Discussions regarding the hulls of the Chris Greene and Tom Greene as posted on the Steamboats.org Message Board in the time period of 2003 to 2005.
Judy Patsch, January 16, 2003: “The GCG postings reminded me of the fact that there is another Greene Line boat remnant still with us: the hull of the Chris Greene. It is beached in Melbourne, KY, several miles upriver from Cincinnati, and looks like a huge flower pot as the often high Ohio has filled her with silt and vegetation. But her bow is completely visible and the sides are mostly visible. The stern, in particular, the V.B. fantail, are pretty much covered with dirt. Keith and I found it several years ago after a couple of futile attempts, and have paid her several visits. Two years ago she was joined by her sister boat, the Tom Greene. Its hull and main deck had been used for many years by Walker Towing in Paducah as an office. She was pulled up in Melbourne and less than 2 weeks after Keith and I climbed aboard her, she was cut up for scrap. Jane, did you or Tom ever get one of the welded bow name pieces?”
Jane Greene, January 17, 2003: “In ’92 the family roamed around the hull of the Chris. I didn’t get a piece of the hull…ain’t no tellin’ what Tom got a piece of. Also, that all happened at the end of my chemo treatments and I was terribly sick and fuzzier in the noodle than I am today…don’t recall all of it.”
Keith Norrington, January 17, 2003: “Yes, a “pilgrimage” to the hull of the steamer CHRIS GREENE is well worth the time. The name is still clearly visible on the bow and some deck equipment is still in existence, including the capstan. Judy and I have been up there several times and have taken others to see the relic. I think our most “emotional” visit was in 2000, seeing the hulls of both the TOM and the CHRIS, together for the final time. Although it was early April, it snowed and sleeted –and the high water was lapping around both beached hulls. But Judy and I were not about to miss the opportunity to walk the deck of these grand old Greene Line sternwheelers!”
Dr. Tom Birdwell, February 14, 2005: “I was pleased to hear that the “Chris Greene” is still about in some form. I grew up in Louisville and as a young high school student made two trips between Louisville and Cincinati as a stevedore. It was quite an adventure for me. I remember one deckhand was called “Iron Jaw” due to massive muscles in his cheeks. I also remember drinking at a “juice bar” in Cincinati while the rest of the crew partook of other pleasures. My fondest memories are of the mid-night sandwiches a sitting up forward and enjoying the beautiful sights along the Ohio River. Thanks for info on Tom and Chris.”
Thomas Emory Edgington, January 19, 2003: “I can’t help much on more info concerning the hulls of Tom and Chris Greene. I can relate that my Grandfather and his brothers( great uncles ) were captains and pilots on several of the Greene Line boats. My great Grandfather and his sons owned The Edgington Line which sold the remaining boats to White Collar Line who sold to the Greene Line. as an example, the M.P.Wells became The Chilo and was captained by Captain Drew Edgington My Grandfather was the oldest of 5 boys and the last to die in 1966 at age 96. He was Captain John Emery Edgington and was on the river boats from age 12 to age 92. He started as deckhand on the Katie Prather which was one of his father’s boats at age 12. She was a single deck oacked boat.He piloted the Delta Queen for a short time during the summer of 1962 at age 92. He was piloting for Capt. Ernie Wagner on the DQ.His captain’s license are at the river museum at Marietta which show his first at age 21 and his last at 92.The Edgington river captains and pilots were: Capt.George W. Edgington( Great Grandfather) and owner of 17 different river boats owned at different times.
– Capt. John Emery Edgington (80 years on the river)
– Capt. Drew Edgington ( on Greene Line boats)
– Capt. Fred Edgington ( on Greene Line boats)
– Capt. Arch Edgington ( 0n Greene Line boats)
– Capt. Roy Edgington ( Killed -drowned — when the Mc Bride hit the bridge pier in the fog at Cincinati)”
R. Dale Flick, January 20, 2003: “Hi, Thomas E. Edgington: The memories on steamboats.org today are incredible! Never met you but did meet John Emery Edgington way, way back when he was on the AVALON here in Cincinnati along with Doc Hawley. I remember it was a trip with Dorothy, Mickey and Roscoe Frye and a hot summer night. My grandmother recalled the Edington’s from her days riding the boats. Among others, she rode the KATE ADAMS, QUEEN CITY, MORNING STAR, TACOMA, CHILO. Her one brother was steward on the HENRY M. STANLEY and the SAM P. SUIT.
That night on the AVALON I was talking to Emery and mentioned my relatives on the boats, Capt. Jake Heibe and the Hobbing boys from Sandy Springs, Beuna Vista, OH and Pt. Pleasant, WV. Emery may still have been smoking a pipe then, took it out of his mouth, squinted and said, “Sure, I remember Jake’s son on the Pt. Pleasant wharfboat…oh…back about 1905.” [!] I nearly choked.
The Edgingtons owned lots of land along the Ohio River east of Cincinnati and there’s an Indian mound there still called ‘Edgington Mound.’ S&D’s Woody Rutter mentioned last week that, when he was on the GORDON C. GREENE, Stogie White would make an announcement for the passengers, “We’re now approaching ‘Edgington Coast.’ Amazing how this web draws memories out and people together.”
Charles Rahn, April 2, 2003: “What’s left of the hull of the Chris is on the Kentucky River shore at Silver Grove. The hull and lower deck of the Tom were being used as a boatstore at Paducah in the 70s.”
Judy Patsch, April 2, 2003: “The Chris looks like a large flower pot now as the silt from high water has filled her in, but the bow is obvious. She sits on Bobby Harrison’s property. He brought the Tom there last year and cut her up for scrap, so there is nothing left of it. Keith and I were able to climb aboard it just before the scrapping, and we got pictures of the sister/brother boats together one last time.”
Keith Norrington, April 3, 2003: “Plans are afoot by Virginia Bennett and friends to re-paint the name and draught marks on the bow of the CHRIS GREENE hull this summer. The white paint has already been purchased. Owner Bobby Harrison has the roof bell from the CHRIS and has placed it aboard his sternwheeler.”
Roger Edgington, April 5, 2003: “I was real surprised to find this site. My mother has been doing some family tracing (she’s 80) and we are related to the Edgington’s from Ohio. When I was a kid I used to take rides on the River Boats on the Ohio River. I had no clue that some of the Edgingtons could have been captains on them in the 50s and 60s. I knew we had 5 riverboat captains in our background but didn’t know much about them.”
Keith Norrington, April 7, 2003: “Roger: Welcome to the steamboat message board! Although I never had the pleasure of meeting him, I have heard Capt. Clarke (“Doc”) Hawley speak often, and well, of Capt. J. Emory Edgington, who was pilot on the steamer AVALON (now the BELLE OF LOUISVILLE)into his 90’s.”
Amy Abdallah, February 14, 2004: “You must be a relative. My g-grandfather was Fred Edgington. I have a picture of the Edgington Clan with George Washington and the five sons, Edna and momma on the porch in Ky. (We are looking for who ever has the same picture with Uncle Tom? in it – my mother talks about the other copy.) I would love to hear stories if anyone has any to share.”
Russell Edgington, May 20, 2005: “I’m a decendant of George Edgington of Wales. And now I’m living in Wisconsin.”
R. Dale Flick, May 20, 2005: “Hi, Russell: Saw your posting and good to hear from a member of the renowned Edgington steamboat family. On the Homepage of this web on the left is an icon for PICTURES. Click that and then open STEAMBOATS, HISTORIC BOATS. At the bottom is a fine summer view of the Str. CHRIS GREENE hull as it appears today. Judy Patsch and Keith Norrington have other photos and keep us all in tune with the present condition of the CHRIS hull.
The Edgington name on the river is one of the best known. We’ve had numerous postings in the past and Capt. Don knew/worked with Emory on the AVALON. I knew Emory, ‘Brucie’ on the DELTA QUEEN, and Mildred Edgington when she lived in Blanchester, Ohio. What a steamboat collection she had: furniture, silver, china, photos. Also Betty Edgington may still live up near Oxford, Ohio, but haven’t seen her in years. Go to PHOTO ARCHIVE on the Homepage, scroll down and you’ll see a B/W photo of Brucie Edgington on the stage of the DELTA QUEEN, June, 1962.
In the old days when the Str. GORDON C. GREENE would steam up the Ohio by Manchester an announcement would be made, “Ladies and gentlemen we are now passing ‘Edgington coast.'” On one side of the highway there is a prominent Indian mound with a state marker naming it the ‘Edgington Mound.’ The late Emory Edgington knew members of my famiy on the river going back to 1900-1905. He had a photographic memory and could relate stories that made you think it just happened yesterday. “Why sure,” he’d say with certainty, “I recall your great-uncle well. It was August 1905, and he was with his father, Capt. Jake Heib, on the Point Pleasant wharfboat. He had a cane pole and was fishing.”
Ed Ray, December 20, 2005: “In 1949 I was one of the initial crew on the newly renovated Commercial Dispatch which was formerly a Navy LSM. On our first trip our only tow was old model bow barge which I was told was the former Tom Greene which we were using to transport new automobiles between Cincinati and Louisville the colors of the Commercial Barge Lines Inc. I was first hired as a painter to cover all of the exsisting battleship gray with Red, White and Blue. That is a job I will never forget.”
Russell John Edgington, April 26, 2006: “I’m still a decendant of imigrant George Edgington of Bristol, Wales. I’ve been liking in Wisconsin part of my life and I’ve been thinking of all the edgington history. What ever happen to the sternwheeler that sits at the side of the Ohio that was mentioned in the frontier book that also written about immigrant George.”