Lee Line Steamers | Riverboat History

This letter addressed to my grandfather belongs to my uncle Bayliss Lee.

 This postcard was postmarker October 26, 1914 at Memphis, it is one example of several different colorized cards which were taken from the previous black and white post of the JAMES LEE.  The producer of the post card added several items not on the origional.

 This picture of the JAMES LEE was widely reproduced as post cards.  These postcards are often seen advertised by Ebay sellers for $6.00 to $15.00.  I have several different postcards taken from this photograph which show various coloration additions to the black and white origional.  Jim Lee

This ad is from the Memphis Polk 1904 directory.  Of interest is the language letting the reader know that take home remedies were available for those who could not be inpatient.  Also of interest is the language noting that the methods employed to cure the various maladies were scientific.  The word scientific was often used in the 1800’s and early 1900’s to lend credibility to claims of superior ideas and methods which in modern times would be labeled as false advertising.

From the Mid-South Memories section of the Memphis Commercial Appeal November 13, 2011, the following was reported November 13, 1886, “The steamer Chickasaw commanded by Capt. E.C. Postal, has at this port with 1613 bales of cotton from the White River (Ark.), the largest shipment of that staple brought out of that stream for this port.”

 This picture of the KATE belongs to Ed Provine who graciously allowed me to copy.  Way’s Packet Directory 1848-1983 recorded the following “On  June 29, 1917, the KATE was stranded at Helena Ark., on a falling river and remained high and dry until refloated by the John Eichleay Jr. Co., Pittsburg – this on Oct. 12, 1918.”  In 1923 the name of the Line she ran under was changed to the Delta Line.  In January 1924, Delta Line and the Lee Line consolidated becoming the Valley Line.  Capt. Hicks as President.  Peters Lee as manager.

 KATE ADAMS named for the wife of Captain John D. Adams was a competitor of the Lee Line.  This undated picture was most likely taken at a planters landing.  The KATE was very similar in size to JAMES LEE

PAT CLEBURNE: Boat 4398 Way’s Packet Directory page 363. (Named after Confederate General). Side Wheel Packet, wood hull, built Cincinnati Ohio 1870. A fair sized boat, dimensions not at hand.  Engines 20’s – 7 ft. Four boilers each 37” by 24 ft., two 14” flues. Built for the Memphis & White River Packet Co. She and ARKANSAS BELLE were partner boats and both came to the Evansville-Cairo trade owned by Evansville, Cairo and Memphis Steam Packet Co. In 1875 Capt. John Goff, master with Mat Williams clerk. On the down bound trip she was landing opposite Weston, Ky. May 17, 1876. The ARKANSAS BELLE came up and was landing alongside when the boilers of the PAT CLEBURNE exploded. Capt. Dick Fowler was in command at the time, asleep in the Texas, and was burned in the ensuing fire. The death toll was given as fourteen persons. A Banca boiler plug was later found melted. The snag boat E.A. WOODRUFF removed the wreck. Way’s makes no reference to the Lee Line concerning this boat.

General Patrick Royane Cleburne was born in Cork Ireland and emigrated to the United States in 1849.  He settled in Helena Ark and enlisted in the Confederacy in 1861.   Patrick Cleburne was one of two foreign born officiers to attain the rank of Major General in the Confederate armed forces.   He was a skilled combat officier and distinguished himself during a number of battles.  He died at the battle of Franklin Tenn November 30, 1864.

PHIL ALLIN: Boat 4476 Way’s Packet Directory page 370. Side Wheel Packet, wood hull, built Memphis Tenn. 1871, 463 tons, 181 x 38 x 6. Engines 22’s – 7 ft. Three boilers. Ran Memphis – Friar’s Point. Capt. James Lee. Machinery came from C.E. HILLMAN (page 65 Way’s). Dismantled when the JAMES LEE(1st) was built and the engines went to that boat. Her jack-staff went to the towboat DICK FULTON and in 1920 there still was a set of solid walnut furniture on the Lee Line wharf boat at Memphis which came from her.

Likely, the PHIL ALLIN was built at the Memphis Dry Dock Co.   The 1869-1872 Edwards Memphis City Directory listed James Lee Jr as President of the Memphis Dry Dock Co.

The book Elmwood Cemetery publish in 1874 has this to say about Major Phil Allin, “Major Phil Allin left Memphis in 1861 a Lieutenant in Captain James H. Edmondson’s Bluff City Grays.  He served in this command and capacity at Belmont and Shiloh, and in these battles, as in many subsequent conflicts, evinced extraordinary coolness and heroism.  He was transferred to the cavalry service, and was one of the most brilliant and dashing officers whose genius for war was inspired or evoked by Gen. N.B. Forrest.  Major Allin was a favorite officer of his commanding general, and when delicate trust or daring duties were to be discharged, was almost constantly selected to lead the way.  Never a soldier come out of the war between the States with a brighter escutcheon than the intrepid, generous, admirable gentleman and officer Phil Allin.  He died in Memphis in 1869, about thirty years of age.  It was no mean tribute to his worth that one of the swiftest and prettiest steamers on the Mississippi bears that ever-honored name, Phil Allin.”  Pages 97 and 98.