Harry Lee (the first)

 The HARRY LEE (first) began life as the CITY OF WHEELING.  Way’s Packet directory recorded the following about the CITY OF WHEELING, built Clarington OH at Mozena yard and completed at Wheeling 1899.  169 feet long x 34.4 feet wide x 4.8 foot draft. Engines 16’s x 6 ft.  Three boilers each 42″ dia. by 22 feet.  Engines and boilers came from CITY OF SAVANNAH.  Built for short trades out of Wheeling and was soon sold to the Lee Line Memphis which renamed her HARRY LEE.  Sank at Brandywine Landing 45 miles above Memphis August 1911 and was raised.  Burned at Memphis March 19, 1914.  She carried the whistle of the Lee Line ROBERT E. Lee

HARRY LEE (second) was a sternwheel packet, steel hull, built at St. Louis MO, 1915.  175 feet length x 36 feet wide x 6.7 foot draft.  Engines 16’s x 6 foot.  Three boilers set on her backwards; fired from deckroom.  Ran Memphis-Helena-Friars Point.  She was built at the Phil A. Rohan Boat, Boiler and Tank Works, St. Louis.  Last owned by the Valley Line (G.Peters Lee), Memphis which sold her June 1924 to Sherburne Transportation Co.  She served during WWII at Alexandria LA, on the Red River as a barracks for soldiers and was moved from there to Orange TX and used to quarter shipyard workmen.  She burned May 12, 1942 and was then converted into a showboat at Orange and was still there in 1951.  Way’s Packet Directory.

5 Responses to Harry Lee (the first)

  1. Mary Smith says:

    I have a newspaper article about the Harry Lee and was wondering if you wanted a copy.
    I could not find a way to send it to you.

  2. Tom Hogan says:

    I have an original post card of this “show boat’, in good condition, from my grand mothers scrap book, what organization should we donate this to???

    • leelinesteamers says:

      Tom, thank you for your interest in the Lee Line. Currently I don’t know of any organization you
      could donate your post card to. If you would like to do so, could you send me a scan of your card?
      I am always looking for new Lee Line material.

      Thanks again,
      Jim Lee

  3. Robert Pilkington says:

    My grandfather was named after Harry Lee the 2nd. I’d like to find a picture of it and any info I can on it

    • leelinesteamers says:

      Robert, thank you for your interest in the Harry Lee. I will search my archives
      and get back to you.

      Blessings,
      Jim Lee

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