Anti-Bellum Pilots

MANY ANTI-BELLUM PILOTS
IRONTON REGISTER, MARCH 18, 1909

Anti-Bellum Pilots – In memory, I frequently go back to the old steamboat days in the Sunny South, and this naturally calls to my mind the men who, at that time, took part in the Southern river business. I thought it might perhaps be of some interest to the steamboat fraternity to mention the names and the position each one of these men held.

In the long list to follow it seems strange, but nevertheless, it is a fact that this whole bunch resided along the border of the Ohio river in Lawrence county, Ohio, between Proctorville and Ironton, which includes a distance of about 25 miles with the exception of Capt—Isaac Miller who resided at Millersport. I shall also give the old post office address on some of them, which no doubt has long since been forgotten by a great many people, while others may never have heard of them.

The one I have referred to was called Symmes Run, subsequently named Rockwood, and it is now known as Chesapeake.

Uncle Andy Kouns, who was the father of Ben B., George, John, Andrew, Martin, and Isaac, was the postmaster and served in that capacity until his death. We who were in the army from that neighborhood will never forget Symmes Run, P. O., for it was there we sent our letters from the field to our sweethearts and the “old folks at home.” The Kounses, Scovells, and Dillons were the most popular and successful steamboatmen that ever ran boats on the Red and Ouachita rivers.

Captain James and John Shute and also Capt. Isaac Miller was a successful and popular man on the Red River. The Kounses and Scovilles ran boats in that trade before, during, and after the Civil war. For years after the war closed, they operated as fine a line of boats as could be found anywhere. Their boats ran between New Orleans and Shreveport, La., and on above to the Upper Red River and Jefferson, Texas. The river traffic at that time was something enormous, which chiefly consisted of cotton, cattle, and passengers.

It was nothing uncommon to see one of their boats come to New Orleans with cotton stored above the roof, the deck room filled with cattle, and the cabin full of passengers. Every employee was getting good wages and making money. Take the pilots, for instance, who was then getting from $600 to $800 per month. Finally, the railroads began to make their appearance in the Red River Valley. Then the steamboat business commenced declining until now.

It practically amounts to nothing. I am informed that only two or three steamboats arrive at Shreveport, La., from New Orleans in the run of a year. Time has certainly wrought wonderful and rapid changes in the traffic on the Red River. But what else could be expected when we take into consideration that five railroads crossed the Red River at different points, and there is practically one running on each side of it from the mouth to the head of navigation? Old happy, golden days, hail and farewell. No doubt some of you will recognize many familiar names in this list which runs as follows:

• Ben B. Kouns, captain, Symmes Run.
• George W. Kouns, captain, Symmes Run.
• Geo. L. Kouns, Burlington.
• John Kouns, captain, Symmes Run.
• Andrew Kouns, captain and pilot, Symmes Run.
• Isaac Kouns, captain, Symmes Run.
• Curtis Kouns, captain and pilot, Burlington.
• L. E. Kouns, clerk, and pilot, Burlington.
• Crayton Kouns, clerk, Burlington.
• M. L. Scovill, captain and pilot, Burlington.
• Tyler Scovill, captain and pilot, Burlington.
• Jesse Dillon, captain and pilot, Burlington.
• S. R. Crawford, captain, and pilot, Burlington.
• Thomas Crawford, captain and pilot, Burlington.
• James Shute, captain, Burlington.
• John Shute, captain, Burlington.
• Isaac Hunter, captain and pilot, Ironton.
• William Smith, captain, and pilot, Proctorville.
• Abe Smith, captain and pilot, Proctorville.
• J. H. Ransbottom, captain, and pilot, Symmes Run.
• W. F. Dillon, captain, and pilot, Symmes Run.
• Isaac Miller, captain, Millersport.
• Wm. Gillen, captain and pilot, Ironton.
• Isaac Gillen, captain and pilot, Ironton.
• Cyrus Gillen, captain and pilot, Ironton.
• C. Milstead, captain, and pilot, Symmes Run.
• George Hamilton, Clerk, Ironton.
• Charles Hamilton, clerk, Ironton.
• Zed Williams, engineer, Burlington.
• John Brubaker, engineer, Coal Grove.
• Hibbard Kimball, engineer, Symmes Run.
• Clinton Crawford, clerk, Symmes Run.

Fifteen of the above men were Red river pilots. Jesse Dillon was an Awachita river pilot, and Abe Smith was a Lake and Bayou pilot. William, Cyrus, and Isaac Gillen were born in Lawrence county, but the family moved to the state of Illinois before they commenced steam boating. Of the above, those known to be living by the writer are as follows:

• L. E. Kouns, farmer, Burlington.
• M. L. Scovill, a businessman of Shreveport, La.
• W. F. Dillon, bank president, Chesapeake, Ohio.
• C. Milstead, an insurance agent in Portsmouth, Ohio.

There are others living, but I don’t know just where they are located. William Bishop, a former resident of our city and who has relatives living here, is also a Red river pilot. His address is Shreveport, La. I don’t give this rambling account as being strictly correct. There are names that I have probably forgotten and have therefore been omitted. – Portsmouth Blade