People of DQ

Captain Ernest E. Wagner
Captain Ernie Wagner was one of the last of the old time roof captains, and he played a monumental role in the survival and future of steam boating in America. Born in 1910, Wagner hopped a freight train at the age of nineteen bound for Dayton, but ended up in Cincinnati working on the Island Maid and then the Island Queen. He served as a coal passer, ice cream vendor, deck hand, watchman and, by the time he was 25, master. In 1947 when the Island Queen exploded and burned, Wagner heroically pulled Captain Jim Baker out of bed and threw him overboard and helped others to safety before a second explosion hurtled him into the flaming oil slick, severely burning his back, hands and arms.

Wagner was mate on the excursion steamer Avalon, and then commanded the Delta Queen, which was then the sole surviving tourist steamboat in the country. He helped refit the Delta Queen to ensure her survival and then was the first master of the Mississippi Queen. During his 49 year career Captain Wagner trained and mentored Captain Doc Hawley, Roddy Hammet, Jim Blum and a score of the modern day pilots, establishing what Captain Fred Way called “the Ernie Wagner school of steam boating.”

Left to right, Captain Clarke "Lil" Doc Hawley, and
to the right is Captain Robert "Roddy" Hammett, who
was murdered in New Orleans December 1995. He
was Co-Captain of the Natchez, and had worked on'
The Delta Queen.

Captain Clarke C. (Doc) Hawley, during the course of his long river career, not only served as master of the three of the five remaining Mississippi River System steamboats, but he has done much to promote river history.

Except for two winter tow boating stints, he has spent his entire career working with passengers and crew on excursion and tourist steamboats. His steam boating days began on the tramping excursion boat Avalon. He moved to the tourist boat Delta Queen, then to the excursion boat Belle of Louisville, and finally to the excursion steamer Natchez. He has hosted U.S. presidents, government officials, royalty, entertainment and sports stars, river buffs and countless media people. After most every trip he can be found on deck discussing some aspect of steam boating with passengers.

"Doc" Hawley's generosity in sharing steamboat artifacts and knowledge with his river friends is boundless. He has preserved steam calliope music on several tapes and records and is one of the founders of the National Rivers Hall of Fame.

"Doc" Hawley began his river career luring passengers to the Avalon via her steam calliope, and he doubled as her popcorn popper. He was been dubbed by local media as the "Pied Piper of the French Quarter," for his calliope playing on the Natchez. Captain Hawley has trained over 20 people who now hold captain’s licenses on the rivers

In 1890 Cincinnatian Gordon C Greene took his new bride Mary Becker Greene, aboard the newly bought H K Bedford. At 149 ft. and built in 1885, it was the first boat in the Greene Line. Mary lived aboard and worked side by side with her husband. And ever after, they were made a home on one of the 28 steamers they were to own and operate. She became a captain two years before she became a mother. From Fred Way's Packet Directory: Captain. Gordon C Greene bought her to "enter the Pittsburgh-Wheeling trade, the beginning of Greene Line Steamers, Inc.

In 1896 Gordon and Mary B Greene bought a second boat, the Argand. At 132.6 ft. it was built for Captains Newt Flesher, Gordon C Greene and Captain Mary B Greene was Master. Unable to pay a second captain, Mary Greene took the Argand. She was the only licensed woman steamboat pilot and captain on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. She guided the steamboats between Cincinnati and Newport to Charleston, West Virginia for years. Boat was sold and later in 1927 burned in Lowell, Ohio on the Muskingum River. From Fred Way's Packet Directory: "The boiler was still there in the mud late as 1949."

The Greenland, at 210 ft. was built in 1903 for Captain Gordon C Greene. Mary had three sons and the boys grew up with "home" being a steamboat. Captain Tom was born aboard the Greenland, and the others ashore. Mary became well-known and respected along the inland waters not only for her capabilities with a steamboat, but due to the wonderful qualities of the woman herself. She knew as much about maintenance, bookkeeping, and steering and as she did about cooking, sewing and entertaining.

By 1904, the Greenes were running six boats and making trips to the St. Louis World's Fair-their first run to the Mississippi River. A five day trip from Cincinnati to Charleston West Virginia included three meals a day and a berth was $8 a person.

The Gordon C. Greene, was built in 1923. From Fred Way Packet Directory: "It was the family boat with Captain Tom R. Greene in command, his mother, Mary B Greene, usually aboard, his wife Letha and family. A bar was provided on the main deck (called "Uncle Tom's Cabin") but no liquor sold. The atmosphere on board was pleasant and healthy, the operation eminently successful in a financial way, and Captain Tom and his mother were generous with invitations to "river fans" who rode as guests from here to there, a floating convention center. Hence many youngsters who worked aboard, or who rode for free, grew up better for the experience and opportunity. There was never anything quite like this on the rivers. When the Delta Queen arrived on the scene, the Gordon was put in the St. Louis-St. Paul trade.

In the mid-thirties when other packet companies were going out of business the Greene Line of Cincinnati held on by converting to auto transport and passenger business. Captain Ma Greene became as much a reason as the scenery for a passenger to take a vacation on a riverboat.

When her son bought the Delta Queen in 1947, Captain Mary was the first one to move aboard. She loved to dance and entertain and she never tired of spellbinding passengers with her river experiences.

On the first of April 1949, Mary boarded the Delta Queen for a routine trip to New Orleans. During the trip she was co-captain with her son, Captain Tom, but was mostly hostess and business manager. On April 22, 1949, at 79 Mary died aboard the Delta Queen, after it returned and was docked on the Ohio River in Cincinnati. She was one of the most colorful and best-loved figures of the romantic era of sternwheeler steam boating. The Cincinnati Enquirer reported, "In her 59 years of steam boating, 52 of which she was a captain and pilot, 'Mother' Greene got to know them all."

Her last living son, Captain Tom collapsed with a fatal heart attack the next year on the Delta Queen. His wife, Letha, with four growing children determined to keep the steamboats in business. In 1958 she obtained a partner, Richard C Simonton of Los Angeles to save the Delta Queen. Investors played a major part in saving the culture of the river and steamboats so that they continue on the river today.