Captain William Eads/Edds

From Sioux City Angle, May, 1858
Horrible if True
We are informed by W.S. Trescott, of this place, who came passenger on the boat, that a man named Edward C Schultze, also a passenger, was drowned during a late trip of the steamer D S Carter from St. Louis to St Joseph. It is said that Schultze had some angry words with Catp. Wm. Eads of the Carter about his trunk which was missing on the evening previous to his drowning and on the morning of the drowning Eads and Schultze were on the hurricane roof and harsh words ensued. A passenger, Mr. Wm. Rose was on the roof at the time but turned and went below and no sooner had he left the roof than a cry of man overboard was heard. After the boat passed on about ten rods it was stopped, the mate and three men got in the yawl to go rescue the drowning man who was in sight all the time and proved to be Schultze. Eads stood on the aft end of the boat and beckoned the crew back, telling them to come back that the man had sunk. The mate and crew went on and got the drowning man Schultze as he was going down the last time, and brought him back to the boat. He was placed on a barrel and an attempt was made to restore him to life. The Captain advised the mate to take the barrel away which was done. The passengers then took the body of Schultze to the bow of the boat and another effort was made to restore life but it proved unsuccessful.

A course wooden box was formed, the dead body was put into it and as soon the boat was landed a hole was dug about three feet deep the man was put in and covered up in less than an hour after he had fallen overboard. While the box was being made, fears were entertained that it would be too short, the Captain observed that if it was to short they could do like they did down South-- cut the legs of drowned me off and put them in by the side of the body. The Captain's orders were not to plane the plank which formed the coffin. The only bruises seen on the person of the drowned man were a couple on the left temple, and they were but slight.

This statement is corroborated by eight of the passengers of the Carter who published a card in the St. Joseph Journal. If it is true, as the passengers intimate, that the Captain knocked Schultze overboard, it is one of the foulest and wickedest acts of which this sickened world has record. The matter certainly demands investigation, and if guilty, the Captain should be made to suffer the extreme penalty of law. It is supposed that Schultze came from Manchester, St. Louis County, Mo.

From the Missouri Republic newspapar, Jan. 21, 1860

William Eads/Edds, Sr.

03/14/06 - All of the below was submitted by site visitor, Phyllis Minner, with reference to -
http://freepages.military.rootsweb.com/~firstmsmcavalry/missouricavalry/1864.htm

In 1831 William Eads, Sr. left his wife Fanny in Alderson, VA and went to St. Louis to seek his fortune. (Previously, they were living with her mother whom William could not tolerate. Fanny was pregnant with their first child so stayed behind with her mother in Alderson.) In 1833 William returned from St. Louis to get Fanny and their son, James Edgar. However, Fanny refused to leave her mother so William returned to St. Louis alone where he became a riverboat captain.

2nd Spouse: Margaret Morin - Married: 02 Jan 1834 (St. Louis, MO) without benefit of a divorce from Fanny, William married Margaret Morin

Note: Probably due to the consequences of bigamy, William changed his name to Edds. (However, he continued to use the surnamed Eads on occasion.)

11 Sep 1836: William and Margaret Edds’ son was born in St. Louis: William Pierre Edds, Jr.

William Pierre Edds, Jr. also became a riverboat captain in St. Louis. He also used the surnames Edds and Eads interchangably. (Perhaps for business purposes, to differentiate himself from his father?)

William Pierre Edds, Jr. died of tuberculosis on 15 Nov 1863 in St. Louis.

Note: The death record for (father) "William, Capt Edds" may be found in the Database: St. Louis Death Records, 1850-1908 at Ancestry.com

Death Date: 03 Aug 1866 (Age: abt. 56)

The death record for (son) "William P Edds" is at this same site:

Death Date: 15 Nov 1863 (Age: 27)

Outdoor 12

Dear Dave,
I found your web site via my subscription to Rootsweb's Missing Links. Could you please add the following to your information. Also if you could direct me to others who could help me or referrences on this individual I would greatly appreciate it.

Captain Henry Bradley Evans:

From a letter written by Capt Evan's grand daughter, E.M. Evans Henderson,

Capt. Evans is the son of Willaim Evans of Augusta Co., VA.. William lived in Gallipolis Ohio for a time. William is the son of Evan Evans and a Mary or Jane Carson of Augusta Co VA. William married Anna Cecelia Bradley. She was apprently from VA as well. The letter indicates she had a brother Henry Bradely in VA.

Capt Evans died abt. 1840. He married but I do not know the name of his wife. His daughter, Celia Belle, was born abt 1840. Celia apprently ended up in Wheeling W. VA. Her husband is unknown to me but she is the mother of E.M., who married a Robert Henderson. It is E.M's letter that gave us the information that Henry Bradley Evans was a steamboat captain on the Mississippi & Ohio. This is all I have.

Regards,
Nancy R. Evans