The Holt County sentinel., 1915-08-27
FERRYlNG SIXTY YEARS AGO.
The First Steam Ferry Across the
Missouri River at
Iowa Point.

tflt vi ISsOuTi river was utlIIIeu a. q
means OF transportation, and 1t has
been many more since the first ferry
boat piled across the Rig Muddy to
take the traders and trappers, the
early pioneers from one shore TO an.
other.
The first ferry across the Missouri
river where Iowa Point now is, was
established by William Banks, OF Holt
County, an Indian trader, and the0frs
white man to put his foot on Holt
County soil, which Was In 1882, and at
q point opposite Iowa Point" In
Kansas, and was given the name Of
"Jefirey's Landing" by Banks, In hon
or OF jeffrey Doraway, whose claim
Banks bought; Doraway was . mulatto
"squatter."
The ferry was q mat boat" and was
established In June 1874, some seven
years after the Sac Indians we're re-.
moved from the Platte Purchase,
which included the Northwest portion
Of Missouri, and was In 1887, and loo.
sted on what Is now the north half Of
Doniphan County, Kansas. Pryor
Plank, OF Sparks, Kansas, In . late
article In the St. Joseph Gazette, In
writing on this subject says:
"Thecomingoft these I indians brought
about the es, Ablishment OF the Iowa
and Sac mission and great Nemaha
agency i've miles out from the river
and the Banks ferry gave the mission
and agency folks an outlet TO the
white settlements east Of the river.
Emigrants from northwest Missouri
TO the Pacific coast crossed the river
at this ferry and intersected the over.
land trail from Robidouxs trading
post at the mission agency.
whisky traders also utilized the
ferry as a port OF entry for fresh sup.
plies OF lire water when their stock
ran low, which It always did abou, the
time OF an Indian payment. The open.
Ing up OF Kansas TO the white settle.
ment In 1854 brought increased bust.
ness to the Banks ferry.
Iowa Point, quite numerical
center for awhile, sprang up like
Jonah's gourd al the ferry landing on
the west banks OF the river and the
old Banks natboat was too SLOW and
antiquated TO cope with the busy trav.
eli into the new territory. To remedy
this defect some OF the enterprising
citizens OF the town organized q Joint
stock company and purchased q steam
ferry boat which drove the banks HAT &.
boat out OF business for awhile.
ION March -, 1858, the stockholders
met In Iowa Point and organized by
electing c. G. Jasper president Of the
company, Frank Patton secretary and
J. II. Selecman treasurer. II had been
ascertained previous TO this meeting
that q boat suitable for tie purpose
could be purchased from II. Nuco,s x
Co, Of Cincinnati, Ohio, for 5000,
and the secretary was authorized 10
issue the amount Of stock In shares OF
So each. AT a subsequent meeting
one Of the stockholders, J, W. Burk.
hart Was employ ed TO deliver the boat
NJ Iowa Point. II arrived early In
May and Immediately went into busi'
ness. While this boat was much
more satisfactory means Of trans
portation than the old banks llatboat
In the END IL was a financial failure
After running one season IL VAS sold
AZ o considerable sacrifice 10 some
parties At Brow nsyille, Neb. Thu
was a losing enterprise for most
OF the stockholders Of whom ther,
were more than thirty, as few OF then
ever realized but little out Of the In
vestment."
He gives . list OF those who formed
the stock company TO purchase tn,
first steam ferry, and among the lis,
are many OF the early settlers OF HolI
County, among whom were John s
Pimberton, Charles p. Bakely, WHIT
was an uncle Of the late Dan p. Lewis
G. Q. Jasper, who originally owned tn,
old Andy Burrier place; Frank ant
william Patton, who used to have ,
title TO the now Frank Davis land be
low Forest City; W. II. Forbes, VII,
still lives At Highland, Kansas, ant
was . gold seeker In 1919; Jesse Lewis
George u. Glass, who At one time va
In business In Oregon, Is Glsas
Burnett, In . little frame building
that stood on the ground now occupie'
by the Citizens Bank; G. q. Agee, Dr.
j, W. Reed, Mill s. Noodle, william
Winkler, who owned considerably
land Just below Forest City.
The Kansas stock holders wer
Samuel Irwin, Dave and Thomas Van
derslice, II. w. Forman, who bull
the first mill At Iowa Point, whicl
WAS In 1858, J. II. G. Curtis, Angus
Wasgel, VIM. Kaucher and JOIN
Pemberton were among those VIII
helped to build this mill. J. 2. John
son, Y. X. Stout, VIM. Ward, Il. A
Poulet, John Powell, j. +. Marcum
John Afford, Pryor Plank, DR.. SheI
herd, Ell Evans, G. G. Scrafford, JohI
Sutton, John Sperr, J. II. Selecman
DR.. J. w. Burkhart, DR.. Lew Peter
r. N. Williams, John White, JEFF Nc
Creary, Clark & Conrad, Joseph A
Brown. Rev. s. N. Irwin, founder o