The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1908-02-28
Ran on Many Famous Boats in
HalcyOn Days Of Ohio and
Mississippi.
Was Union Soldier in Civil
War and Sank a Boat.
AN EXPERIENCE At PADUCAH

Capt. James Linn, the oldest steam
boat engineer IN the United States.
died this morning at l;3O o'clock at
his home, 1903 South Third street.
He was 81 years old. He is survived
by two children, Mrs. James Meigan.
OF South Fourth street. and Mr.. S. ID.
Linn, miner at Duquoin, H.. and
his second wife, whom he married IN
Paducah 90 years ago. The funeral
will be held tomorrow morning at
1880 O'Clock at his residence, the
Rev. ID. c. Wright, rector OF Grace
church. officiating. The burial will
be In Oak Grove cemetery.
Captain Lima was born in Ports
mouth, o.. and. was reared IN that
city. He obtained an engineers H.
cense when rs years old and had
been steamboating all his life. except
the last few years. He was engineer
on the Great Republic, Tycoon, Alben
Adams. Statesman. Maynower. U. S.
S. Tamah and the Tawaw. Most of
these boats we're In the Cincinnati and
New Orleans trade. lie was a union
soldier and sank the L. y. S. Tamah
IN the harbor at Paducah during the
war on orders from Washington.
Captain lAnn's children are by his
first wife, whom he married I'm Ohio.
He has been resident OF Paducah
since he married, 90 years ago. living
where he does now. lie was a mem
Der Of the Episcopal church.
An interesting document in con-
neciion with his wartime record il
preserved IN connection with an APP
peal for aid he made to congress. In
Il he detailed some facts about tbs
sinking OF the Tamah. II reads;
His Communication.
"To the House OF Representatives.
"ln again asking your assistance 7
deem It proper to explain as wei, as
can that you may fully understand
the Justice of my claim. viz:
"Tho L. $. S. Tamah was originally
a big ferryboat at Quincy. III. I was
ordered to her long before she was
put in commission. and she was or g.
nally intended for Commodore Phelps
flagship. but after trial she proved
too slow for him. and got the Emma
Duncan at Louisville, Assistant Sur
eeon Adrian Hudson. n former Ship
fellow OF Commodore Phelps. who
Was not a volunteer. but a mem1er
of the regular navy. In time thc.s
came an order for his transfer to the
Duncan. At that time we were at
C.i'ton. Tenn. Our paymaster had no
money. To accommodate him g3t
his watch with two dials-one for
one place aud one for another. Also
gold pen and heavy gold holder
Win pencil for six dollars (not sen
a. Il shown by mis'ake). Our ship.
Whi.o patroling the Tennessee, often
anchored at Paducah for a week at .
tine. took an option on 81 acie
farm opposite PadIcah. four mi'os
from the river Got a ten days leave
of absence and left for home, jack
scG c. H., Ohio ! stopped one day
nj Cincinnati and ordered a new suit
OF uniform and ovsrcoat. when 81
Cincinnati and ordered newshrd'u
home the first thing did was to ship
three barrels of flous 10 Cairo
settled up everything with instruc-
ions for my family TO move by raj
tc portsmouth, and by river TO Pdiu-
cab.
"When got TO Cairo my -four was
there. Took the packet for Paducah
My ship WAS anchored there. The
-four was intended Dne barrel for the
steerage, one for the wardrobe. n
which was the caterer, and one to
go home. had a big trunk which
filled with my books and other valu-
abes that accompanied me. With a
check all were lost"