| Notes |
- Capt. John Armstong (deceased) was born in the State of Maryland, on the Susquehanna, about the year of 1789; owing to the death of his father when he was quite young, and no family records remaining, the exact date of his birth is not positively known.
Captain Armstrong remembered Cold Friday--which was February 6, 1806, and always thought he was about seventeen years old at that time. His mother removed to Montgomery county, Ky., when he was an infant, and there remained and died, leaving one half-sister to the Captain, named Axia Carson. The Captain was bound (as was the custom in those days, in Kentucky, with orphans), but he did not like his boss (he was a cabinet-maker) and ran away. He passed through Maysville, Ky., and finding a canoe there, he paddled down the Ohio to Sedansville, and from here made his way to Hamilton county, Ohio; there he found a home with an old lady named Scott, and lived with her for a short time. He next worked for a man named Moore for two years, at four dollars per month.
Later he worked for some years for Thomas Marshall, with whom he made his home for many years. In 1814 he embarked, as a bargeman, on the keelboat "None Such," and made a trip to New Orleans. The wages for the trip was $40 for the downward trip, and $100 for the upward trip. The "None Such" arrived at new Orleans a few days before the last battle of the war of the 1812 was fought there by General Jackson against Packingham. Armstrong was on the barge at the time of the battle, and distinctly heard the noise of it. He followed the life of a keelboatman for some years, making four trips from Cincinnati and Pittsburgh to New Orleans and back. This was a slow business and it took about twelve months to make a round trip.
In 1819 he commenced steamboating as a deck hand on the old "Gen. Pick," the first steamer ever built in Cincinnati. "It was built and principally owned by John H. Piatt. Jacob Strader, a clerk in Piatt's bank, was clerk on the vessel." Then Armstrong became pilot and afterward captain of many boats: "Rodolph," which he built, "Empress," and other boats that ran on the Kentucky river, and a number on the Ohio. He was at one time owner of the entire Mail Line from Cincinnati to Louisville. He continued at boating until June, 1847 (his family had been living on a farm for many years previous to this time), when he retired to his farm, in Jefferson county, Ind., above Brooksburg, at about the age of 56. In 1833 he had bought this farm, and had afterward improved it to suit his ideas of a home, so that it was all ready for him when he retired from the river; it had been his intention for many years to enjoy life as a farmer, and he did so for about thirty years. He died at his farm February 2, 1880.
In 1822 he was married to Miss Sarah Marshall, the daughter of Thomas Marshall, with whom he had made his home for many years. The issue of this marriage was seven children, viz: James, John, Thomas, George, Eliza Ann, Henrietta and Charles; of these, three are living: Thomas, George and Eliza Ann.
Mrs. Armstrong died January 16, 1838, and in 1839 Captain Armstrong married Harriet, a sister of his former wife, and they had six children, all of whom are living, viz: Sarah, Margaret, Frank, Florence, Florida and Harriet.
Capt. Armstrong was successful in business and accumulated quite a little fortune, and at the same time made for himself many friends in all the classes of life which he had passed through. He was a kind husband, father and friend, esteemed by all of his neighbors. His dust rests in peace in the burial place on his farm, which overlooks the river which he loved so well, and on which so much of his life was passed.
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Abt 1791 - 1880 (89 years)
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