Lee Line Steamers | Riverboat History

 ORA LEE: Stern Wheel Packet wood hull Way’s Packet Directory page 357. Built by Howard Shipyard, Jeffersonville Ind. 1891, 140 x 32, 4 x 4. Owned by the Lee Line , Memphis, and ran short trades. In July 1900 hauled on the Mound City (Ark) marine ways, and was sold soon thereafter to White River, her name was changed to ORLANDO, which then ran the Memphis and White River weekly, April 1901. Struck a snag two miles above Peach Orchard Bluff on the White River July 5, 1901 en route from Memphis to Newport Ark and was lost.

James LEE, Jr., vice-president of the First National Bank, and of the Taxing District of Memphis, came to this city in 1858, and located here permanently in 1860. He practiced law with Valentine & Lee; Chambers, Lee & Warinner, and Lee & Warinner, but gave up the law in 1877, to manage the Lee line of steamers, of which line he is president and principal owner. Mr. Lee was born in Stewart County, Tenn., March 8, 1832, and graduated at Princeton, N.J., in 1853, and then practiced law at Dover, Stewart County, until his interests drew him to Memphis. His father, James Lee, was a native of Sumner County, but moved to Stewart County, and there married Miss Peninah Lucinda Gibson, who died in 1853. The father, an old retired boatman, is yet living in this city. In 1858 our subject married Miss Rowena Rayliss, a native of Montgomery County, Tenn., and by her has a family of ten children. The family are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

 During the early 1900’s pocket mirrors such as this one were a farily common way of advertising.  Coca-Cola was one of the most prolific distributors of these small mirrors.

This is one of a few postcards of the HARRY LEE formerly CITY OF WHEELING.  From the looks of both pictures, the HARRY LEE looks more like a work boat since the pineapple tops on her smoke stacks are gone as well as the decorative woodwork on her boiler deck.  Extra bracing has been added on her main deck guards as well.   Enclosed cabins or storage on the WHEELING have been removed on HARRY for more open space on the main deck.  A better picture of the HARRY can be seen under Lee Line Boats smaller boat tab.  Upon further reflection, the above picture could well be the HARRY LEE the second rather than a modified CITY OF WHEELING.

The Memphis Commercial Appeal’s Mid South Memories section of the September 6 2011 edition reported that 100 years ago on this day the following:  Rebuilding of the Lee Line steamer Eleonore badly damaged by fire this week while moored at the Memphis wharf, will begin at once.  The fire, which caused damage of about $5000, was discovered by the watchman who immediately sounded  the distress call on the whistle.  The call was answered by the steamer General Pierson and the Memphis Fire Department.

                                                      Way’s Packet Directory

ELEONORE: Boat 1752 Way’s Packet Directory page 144. Stern Wheel, Packet, wood hull, built Beardstown Ill 1902, 126.8 x 23 x 3.8. Owned in her later years by the Lee Line. Burned at Memphis September 1911 and rebuilt. Turned turtle (in a tornado – see New York Times article below) 20 miles above Memphis drowning several passengers and her purser while she was in the Memphis – Ashport trade. This happened in June 1916 resulting in lawsuits which found the Lee Line not liable since the court ruled the capsizing an “Act of God.”

                                                       New York Times June 6, 1916

Four persons are known to have been drowned and twenty five or thirty others, mostly negro deck hands, are missing and are believed to have gone down when the Lee Line steamer Eleonore capsized last night in the Mississippi River  twenty miles north of Memphis.  An officier of the boat walked to Memphis today with the news.

The Eleonore tied up last night in a remote spot to escape the tornado that swept the Central Mississippi Valley.  A heavy gust of wind drove the craft into the bank and it overturned.  Many of those aboard were in the cabins and between decks at the time.  A relief vessel left tonight for the place of the accident.  The Eleonore was a small vessel.

 The Vicksburg Natchez Packet Co. was a competitor of the Lee Line.   Obviously a young man with serious but nervous intent crafted this expression of his love for the object of his affections.  Since it was not postmarked, one wonders how it was delivered or if it was delivered.  Perhaps it was slipped under a door or placed discretely in a hand bag.  This is a sweet mystery, did she wear a white rose?

 This picture was a postcard from the early 1900’s.  The origional postcard was cleaned up using Photo Shop since heavy postmarks bled from the back to the front of the card as well as parts of the card were faded.   The side wheels must have been powered by a gasoline engine since the tank on the top of the cabin likely is a fuel tank.   My friend Ed Provine graciously allowed me to copy this card from his vast collection of steamboat postcards and pictures.

 This post card of the REES LEE was post marked June 16 1909 Cairo IL.  The steamer in the back ground is the SPREAD EAGLE.  The Eagle Packet Co. was based in Alton IL and was a competitor of the Lee Line.  The Eagle Packet Co. had several boats with Eagle in the name; GREY EAGLE, BALD EAGLE, and the WAR EAGLE in addition to other boats.

A number of years ago, Shelby County TN Register of Deeds Tom Leatherwood had his staff digitize old records dating to the Civil War and before.   These records include the City Directories from 1859 through 1918, birth and death records, marriage licenses, along with a number of other old city and county records and which are available online.  The following is a list of Lee Family businesses as recorded in various City Directories:.

1866 through 1875 James Lee Jr. was a partner in the law firm Warinner & Lee

1870, 1871, 1872 Memphis Dry Dock Co.  James Lee, Jr. President.  The Steamer PHIL ALLIN was built at Memphis during this time.  Likely it was built at the Memphis Dry Dock Co. since it was owned by the Lee Line.

1872 and forward, the following Lee Line Packet Companies were in operation: Memphis & Friar’s Point Packet Co.  Memphis & Osceola Packet Co.,  Memphis & Hales Point Packet Co., St. Francis River Transportation Co., 1891 Memphis & New Madrid Packet Co., 1895 Memphis & Cairo Line Packet Co., 1897 Memphis & Ashport Division, 1898 West Memphis Packet Co., 1899 Memphis & New Madrid Packet Co.

1880 Robert E Lee began working for the Lee Line as a clerk.  During 1886 he became Secretary and Treasurer of the Lee Line Steamers.  In 1891 he became superintendent of the various divisions of the Lee Line.  1898 he became President of the Lee-Odlum Boiler Co.  In 1901 he took on additional duties when he became President of the Bohlen-Huse Coal and Ice Business.  He also was an officier of the Lee Brothers Co. 

1884 James Lee, Jr. President Bohlen-Huse Machine & Lake Ice Co., Superintendent Milburn Gin and Machine Co.(through 1887), Vice President First National Bank.  James Lee Jr. held most of these jobs until his death in 1905.  James Lee, Jr. was President of the Lee Line U S Mail steamers until 1895 when Robert E Lee took over as President.

1889 Lee Brothers & Co.(advertised oils, mill supplies, ship chandlers, tent and awning mfgrs), managed by Bayliss Lee who ran the business until he took over the Bohlen-Huse Ice business when his father retired from active management.

1899 Lee-Odlum Boiler Co.  Robert E. Lee President.   Manufactures of boilers, tanks, sheet, plate and structural work.  This business was listed in the city directories until 1901.

1894 James Lee III is associated with the Memphis Gin & Machine Co which became the Lee Gin & Machine Co. in 1895.  Lee Gin & Machine Co. was a manufacturer of plantation and gin house machinery, engines, boilers as well as  founders and machinist.  In the 1900 Polk City Directory the business became the Globe Iron Works.  In the 1901 James Lee III was not listed as employed at the Globe Iron Works.

1897 G. Peters Lee joins Lee Brothers as a clerk and in 1898 he becomes an assistant manager for the Lee Line U. S. Mail Steamers.  In 1901 he moves up to the position of assistant general manager.  He later becomes a boat captain.  In 1915 he becomes the proprietor of the Majestic Hotel and Pool room on Linden Ave, Memphis.   Around 1918 he is associated with the Majestic Excursion Line which ran out of Memphis.  Later he bid on several Lee Line boats when the family held a voluntary liquidation of the company in 1926.  The enterprise became the Valley Line which was comprised of the KATE ADAMS (III) and the Lee Line boats he purchased at the 1926 liquidation.  The Valley Line lasted only a few years before folding.

1901 my grandfather Shelby Rees Lee known as Rees became the manager of the Lee Line warehouse.  By 1903 he becomes a manager of the Lee Line and moves up to a boat captain and finally as general manager in 1913. 

1887 Lee Line Steamer Ad Memphis Polk City Directory

A nearly complete history of Lee Line owned boats has been added under Lee Line Boats tab.  My intention is to add pictures of these many boats over the next few weeks in addition to boat pictures already in place, as well as additional information from the book Paddle Wheels to Propellers which cronicles the history of the Howard Shipyard which built a number of Lee Line Boats.

Jim Lee