Lee Line Steamers | Riverboat History

There are two times in a man’s life when he should not speculate: when he can’t afford it, and when he can. —Mark Twain

Don’t go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first. —Mark Twain

My Uncle Bayliss related a story about pan handlers who would ask his grandfather James Lee Jr. for a hand out.   Since he was a prominent citizen this plea for funds was a fairly routine occurrence.   His reply was “I have no money in the world”.   The beggar didn’t know  he had named one of his pockets “The World” and kept no money in the world.

The Memphis Commercial Appeal Mid-South Memories for July 10, 1912 and 1887:

1887:  Mrs. Lide Meriwether, the Memphis suffragist, said yesterday that women have been voting in all elections in Wyoming for 19 years, in Washington Territory for five years, upon school questions in 14 states, upon liquor licenses in two states, in municipal elections for years in England, Scotland and in four Canadian provinces.

1912:  Steamboat passengers today may take the James Lee to Friars Point and the Sadie Lee to Vicksburg.  The Elenore left yesterday for Osceola and all the way landings with all her cabins occupied.  The Kate Adams will arrive early tomorrow from Arkansas City and the Rees Lee is on her way to Memphis from St. Louis.

REES LEE Marine Protest page 1

REES LEE Marine Protest page 2

REES LEE Marine Protest page 4

This report came from records my brother George Lee salvaged in the early 1980’s from the Lee Building downtown Memphis.

Thank you for visiting LeeLineSteamers.com.   My goal is to find pictures of all Lee Line Steamer boats and to display them on this web site.  Recently I found in the University of Wisconsin La Crosse online archive of 3600 plus steamboat pictures several Lee Line boats of which there are only one or two pictures available.  I will be adding these pictures shortly.  The Lee Line began a slow break up beginning in 1914/15 when my great uncle Peters Lee and my grandfather S Rees Lee purchased several idle boats and wharf-boats to start the St. Louis Memphis Transportation Co. and the Majestic Excursion Line.  These boats were the GEORGIA LEE, FERD HAROLD and the REES LEE (renamed MAJESTIC).  Following the sale of these steamboats, the Lee Line transitioned into the excursion business.  In 1924 the Lee Line sold remaining boats and property to a separate company and took back bonds as financing for the new company.  By 1926 the family realized this new steamboat company was unprofitable and very likely to remain unprofitable, resulting in a liquidation of the companies assets by court order.   Peters Lee purchase some of the assets and continued in the steamboat business.

Again, thank you for visiting LeeLineSteamers.com.

BAYLISS LEE renamed DELTA Univ of Wisconsin neg 10892

Way’s Packet Directory Boat #0461:  Sternwheel Packet built at Jeffersonville Ind., by Howard Shipyard, 1899.  190 ft x 38 ft x 5.8 ft.  Built for the Lee Line of Memphis, which ran her to Friars Point.  When still very new she was bought by Capt. E.W.B. Nowland, Memphis, who promptly renamed her DELTA for the Memphis-Vicksburg trade.  At the time of this sale she had roof signboards reading LEE LINE-PADUCAH AND WATERLOO.  She had been built to “buck” the St. Louis & Tennessee River Packet Co., but differences had been settled.  The Nowland Line relettered the signboards to read REGULAR MEMPHIS and VICKSBURG PACKET.  Sank after hitting an obstruction at Mayersville, Miss. in March 1903, raised.  Burned at Harwood Island below Greenville Miss., early March 1905.

The BAYLISS LEE entered the Paducah & Tennessee River trade March 18, 1900 and was withdrawn from the Tennessee River April 6, 1900 following a meeting between my great grandfather James Lee Jr., my great uncle Robert E. Lee and the owners of the Tennessee River Packet Company.  The BAYLISS LEE started a rate war to capture business, however my great grandfather and great uncle were persuaded to withdraw the BAYLISS LEE when sufficient funds were provided to persuade the Lee Line to withdraw.  Previously the Tennessee River Packet Co. had entered the Mississippi River to take Memphis St. Louis trade as well as Friars Point trade.  The Lee Line was successful in restoring rates in late 1899.

The above picture of the DELTA is used with permission from the University of Wisconsin La Crosse Collections.

The Memphis Commercial Appeal Thursday June 28, 2012 Mid South Memories for June 28 1912:  “A wireless station on a steamboat on the Mississippi last night, for the first time in history, both caught and dispatched messages.  The station was on the steamer Charles H Organ and messages to it were sent and received at the Tri-State Wireless Station in the Falls Building.”  (Memphis, TN)

 This document is from a treasure trove of documents my brother George retrieved from the Lee Building sometime in the early to mid 1980’s.  The Lee Building was the administrative headquarters for the Lee Line and successor family ventures after the Lee Line entered voluntary liquidation in 1926.

Of interest is the bit of history on the steamer BAYLISS LEE which was built to compete against the Tennessee River Packet Co. on the Paducah Kentucky Tennessee River trade.  The BAYLISS LEE entered the trade March 18, 1900 at 11:00 am and left the trade April 6, 1900.  After leaving the trade, the BAYLISS LEE was sold and renamed the DIXIE.  Recently I purchased a picture of the BAYLISS LEE (renamed DIXIE) as well as pictures of other Lee Line boats and boats my great Uncle Peters Lee purchased for his separate river businesses.    Prior to the liquidation of the Lee Line, my Grandfather S Rees Lee and great Uncle Peters Lee purchased several Lee Line boats which had been idle due to poor economic times around 1914/15.   I will be uploading these pictures along with more history of the family business.

The Memphis & Arkansas City Packet Company was a competitor of the Lee Line.   After the liquidation of the Lee Line in 1926, the KATE ADAMS (3rd) was merged into the Valley Line by my great uncle G Peters Lee and several other steamboat men.   This advertising postcard when sold on EBay usually brings a good price since these (red and blue version) seem to be fairly rare compared to Lee Line postcards.   At some future time, I will display the blue version.

The DEAN ADAMS was purchased by the Lee Line from Major John D. Adams following his purchase of the KATE ADAMS (the first) built in 1882 at Sewickley Penn.  DEAN ADAMS was built at Sewickley in 1880 and was 190 ft x 29 ft x 6 ft.   This picture is from my brother George’s collection of family boats pictures.