ABSTRACT: Letter written by Captain Jesse Robert Sousley (1825-?) to his brother-in-law describing his experiences as captain of the steamer Skylark.
SCOPE: This letter was written in 1859 by Captain Robert Sousley as he piloted the sternwheel steamboat Skylark up the Missouri River. He sent the letter to his brother-in-law, Judge Peeler of Rocheport Missouri. In the letter Sousley describes his experience transporting miners towards Pike’s Peak in search of gold. Sousley’s letter provides insight into the effect of such gold frenzies on river communities and businesses.
Sousley writes “We are on the field of battle again with the Lark, seeking for the treasures of Old Mo., which, if there is any made by boating, we want a share of it. I have been very busy all winter repairing the lines on the Lark which prevented me from coming up and now have one of the prettiest little boats in the trade. We have a tolerable good trip for so early in the season, have a few Pike’s Peakers. We anticipate a large rush for the glittering Peak. Many, I fear, will come home with less than started with.”
EXTENT: 1 page letter, front and back.
HISTORY: The Skylark was a sternwheel steamboat built at Pittsburgh and first captained by Ben Johnson on the Missouri River as a passenger packet in the lower trade. Sousley took over the steamer in 1855 and piloted it for 5 years. The steamer regularly made stops at Leavenworth and Atchinson, Kansas. From Atchinson, miners could continue overland to the Pike’s Peak gold region. By the outset of the Civil War Sousley was sailing a new passenger packet, the New War Eagle, between St. Louis and New Orleans.
Judge Peeler was a prominent Missouri judge and politician in Rocheport Missouri, and also Captain Sousley’s brother-in-law. Souley’s wife, Peeler’s sister, died in 1858, a year before this letter was written.
ACCESS: This collection can be viewed on-site in the Rare Book and Manuscripts Reading Room. Some of the material may be photocopied, digitally scanned or photographed, subject to condition and other access restrictions. Information on conducting research with the archival collections of the Library, including current building hours and reading room policies, can be found on our Research page. The St. Louis Mercantile Library is located on levels one and two of the Thomas Jefferson Library building on the University of Missouri-St. Louis’ north campus. The letter is available for remote & online viewing on the UMSL Digital Library as the P-097 Captain Robert Sousley Correspondence Collection.
Preferred Citation note: The preferred citation for this collection is "From the collections of the Herman T. Pott National Inland Waterways Library at the University of Missouri - St. Louis.”
