Joseph Kinney's Steamboats 

In the early 1800s, steamboats were a booming industry in Missouri due to two great rivers that could transport people and goods from the vast ports located on the Mississippi River to the ever-expanding western towns along the Missouri River. One of the men who took advantage of this emerging business opportunity was Joseph Kinney.

Kinney had been fascinated by steamboats from the start and dreamed of owning one. As an adult, he settled in Boonville, MO and opened a shoe store to sell to the local population as well as those making their way west. His business was so successful that he was able to move to St. Louis and open a mercantile store. He worked hard for his success, but all that work caught up to him when he started to experience health issues. A doctor ordered more fresh air for Kinney, so he took this opportunity to live his dream of becoming a steamboat captain in 1856.

Fortunately, he found great success and earned much respect as a steamboat captain. He was often heavily involved in the shipbuilding process with any new steamboats he procured, and he even adapted the sternwheeler design, moving the boat’s paddlewheel from the side to the rear, for his boats in order to better navigate the narrow riverways. He would eventually own twenty-one steamboats, many of which would be named after his children. One of these steamboats, the Joe Kinney, would face its fair share of chaotic events throughout its many excursions. 

Steamboating was a dangerous affair as there was always risk of the boat catching fire, accruing damage from regular use, or hitting debris and sinking. The Joe Kinney seems to have been a magnet for misfortune, especially with bridges.

Built in 1872, the Joe Kinney would suffer its first accident in 1873 when the chimneys hit the St. Charles Bridge, though they were easily repaired. In 1874, the boat hit a snag which caused a hole in the hull, taking on water. Then in March 1876, the boat hit the Kansas City Bridge. Right after the damage was fixed, it hit the Boonville Bridge in July, necessitating even more repairs. The steamboat did enjoy a few less eventful years with successful runs back and forth until July 1880 when it once again hit the Boonville Bridge, causing extensive damages. The boat was again repaired and able to continue its routes until April 13, 1882 when the boat’s tiller rope broke, causing the Joe Kinney to hit the Glasgow Bridge and ultimately sink into the “Big Muddy.”

After the end of the eventful life of the Joe Kinney steamboat, Kinney himself decided that it was time for him to retire as well. He sold his business and lived the next ten years with his family at his riverside home where he could happily watch the steamboats pass by.

NOTE: This article was originally published in the Beyond the Stacks newsletter. View more "This Month in Missouri History" articles on our newsletter archive!