Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1925-08-13
&c. K. ANDERSON. VETERAN
RIVER MAN. DIES IN NAL IA

lHHEIl Nln1s UtLU tis HtH& IT
Mr.. Charles K. Anderson, aged SO
years, died Saturday morning at his
home in upper Malta, from heart
trouble and infirmities of age He
was the son of the late Abraham
and Adeline kinzel Anderson, and
! was the last of the family. He was
one of the best known river men III
this section of the state, and had a
very wide acquaintance, and was
one of the county's very best citl-
zens. He possessed a keen mind,
which he retained until his death,
and although he had had falling eye
sight for a number of years, through
his devoted wife reading to him he
kept well informed on conditions in
general.
Funeral services were held Mon
day afternoon from his late home,
conducted by Rev. r. e. Stevens of
the Main Street Church of Christ,
and were under the auspices OF Val
+. ley lodge I. o. O. f., of which order
Mr., Anderson had been a member
for many years. The pail bearers
were George Duvall, Irven Travis, G.
F. Siler, C. A. Gaylord, J. b. Farra,
and c.. c. Clawson. Interment was
made in the Malta cemetery.
The following sketch was prepar-
| ed and read at the funeral by Mr..
Irven Travis, lifelong friend and
steamboat associate of the deceased:
Friends: While this is an exceed
,ingly sad occasion to the family OF
| our deceased brother, it is also to
! the writer. who as a brother Odd
] Fellow had been associated with him
| for practically so years, and for a
much longer period as fellow boat
man. It therefore seems a duty to
pay a last tribute to one SO well and
favorably known.
Charles K Anderson was born
May 10, 1912, on Poplar Ridge
which is but a few miles from his
home in upper Malta where he died
Aug. 8. 1925. He was married tc
Miss Lillian Johnson Sept. -, 1894
ITO this union two children were
born-Miss Ruby B. of Cleveland
and Robert of the home, who with
their mother survive. Charlie" as
he was familiarly known, had beer
confined to his home for practically
eight years, on account OF falling
leyesight. However his last absence
from his home was in 1920 when he
voted at the presidential election.
His active life was spent as
Muskingum river boatrnan, begin
ming at the age of 19 years, anC
continuing so long as he was able
In 1887 when the United States gov
ernment took charge of the Mus
kingum river Improvement, he wa:
lempoyed as chief engineer, on tbs
steamer propeller Vega This boa
was turned over by the state ot Ohio
with other property and Charlie witt
lit, where he continued until the boa
was condemned and Eew and larg
er boat was built, which retained
the name Vega. He then took rfarg'
in the same capacity where he fin
iehed his work, as did the steamer
for she went out of commission will
him. thus ending his life's work il
his chosen occupation after a service
of GA years.
During his confinement at hi
home he remained physically able t.
go about the premises, and hi
Cn6efIul OlSpOSllIO0 anu TeuIdI hdUl'
memory caused the visits of hi
friends to be many. His reminis
cence on his favorite subject, per
tanning to river matters, was Away
enjoyed, as he remembered distinct
ly the dates of the arrival of all new
steam boats and also of disaster
and accidents, and his decision OF
all questions of this nature was con
sidered final. His boating caree
was not confined to the Muskingun
river only, as he was probably th'
last of the canal boatmen of this vi
cinity who navigated the Ohio canal
his experience in this line being be
tween Dresden, o., and Cleveland
/ where salt was transported from thu
Muskingum without transfer. Hi
reliability and industry caused hin
to be held in high esteem by all cap
tains of the many boats on which h'
had been employed Mr.. Anderson
was also the last of the family all o
whom without exception were con
nected with matters pertaining t.
the navigation of the Muskingun
river. He was not only the last o
the family, but practically the las
Iof the boatmen. While he was no
a member of any church, he had al
abiding faith in his Creator and thu
thereafter.