Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-10-25
81 YEARS ON The
RIVER IS RECORD
CAPTAIN Thomas sherwood,
Celebrating Birthday, Re-
views History.
ON MANY Different CRAFT
Member of Family ALI Of Whose Sons
Took to Steamboating-Father
Shipyard Superintendent.

CAPTAIN Thomas sherwood claims
to be the Oldest riverman in this sec
ton OF the country-he claims to be,
and what he claims he Is generally
Sunday and he also says he will be
here ~ years more. He has been able
to make good all of his prophecies
in the past and there may be those
who think he will make good in this.
At n he is hale and hearty, and, with
the exception of a sort of dignifed,
aristocratic languor in his movements,
he ts-as spry as a lad of As.
, Captain Underwood was born and
the oldest OF family OF seven chill
dren, six of whom are stu alive. His
father. George c. sherwood, was SUI
perintendent In a large shipyard at
that place for many years.
Four Sons Rivermen.
There were four boys in the family,
Captain Thomas was II years of age
when he shipped as ships carpenter on
the steamer Clara Dean, IN 1880. and
for three years fioated the Ohio river
on various boats. He was on the
steamer Swallow when it burned just
below Evansville, Ind, away back in
those early days. When 1t was found
that the boat was going to go. its nose
was stuck in the bank and the wheel
was never stopped until the fire stop
ped. Everyone aboard was saved
He came over to The Mississippi in
1853, and has been on these waters IN
one capacity or another every year
since that time. All together go years
a steamboat man isn't bad. 1t is said
of Brownsville that it turned out more
good steamboat men than any other
town on the Ohio. Among those who
are known here aside from Captain
SHERWOOD is Captain w. c. Bennett
of Moline and Captain George Walker
of Tama, Iowa, who visited old scenes
and old friends here last summer.
Some of the Boats.
sherwood served during the many
years of his service are the following
steamers Of the Northern Line Packet
company, which he served for 10 years:
Hawkeye State, Metropolitan, Fred
Lorenz. Canada, Pembernaw, Musca-
tine, Davenport (the building of which
he superintendent, Henry Clay. w. l.
Ewing, and Lambertine. He also seyv-
ed on the A. G. Mason and was on 1t
at the time it sank on the Deep Creek
chain of the Rock Island rapids. Among
the later boats on which he served
were. the Diamond 10 James Fisk, Sill
yer Wave, and Silver Crescent. OF
course, there were many others. Dur
ing his time he has built many barges
and the hu1ls for steamboats,.
There are many people here who re-
member his brother, Captain Bob"
sherwood, who for 20 years was with
the Diamond 10 company and whose
death occurred at LIE Claire eight years
ago. John w. sherwood, who was
ships carpenter on the steamer Du-
buque at the time of the Dubuque riot
in 1869, is now living at Rock Falls,
III. James sherwood lives in Benton
county, Iowa, with a nephew. Of the
three sisters. all Of whom are living,
Mrs. Frances Cook resides at Vinton,
Iowa; Mrs. Josephine Sweet at Cedar
Rapids, and Mrs. Ann Fish in Grundy
county.
just to Keep Out of Mischief.
Captain Tom visited all of them last
month, following his summers work
on the steam ferry Rock Island. He
does enough work to keep him out of
mischief and spends the rest of his
time visiting and enjoying himself.