Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-09-21
CAPT.. JOHN K. BOOTH DEAD.
VETERAN sTEAMBOATMAN PASSED
AWAY A. HIS HOME BELOW
CLARIEGTON.
INJURIES IN AN ACCIDENT
At His Home the Direct Cause of His
Death-Brief Sketch of a Very Busy
Career-Capt. Tooth Had just He
turned From an Inspection OF Col
oratN, Gold Mining Property.

! CAPTAIN John K Booth, the veteran
river man, died at his home about one
mile below Darlington, O., last evening
a. seven o'clock, as result of injuries
received yesterday morning about two
O'Clock.
Captain Booth only returned last
, , week from Colorado, where he had
been attending to some mining inter-
ests. His wife returned home on We'd
resday, and yesterday morning at the
hour above named she complained or
illness, and her husband arose to so 10
another part of the house to summon
aid. He intended to go through door
into the hall, but by an unhappy accl-
dent, probably being confused through
being suddenly aroused, he took the
wrong door and fell down flight OF
steps to the lower floor. Aid was I'M
mediately summoned, when it was
found that the patient was suIerlA3
from conclusion of the brain, in add
ton to other injuries, and that his con-
dition was very serious. Early yester-
day morning word reached his friends
in this city that Captain Booth could
rot survive many hours, and last eve
ming came the sad intelligence Of his
; death The funeral will take place Sat
urday afternoon at O'Clock.
John x. Booth was born in 1923,
probably in Wheeling, although the
writer is not quite certain about that
fact, and was in his seventy-elghth
year at the time of his death. Ills
father was Asal Booth, and his brother
Charles H. Booth, also familiar name
in the annals of the upper Ohio river.
John X began life az clerk for Thos.
Pollock, father of Messrs. Mortimer
and Julius Pollock, who conducted
store and Touring mill at Darlington.
Later Mr.. Booth did little farming,
and then he purchased d tannery and
ran it for a short time. Later still he
entered upon his career as a steam
boatman, and about 1854 ran packet
between Darlington and Wheeling. Dis
posing of this business venture, he be-
came largely interested in the river
| trade between Cincinnati and Wheel
ing, and was also a part owner in
| boat plying between Parkersburg and
this city. During the war he ran a
| hne of barges between Parkersburg
and Cincinnati, making a great deal Of
money during this part OF his life, and
at one time was probably worth $780,
| 600 or more. Later he met with bust
ness reverses, and coming to Wheeling
was employed by his brother Charles
| Booth as captain of boat. When the
steamer Sciota met with her disaster
| the Company in which Charles Booth
was interested went out of existence,
and John K. Booth found himself with
out an occupation. He would not re-
main idle, however, and borrowing
some money he bought the steamer Tel
egram and ran it between Sunfish and
| Wheeling, making money in the ven
| ture. With this cash and some addi-
| tional money he built the steamer Lib
erty, ran it for two or three years. and
then disposed Of the boat to Thomas
Prince.
| Captain Booth then became interested
in the oil business, and later still ac-
quired large interest in a Colorado
sold mine at Ward, near Boulder, and
| it was from an inspection of this prop
| erty that he returned last week. He
was in Wheeling on Tuesday, intent
upon business matters, and made a
! business appointment for the middle of
October.
Captain Booth was married about
1S4S to Mary Scott, of Wells Bottom,
Marshall county. He was an uncle Of
! Messrs. Crawford, Asa and Frank P.
Booth, and through these families and
others had a wide relationship In
Wheeling and contiguous country, as
well as a host Of friends all along the
river.
During the past two or three years
Captain Booth was not his old self.
About three years ago he sustained a
fall from wagon, near Woodsfeld, by
which he sustained a dislocation of his
right shoulder and a general shaking
up, the effects Of which he ever after
wards felt. He was still active, how
ever, and his attention to business mat
| to,% nj fa Of J., iJ