I am looking for information about my step-great grandfather Manuel or Manual Harcha (spelling varies: Harscha, Harchas, etc). According to his obituary (date, source unknown) he had served in the Greek Navy before coming to the US where he was a Mississippi River Boat captain. Later he owned a candy store in Muskogee, Indian Territory. This candy store was supposedly the first candy store in the Territory, hence his nick name "Candy Man." I can confirm that he was living in Muskogee in 1900. I would appreciate any information or leads regarding this relative. Thank you! Contact Bev Stubbles or Here

Capt. William Henry Hauenstein,Jr.
5-12-1846 - 2-12-1936
Information from site visitor
Kelly Hokkanen
Obituary from an unidentified newspaper clipping

Capt. Hauenstein was born in Germany May 12, 1846, a son of William H.[Sr.] and Elizabeth Hauenstein, natives of the Rhine country in Bavaria.

The Hauensteins came to America in 1852, landing at New York. The subject of this sketch received his education at Detroit and Toledo. In 1859 the family moved to Missouri, finally settling in Miller County.

At the age of 18 years he joined the Union army, was assigned to the Second Missouri Artillery, and took part in the battles of Big Blue and Mine Creek.

Capt. Hauenstein always took a great interest in steamboats, and in 1870 his father acquired the "Alice Gray," a boat which plied the Osage between Tuscumbia and Osage City. Capt. Hauenstein conceived the idea of building a light draft boat and a barge, the boat for propelling, and the barge to carry the cargo, thus making it possible to operate on the Osage when other boats of a heavier craft could not. The result was that in 1882 he built the "Frederick" at Tuscumbia. The boat was 100 feet in length. It was later acquired by his brother-in-law, Capt. R.M. Marshall, who operated this boat with the Str. "Hugo," a larger craft, on the Osage and Missouri for many years.

Capt. Hauenstein was in the river trade for 15 years, then engaged in the mercantile business at Tuscumbia a number of years.

Capt. Hauenstein was married twice. His first wife was Elizabeth Goodrich, daughter of Judge and Mrs. I.M. Goodrich, in 1872. Nine years after their marriage, she lost her life when she fell from a boat returning to Tuscumbia from St. Louis and drowned. There was one son, Frederick Hauenstein, by this marriage. In 1884 Capt. Wm. Hauenstein was married a second time, to Mrs. Martha (Challes) Henley. They had three children: Lela, William Henry, and Elizabeth.

More on Capt W.H. Hauenstein excerpted from: Missouri, Mother of the West, Vol III The American Historical Society, 1930 Also from site visitor Kelly Hokkanen

After his discharge from the Civil War, he returned to work in his father's mercantile store, but soon drifted to the river and became involved in the riverboat business. He operated boats in connection with the Missouri Pacific Railroad, and when the river was low, it was difficult the transport the immense amount of freight. Capt Hauenstein conceived the idea of a light draft boat to transport the crew and fuel, while a barge carried the freight. Thus he could travel the river when his competitors were held up by the river conditions. His boat, the Frederick, and his barges, carried cargo from the upper reaches of the river to Osage City, where he turned them over to the Missouri Pacific Railroad. His barges could carry up to 1800 sacks of wheat. He held a Masters License on the Mississippi River from St. Louis to the mouth of the Missouri, and on the Missouri and Osage rivers, and was a licensed riverboat pilot. The Frederick was a well known freighter of the day, built in 1882 at Tuscumbia under the supervision of Joseph Shepherd, an expert boatbuilder who designed for her a hull unequalled by any other boat in the trade. She was 100 ft long, 14 ft beam, and 18 ft overall, built out of burr oak timber. She sunk at last while lying at wharf in Jefferson City about 1903. After operating the Frederick about 5 years, Capt Hauenstein sold a half-interest to his brother-in-law, Capt Marshall, who eventually became the sole owner.

Also See: Osage River Boats ALICE GRAY FEDERIC DAN B. HULBERT JOHN R. HUGO JOHN R. WELLS OSAGE WARSAW

Capt. Jacob Hazlep Information from site visitor, Adele

Hello,
I'm hoping that you can help me with this. My husband has a silver pitcher that is aprox. 11 1/2 in tall.It is engraved with....

Presented to Capt. Jacob Hazlep
-BY THE-
Passengers onboard the Steamer
TELEGRAPH No. 1
as a testamonial of his
SKILL & ENERGY
in navigating his boat through masses of floating ice.
Jacob Burnet
Jno.C. Wright
Feb. 17th
H.C. Morton
1849 Committee

At he very top before the raised framing of the engraving is...

Made By H. Hudson Louisville Ky.

I've looked and looked all through all of the things that I could possibly look through and it all pretty much leads to you. You know more about these kinds of things than anyone that I can find.

I would really be gratefull if you got back to me over this...

Thank You Very Much!!
Adele
oodlesoanimals@yahoo.com

William L. Heckman

"Steamboating, Sixty-Five Years on Missouri's Rivers"
by Captain William L. ("Steamboat Bill") Heckman.

Capt. Heckman was one of the Hermann, Mo., steamboaters.

This book has references to some of the more obscure and smaller boats that ran on such rivers as the Gasconade and Osage.
Submitted 02/25/01

Firman C. Heritage

Hi Dave-
I would like to ask you to include one of my great, great, grandfathers in your database.

Name: Firman C. HERITAGE aka FC or Firm
Born: 24 May 1838 or 1840 in Cincinnati Ohio
Died: 22 Feb 1917

Obit from the Kentucky Post, Feb 23 1917 pg 1:
"The funeral of Firman C. Heritage of 172 Van Voast Av. Bellvue, former river pilot, who died Thursday at Speers Memorial Hospital, Dayton, will be held Saturday afternoon. Heritage for many years was captain on steamboats plying on the lower Mississippi. He was better known along the Ohio and Mississippi than perhaps any other of the older pilots.

During the civil war he was captain and pilot of one of the mail blockade runners. He had been in poor health for more than a year, but was in the hosptial only about a week. He had suffered a stroke of paralysis"

1870 Meigs county Census, Salisbury Township: Firman Heritage age 32 born OH., occupation: stmbt pilot

1880 Meigs county census, Salisbury Township: F.C. Herritage age 41 born OH occupation: pilot.

Meigs Co. Republican Jan. 19 1881:
Pilot F.M. Heritage, who has been on the CONDOR since her construction, and pilot David Darst
who has been on the same boat for twelve years past are now off that boat.
Darst has engaged on the ROBERT PEEBLES; Heritage is 'open for conviction'.
Both men are experienced, reliable river men and will not long remain idle.

Meigs Co. Republican, Feb. 16 1881:
Pilot F.C. Heritage has accepted a position on the towboat LIBERTY.

Meigs Co. Republican, Mar. 2 1881:
Firm Heritage is pilot on the Kanawha towing steamer LIBERTY No.4 and has a permanant paying position.

Meigs Co. Republican, Jan. 18 1882:
Capt. Joe Burnsides Big Kanawha towboat LIBERTY laid up here over Sunday, giving the Captain, pilot Firm. Heritage and all the other boys a chance to visit home.

Meigs Co. Republican, July 19 1882:
Pilot F.C.Heritage of the steamer J.R. PEEBLES has been spending a few days with his family and friends in Middleport (Ohio).

Meigs Co. Republican, August 9 1882:
Pilot F.C. Heritage of the ROBERT PEEBLES stopped off Monday long enough to shake hands with friends. He never looked better.

1883-1896 Marine Hospital records Gallia Co. OH, July 5 - July 22,1896
F.C. Heritage age 58, born OH
Name of last vessel he sailed on: EAGLE
Disease: Ulcer of leg.
Discharged: Aug10 1896

This is all I have for now. I hope it is enough to get him listed in your database. Thank you- Debbie Peppones at-home@juno.com

Edward James Hulings

From site visitor, Carol Szwedko
Hope to find out more about the steamer RETURN, and the TWO BROTHERS.
These were steamboats that my ancestors, (reported to be one of the best steamboat pilots on the Allegheny River) and his brother owned, or was Captian of.