MEN PROMINENT IN THE RAFTING INDUSTRY 233 



his life exemplified its teachings. His family were 

 Episcopalians and while not a member, he was an at- 

 tendant of church, and for many years he was the faith- 

 ful Peoples Warden of Grace Memorial Church in 

 Wabasha. 



His life work on the river began when he was fifteen 

 years old. When nineteen he began piloting himself and 

 as he soon demonstrated his skill and ability in han- 

 dling rafts and men, he was constantly employed and by 

 the best companies as long as the business lasted. We 

 recall the excellent work he did on the side-wheeler 

 "Clyde," then on the side-wheeler "L. W. Barden," 

 running lumber for the Daniel Shaw Company, then on 

 the new stern-wheeler "Gardie Eastman," several sea- 

 sons running logs for Gardiner Batcheler and Wells of 

 Lyons, Iowa; then on the fine large "C. W. Cowles," 

 owned by Fleming Brothers of McGregor and later 

 bought and operated by the Valley Navigation Com- 

 pany of which Captain Joe was president, and as master 

 and pilot of the "Cowles" he ran logs to the Hershey 

 mill at Muscatine and several others until the finish. 



When rafting played out he operated the "C. W. 

 Cowles" as a regular packet between LaCrosse and 

 Dubuque, but realizing little profit in this, he sold her 

 and went to piloting the big packets of the Streckfus 

 Line in the Saint Louis and Saint Paul trade and re- 

 mained on them for a while after they were converted 

 into excursion steamers. He gave up this work to take 

 the position of Deputy United States Marshal at Saint 

 Paul, and while filling it most acceptably the final sum- 

 mons came to him October 29, 1918, and he was laid to 

 rest in the town of his birth. 



