Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-04-29
THEIR GOLDEN WEDDING.
Celebrated Yesterday by Capt. and
Mrs. John K. Booth
At Their Charming Country Home
Opposite Darlington - The Tap
pan Harvey Nuptials at Noon
Yesterday Entertainments Given
and to Be Given-Other Social
Events.

| iVSAl0s
! On April 2Sth, 1916, Miss Mary Scott,
! daughter of a prominent citizen of Mar
shall county, was united in marriage to
Mr.. John X Booth, at the home OF her
parents, short distance below Claring-
ton. The officiating minister was the
. Rev. Mr.. Jefferson, who passed away
several years ago. 1t is not often that
man and wife are permitted to round
out a half century of happy married
life, yet this aged couple yesterday cell
ebrated their golden wedding in fitting
style, within a short distance Of tho
! place where the wedding bells rang out
so merrily fifty years ago. The grooms
best man was Mr.. Mortimer Pollock,
of this city, who was present yester-
day. The bridesmaid, although living,
was unable to be present. She was
| Miss Elizabeth Crawford, now Mrs.
VIM. Campbell, of Moundsville.
| The celebration took the form Of a
family reunion, but many personal
friends called to extend their congrat-
ulations, and pass few pleasant hours
at the homestead. 1t was the first time
the children and grandchildren of Capt
and Mrs Booth assembled together.
| There are four children, all living, and
| all were present with their families.
They are Eugene and Ernest, who live
on farms adjoining the Booth home
stead; Mrs w. e. Tingle, of Zanes-
vile, and Mrs. VIM. Owen, of Cincin-
natl. Mr.. Tingle is brother OF Hon.
George R. Tingle, and prominent in
GAINESVILLE business circles. Mr.. Owen
! is a prosperous jeweler. There were
thirteen grandchildren. Among the
other guests were Mr.. Eph. Wells and
daughter, Miss Blanche, of Sisters
vile; Mrs. Charles H. Booth, Mr.. and
Mrs. Frank Booth Mr.. julius Pollock,
and Mr.. and Mrs. Mortimer Pollock, OF
Wheeling.
The day was spent very pleasantly
by the guests. Capt. and Mrs. Booth
kept open house all day, and entertain
ed in a hospitable manner. The dinner
was a sumptuouS spread, and more than
a score of guests sat down. The steam
err Liberty, owned by Captain Booth,
was gaily decorated with flags in honor
of the occasion, and the Lexington, a
rival packet, also had her flags out, and
whistled salute as she passed the land
ing near Captain Booths home.
| Capt. Booth is one of the best known
steamboatmen on the upper Ohio, as
well as one of the most popular and
efficient. In point OF service, as well
as age. he is perhaps the oldest steam
boatman on the river to-day. He is 70
years of age, but as sprightly as most
men twenty years his junior More
than half a century of steamboat life
has so firmly welded MIN to the river
that only the infrmilies Of age, or act
ual ncapacity for work, will induce him
to retire. Happily, his physical condi-
ton is such that he will probably be
conducting steamboats, for at least a
| decade yet.
Capt. Booths river experience dates
back to 1S41, when, with his brother, he
engaged in fiat boating, between this
city and New Orleans. These were the
days when steamboats, were rare, and
most Of the products of this section
were fioated to the southern markets in
flats. Capt Booth constructed the
rude crafts himself, and after purchas-
ing quantities of farm products, started
on his long journey. The fiat was in
variably disposed of at the end OF the
trip, bringing from $50 to $3.50. The
round trip usually occupied about six
months. There were no railroads in
the South, and a portion of the return
trip would be made on foot. The bus
mess was profitable, notwithstanding
its disadvantages. Capt. Booth made
nine trips to New Orleans, in addition
to trading in the Arkansas river coun-
try. His profits varied from $3.50 to
$1,000.
He bid farewell to fiat boating and
engaged in the steamboat business
about 1850, but he still refers to his
early experiences as the happiest of his
life. Since then he has been builder,
owner and captain of many boats, and
| is acquainted, either personally or by
| reputation, with every man on the Ohio,
who follows the river for livelihood E.
1t is his proud boast that during all his
experience, no boat in his charge ever
burned, was destroyed, or met with a
serious accident. Steamboating then
was much more profitable than now, es-
pecially during the war, and Captain
Booth has accumulated comfortable
fortune.
The Wheeling and Parkersburg pack
ct Liberty, which is owned by Capt.
Booth, is the fifth boat of that name
which he has built The Captain has
always felt that there is an element OF
good luck in the name. His first packet
was the Veroquia bought from the Mus
kingum river, which ran for about two
years between Wheeling and Claring-
ton, and was sold in 1852 to Abner
O'Neal of Steubenville. He next Sc
cured the Stephen Bayard, side-wheel
packet, which was very fast in those
days. His next venture was the Wood
side. which piled between Wheeling
and Parkersburg and ran TO Cincinnati
in the low water season. She was sold
at the beginning Of the war, and sub
sequently sunk in the Mississippi. Tho
first Liberty. stern-wheel packet, was
built in 1858, and sold about the same
time.
The Liberty No had many exciting
experiences during the war, and was
sent up the Tennessee river TO the Shi.
loh battle field. She was disposed Of tc
Louisville and Paducah parties, who
| dismantled her later near Cairo. About
this time Capt Booth bought the Allie
gheny Belle No. 4, which was used fol
towing B. & o. freight from Parkers-
burg to Cincinnati. The Liberty No.