The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-07-01

this city, wnefe captain bdtCHelOr WAS
well known:
Captain Bachelor was 20 years old.
He was born at Steubenvllle, o., Sep
TENDER .. 1898 His parents were both
born in Philadelphia. and migrated to
Ohio in 1910. Joseph L. Bachelor WIS
his father. The captain received his
sole education In a private school In
steubenville.
In 1871 he was apprenticed with Cap
tain Henry Mason. of Wheeling, and
learned the art OF pilot on the steamer
Tloga, plying between Pittsburgh and
Cincinnati. This apprenticeship lasted
until 1915. He filled several positions
as pilot on local boats until 1919, when
he bought an interest in the Hibernla
No. 2, OF which he became pilot. In
1853 he bought an eighth interest in the
Allegheny. H. sold his interest in this
boat during the following year.
His career as boatbulider began In
1854, when he built the Americas for the
trade between Pittsburgh and Nash
VILE. During his career-as pilot OF the
Tioga he married a daughter Of Capt.
John Vandegrift,
In his steamboat career thereafter he
either built, bought or owned the follow
ing steamboats, which piled the ALLIE
gheny. AOnongahela, Ohio and Mlssis-
sippi rivers: Hthernla NO. ., Allegheny,
Americas, Eunlcs, Lucy Gwln. Paragon,
Mary T.. Forsyth. George w. Graham,
W. II. Arthur. Emma Duncan. Darling.
Norman, Guidon, +. y. Bachelor and
the Lac Labelle. Of Cleveland.
In the spring OF 1855 Captain Batchel0r
engaged as full pilot on the steamer
Fulton under Capt. +. d. Collier, but
shortly after vert on the Prairie Bird,
having Col. W. J. Kountz, Of Allegheny.
as his relief in the pilot house. II was
on this trip, in the month OF June. o.
years ago. that he first met the woinaI
who afterwards became his wife. He
was at ms post at the wheel when going
through the Beaver shoals, when the
captains son, James NJ. Vandegrift,
took his two sisters into the pilot house.
They were Mary ann, who became the
wife OF James NJ. Kenncy. and Eliza.
who later became Mrs. Bachelor.
They were married the autumn after,
and soon after the young husband en-
gagged on the Clipper No. an which he
remained two seasons, when he leit' ms
his friends supposed. to die. being in
Ill health. He returned again after n
few weeks. much improved In health,
and engaged on the Monterey NO. :
In the spring OF 1879 cholera broke out
on the river. On thu last trip OF the HI,
hernia No. ., Just as the boat rracheu
the wharf at Pittsburgh. Jesse Klinefel-
ter. the pilot, ctAd OF the plague, and
Capt. Bachelor WEB engaged TO take
his place. During this mi he pur-
chased the interest In the boat held by
the deceased pilot and started out In
September as captain OF the boat. he
had then attained the aim Of his early
ambition, and was Indeed n proud man.
The boat proved to be profitable to her
owners under Captain Bachelors man
agcment, and the business growing the
Allegheny was built and he assumed
command OF her. This boat was soon
after sold and the Americas built. This
boat was commanded by Captain Batch
elor until her destruction by fire In 1855,
after which he left the river.
Since that time few men have become
better known in navigation circles be-
tween Pittsburgh and New Orleans,
From Brownsville 70 the mouth OF the
Mississippi. no man has taken more in
terest in whatever concerned navigation
on the Inland rivers Of the country. AL
most every session OF Congress he has
visited Washington 10 plead with the
committees for appropriations for the
advancement OF inland navigation. ana
for the improvement Of the waterways.
Since the destruction NJ the Americas
in 1855, Captain Bachelor has been iden-
titled with the marine and fire insurance
and banking interests of Pittsburgh. He
was chosen active vice president and
manager of the marine losses for the
Eureka Insurance Company, and was
so employed for several years, In 1861
President Lincoln appointed him sur
veyor OF the port OF Pittsburgh and cus-
todlan Of the government deposits,
which position he held until after Pres
ldcnt Andrew Johnson became involved
In a wrangle with the leaders of his par
ty. Captain Bachelor did not sympa-
thize with President Iohnson's policy
and was removed from Office in consc-
qucnce of his dislncllnatlon to support
the President in what he considered n
mistaken attitude regarding national at
fairs During his terra OF service for
the United States Captain Bachelor dis
burseI over SlOO.OO0,OOO. and when he
settled with the treasury 1t was found
that the government was In his debt for
several thousands OF dollars.
In 1861 Captain Bptchelor became
president OF the Eagle Cotton Mills
Company, which position he filed until
1873, when the company became IN
Volved as a result of the panic of that
year. In 1865 he was elected president
Of the Masonic bank. and was success
sIvely elected to that position until
1884, when he resigned to become Vice
president OF the keystone bank. with
which he was cOnencted at the time OF
his death. He was also president OF the
Pittsburgh petroleum exchange, pres
ldent Of the Merchants and Manufacture
ers' Insurance Company, president OF
the Natural Gas Company of West Nir-
ginIa, and secretary-trCasurer Of the
Natural Gas Company. limited. Of Pitts
burg. the first OF the companies organ
lied to supply natural gas for manufac-
turing and domestic fuel purposes In the
city, which was In 1875
When the opening OF the Davis island
dam was talked Of. it was Captain
Batchelor who suggested that the river
and commercial Interests OF Pittsburgh
should celebrate the event In public
manner, and he was chosen chairman of
the committee to NJ fnge for that event.
The arrangements We're Planned largely
by Captain Bachelor, md he give Ia
II that Judgment and large executive
ability which he possessed to to mar
velous degree. and to which he SO emil
nently owed much Of his capacity to
achieve results and to perform work
which less talented men shrunG from in
stInctively.