‘Enters His Last Port.’

Mar 17, 1910

Capt, Joshua O. Abshire, one of the best known river men in this section of the country and for 25 years a familiar figure on the levees at the towns between Cannelton and Owensboro, passed quietly a way at his hone here at 5:30 p.m. last, Thursday of “arterio chlerosis.”

For the past year and a half he bad been in failing health, and although he made one or two trip on the Gaze1le 1ast summer, he had practically retired from service. He did this only after his health failed and his strength gave way.

Prior to the selling and taking aw ay of th Gazelle he stoutly maintaine that be would take charge of the boat again, but w he n he heard that she had been sold and that he would probably see her no more, it is said that this deeply depressed him and tha it hastened his death.

He is survived by A widow and two daughters, Mrs. Charles B. Lewis of this city and H. G. Robbins of Cleveland, O. His only son Frank was drowned in 1888 or 4 in a disaster that befell the Mountain Boy which turned over and sank during a terrific windstorm at Owensboro.

The funeral of Capt. Abshire was held at the beautiful home of his daughter, Mrs., Lewis on lower Front St. nat 2 p.m. Sunday, attended by a large concourse of persons who knew him. The services were short, conducted by Rev. Oscar Jean of the English M. E. church.

The pallbearers were: Messrs. Aug. Bergenroth of Troy, Jesss Barker, M. F’. Casper, Frank Uehlein, Alf Webb and Jos. Farquher of this city.

Several wreaths and bouquets of cut flowers were presented by friends of the deceased.

The funeral was a large one. The Methodist church bell tolled as the procession wended its way slowly up the hill to Cliff cemetery. A United States flag was placed at half-mast on the steam ferry Major.

As the remains were lowered into the grave at Cliff cemetery. Rev. Oscar Jean pronounced the Methodist Episcopal burial service and all that remained of Capt. Abshire was committed to earth. 

May he rest in peace!

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Capt. Josb Abshire the veteran steam boatmen, was born in Hawesville, August 17, 1883.

“The family came to Hawesville from Virginia and his father and grandfather were river pilots, the grandfather being flat boatman who brought salt from the Kanawha salt well to all Ohio and Mississippi river points and the father following as a flat boatman at first and afterwards as a steamboat man.  “The grandfather died at Hawesville and the father lost his life at New Orleans e tliere on a steam boat trip. The exact manner of hie death was never known and his grave is not located.

“The family, early became interested in the coal mines in and about Hawesville when they were the only ones between pittsburg and New Orleans and the senior Absbire was one of  the first to take coal to New Orleans for the purpose of iuduciug the people there to use it.

“During the war, “Captain Josh” as he has long been familarly called, was wharfmsaster at Hawesville and sold coal to all the boats that passed. In this way  he became familar some of the most stirring events of the war between the states in this part of the country, haesville was a strong secession town and Cannelton was just as pro-Union.

Gunboats were often landed on either side or anchored in the river as there was such demand for coal in those days there often much delay.

Sharp shooters infested the high either side of the river and thus there was frequent Excitement.

‘For sixty years Capt. Absbire had been on the river in some  of service and for thirty years he had been in in charge of boats of the Crammond Line between Cannelton and Owensboro, He was in charge of many night and Sunday excursions. between Cannelton and Evansville and he was always genial and accommodating as well Known to thousands, He made friends of ail and yet he was a man of most positive character and asserted himself whenever the occasion presented itself without the least mental reservation.  He didn’t mince words and was no policy trimmer.