesterday for the Illinois River with three empty ice barges. Its return with the barges filled will be eagerly awaited by those wishing to slake their thirst with a cool drink.” April 29, 1887.
The Bohlen Huse Ice Company which was operated various times my great grandfather James Lee Jr along with my great uncle Bayliss Lee who later served as an officier after working for Lee Brothers Co. (which was the sole supplier to the Lee Line Steamers Co.) In the early and mid 1890’s the businesses called itself the Bohlen Huse Lake and Machine Ice Co, indicating that northern lake ice was brought to Memphis to meet the demand that man made ice could not satisfy. The Bohlen Huse Ice Company operated the first artesian well in Memphis. The business owned a farm in the Raleigh area of what is now Memphis where mules were rested from their jobs pulling ice wagons.
Hello,
One of my family members, Thomas Garrison, was the captain of this ship (the Jack Frost) for a time. I have a couple of old post cards that he sent of Lee Line boats. Have you ever run across any mention of him in any of your research? I searched for his last name on your website, but no results showed. Tom was active from about 1890 through 1915 as a captain and pilot on Mississippi river boats. Thanks! David
David, thank you for your interest in my web site. The steamer Jack Frost was not a Lee Line
boat. I can look this steamer up in Way’s Packet directory and let you know what history it may
reveal. Many times Way’s has names of the officiers and history of boats in its history of steamboats.
Which Lee Line postcards do you have? There are quite a number and variations of the James Lee, Stacker Lee
Rees Lee as well as other Lee Line boats. Thanks again for your interest.
Jim Lee