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Steamboat: JOHN J. ROE
• Built: 1856
• Tonnage: 691
• Clemens' Service: 5 August - 24 September, 1857
• Pilot: Zebulon Leavenworth and/or Sobieski Jolly
• Captain: Mark Leavenworth

August 5 Wednesday – Sam, cub pilot, was now under Zebulon “Zeb” Leavenworth (1830-1877) and/or Sobieski “Beck” Jolly (1831-1905) on the John J. Roe (691 tons). Bixby wanted to work the more lucrative Missouri and Sam had chosen to stay on the Mississippi run. The steamboat left St. Louis this date for New Orleans. It was a freighter and not allowed to carry passengers. Sam, about the Roe: I served a term as steersman in the pilot house. She was a freighter . . . It was a delightful old tug and she had a very spacious boiler-deck—just the place for moonlight dancing and daylight frolics. She was a charmingly leisurely boat and the slowest one on the planet. Up-stream she couldn’t even beat an island; down-stream she was never able to overtake the current. But she was a love of a steamboat. August 14 Friday – John J. Roe arrived New Orleans. August 18 Tuesday – John J. Roe left for St. Louis. August 29 Saturday – John J. Roe arrived St. Louis. September 2 Wednesday – John J. Roe left for New Orleans. September 10 Thursday – John J. Roe arrived New Orleans. September 15 Tuesday – John J. Roe left for St. Louis. September 24 Thursday – John J. Roe arrived St. Louis.

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