Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1906-12-12
NOTED PACKET BOAT
That Brought Body of Jackson
to Lexington

That Brought Body of Jacksol
to Lexington
The following story is sent OH
: from Lynchburg, ana will no doub
be perused with interest by GU
readers on account of local ref
|, erence:
; The csnal-boat which carried
the remains OF General Stonewal
jackson, the great Confederate
soldier, from Lynchburg to Lex
ington, the final resting place, over
the old James River and Kanaw ha
Canal, or May 1914, 1862, which
was finished in yard In Rich
mond in 1891, has been standing
on the bank OF the old canal since
the canal was deposed by the Rich
mond and Allegheny, now the James
River branch of the Chesapeake
and Ohio Railway, in 1878. TIE
boat is now occupied as the home
of several persons. furnishing
shelter and warmth in this mission
for many years.
The boat was commanded by
Capt.J. B. Keffer, who is now a resi-
dent of Buchanan, this State, and he
made his home upon il for three
or four years. The timbers were
all creosoted before being placed
in the boat, fact which accounts
for the preservation of the larger
tim bers at the present time. After
the war it was sold by the canal
company, but it was rspurchased
in 1877, aud later it was sold to
the Richmond and Allegheny Rail
way.
In 1854, according TO Captain
Kefer, the boat. along with several
others while on the North River be-
tween Balcony Falls and Buena
Vieta, was partially burned by
General Hunter, of the United
States Army. A short time after
wards it was raised and rebuilt
after the end of the war.
The Marshall, for that was the
name Of the staunch packet, can be
seen from passing trains on the
Chesapeake and Ohio and Southern
Roads, lying some fifteen or twenty
feet above the level OF the old |
canal, a short distance up the river
from the Southern bridge. The
trains Of the Chesapeake and Ohio
pass within fifty feet Of IL.
CAPTAIN Keffer recently spoke of
the boat and this rhetorical trip as
follows:
"rhe packet-boat that you say
is now In use and lies along the
old canal, above the old Orange
bridge, was built in 1881 at John
Mssspler's boat-yard in Richmond
for the Edmond & Davenport Com
pany. The construction OF the
boat was superintendent by Mr..
Robert Edmond aud Captain John
Strong.
"TheY were also in charge Of the
fitting up Of the boat, and they
told mo that it was the finest canal
boat that had been built up to )
that time. The boat cost between \
%, 900 and o. 900 and it was chris e
;ensd The Marshall The boat |
Fas finished in August, 1851, and !
was put In command of it. The g
irst trip was started on August
18th at 5 O'Clock in the afternoon O
rom the old packet Office, at g
eighth and Canal Streets. t
"Among the passengers on the t
lrst trip were Rev. DR.. Reed and t.
amily Of Lynchburg, who were on I
heir way to Allegheny Springs, In o
cOuHLJ. >
"When the remains of General
sckson were carried to Lexington h
70 were ordered en- Sunday or !,
ionday before to hold the Marshall r
or the arrival of the remains Of 4
be dead colder by rail. We start I
d from Lynchburg before dark in d
be afternoon. The trip consum- R
d the evening and night, and it al
as some time after sunrise before
g reached Lexington. -,
ave wero met in Lexington by g.
le Virginia Military Institute ca .1
cts and large concourse of people. r r
Re casket was placed on caisson oe
nd pulled by the cadets to the in a "r
itute. / cannot recall whether ~
lie burial took place that day or ~ ~
IT. Among the passengers on the :"
at from Lynchburg to Lexington
ere Governor Letcher, DR.. Hun We
r Mcclure, General Ship of 0i
10 V. NJ. l., Mrs.Jackson and her az
lughter, servant Of General LII
'ckson and several others whom l ID
mot now recall. On the trip be- oe
re we carried the remains OF Gen. an
al Paxton, who was killed about re
Q same time General Jackson was. pa
'lso carried General Nichols from
Edmond to Lynchburg, and put pl.
m in the old Norvell House shortly no
ter lis leg had been shot off in tes
. Valley" ha
- da