The Incredibly Long Life of the "Norwich" (1836-1923)

Editor’s Note: The following text is a verbatim transcription of an article featuring stories by Captain William O. Benson (1911-1986). Beginning in 1971, Benson, a retired tugboat captain, reminisced about his 40 years on the Hudson River in a regular column for the Kingston (NY) Freeman’s Sunday Tempo magazine. Captain Benson's articles were compiled and transcribed by HRMM Contributing Scholar Carl Mayer. This article was originally published May 20, 1973. 

Steamboat "Norwich". Tracey I. Brooks Collection, Hudson River Maritime Museum.

Of all the boats that once used Rondout as home port, best known locally in their day were the "Mary Powell," the chain ferry "Riverside" or "Skillypot," and the tow boat "Norwich."
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It was an unlikely trio. The "Mary Powell" was known for her grace and speed and as a steamboat whose fame spread far beyond the boundaries of the Hudson River. The local renown of the "Skillypot" rested on the fact she was virtually the only way to get across Rondout Creek prior to the opening of the 9W highway bridge in 1921. The acclaim of the "Norwich" was due to her prowess as an ice breaker and her incredibly long life.

The "Norwich" was originally built in 1836 – only 29 years after Robert Fulton's first successful steamboat – to run as a passenger and freight carrier on Long Island Sound between New York and Norwich, Conn. She operated on that route for seven years and in 1843 came to the Hudson River to run between the thriving village of Rondout and New York.

In 1848 the "Norwich" was acquired by Thomas Cornell and he ran her for a season or two on her old route. Being rather small and slow compared to newer passenger boats, Cornell in 1850 converted her to a tow boat. She remained as such for the Cornell Steamboat Company until finally sold for scrap in 1923, at the ripe old age of 87.

The famous "Mary Powell" saw service during all or part of 57 seasons and was considered to be an exceptionally long-lived steamboat.

Yet the "Norwich" was in service for 25 years before the "Mary Powell" was built and was still running when the "Powell" turned her last paddle wheel. Indeed, the "Norwich" witnessed the first trips of the majority of steamboats to sail the Hudson and was still steaming on the river when they made their last trips.

As soon as the "Norwich" appeared on the Hudson, she gained a reputation as an ice breaker, even before she was converted to a towing steamer. On one occasion in 1845 she broke a channel through solid ice all the way from Kingston to Albany to break up an ice jam. For the rest of her days on the Hudson she was always known as a very good boat in the ice. For decades people all along the shores of the Hudson called her  the "Ice King."

When she was breaking ice, the "Norwich's" bow would ride up on the heavy ice and crush it with her weight. On occasion when she could not back off, the engineer would disconnect one paddle wheel from the other in an effort to free her. When that failed to get her off, the deckhands would roll large barrels of iron and stone from one side to the other and – by tipping her – her wind over-hanging guards would crack the ice, first on one side and then the other. When she was fully afloat, the "Norwich" would back up and smash into the solid ice again. Her hull was constructed especially for ice breaking and for many, many years the "Norwich" would be the first boat out in the spring and the last to lay up in the winter.

At different times the "Norwich" was called upon to pull steamboats that had run aground in the fog or heavy snow storms.

However, when she pulled a grounded steamboat, a propeller tug would always be in attendance; pushing her bow to hold her up against the tide, as a side wheeler has no rudder power until she gets underway.

When the Hudson-Fulton Celebration of 1909 was held, celebrating the 300th anniversary of the discovery of the river by Henry Hudson and the 100th anniversary of the development of the steamboat by Robert Fulton, the "Norwich" played a prominent part. Even then, she was the oldest steamboat still in service.

While being made ready for the celebration at the Cornell shops in Rondout, the "Norwich" somehow caught on fire and was nearly destroyed. Quick work by Cornell's men and the Kingston fire department saved her, although damage was severe. The fire occurred Aug. 30, 1909, only 25 days before the celebration's big marine parade was scheduled to take place in New York harbor.

It was thought that would end any part the "Norwich" might play in the event. S.D. Coykendall, however, had different ideas and the Cornell shops worked around the clock to get her ready. She appeared in the parade, all evidence of the disastrous fire removed, and on her paddle wheels housings – in addition to her name – proudly carried the legend "Oldest Steamboat in the  World. Built 1836."

The "Norwich" continued to sail the Hudson through 1919, mostly on the upper end of the river. Sometimes she would be in charge of tows and, at other times, helping more powerful boats like the "Oswego" or the tugboat "Pocahontas."

After propeller tugs grew in numbers, the "Norwich" was not used much as an ice breaker and gradually was utilized only as a spare boat during the season's rush.

In the early 1920's, the "Norwich" was tied up at Port Ewen at the "Mary Powell's" old winter berth where the Hidden Harbor Yacht Club is now located. Talk along the waterfront as to why the "Norwich" was not broken up was that the old work horse was a particular favorite of Mrs. S.D. Coykendall, daughter of Thomas Cornell, and that as long as she lived the Cornell Steamboat Company would keep her. The "Norwich" was one of the first vessels owned by Mrs. Coykendall's father and rumor was she considered the old steamer a symbol of the family's fortune.

In any event, shortly after Mrs. Coykendall's death, the "Norwich" was sold in November 1923 to Michael Tucker of Port Ewen and he proceeded to break her up. He put the old tow boat at high water high on the beach at the south of his property and the dismantling went on for several years.

About 1928, the celebrated automobile manufacturer Henry Ford came to Kingston. At that time, he was acquiring material for the museum he was setting up at Dearborn, Mich. He went to Port Ewen to see Michael Tucker and find out if he could buy parts of the "Norwich" for his museum.

Tucker told him he was a little late, but he had some things junk dealers and others hadn't bought yet. Ford acquired the towboat's two drive shafts, two stands that had been in the captain's room and one of her flag poles. Tucker tried to get Ford to buy one of her anchors, but for some reason he would not.

During his Kingston visit, Ford also went to see John Fischer who had broken up the "Mary Powell" at Connelly and acquired a few items from the old "Queen of the Hudson." It is my understanding most of these things never actually went on display at the museum. Ford had acquired a tremendous amount of material from all over the country and during World War II scrap drives many iron and steel items, probably including the drive shafts of the "Norwich," were recycled.

During her long life, the "Norwich" suffered her share of mishaps. Among the more serious, in addition to the fire of Aug. 30, 1909, were the breaking of her engine's cross head while coming up river with a tow on Nov. 30, 1882, a bad fire on Dec. 16, 1906, and at least two sinkings in Rondout Creek.

​Also because of her many, many years of service, the "Norwich" served as a sort of training ship for men who later became some of the best known boatmen on the river. Many a Hudson River captain, pilot and engineer started their steamboat careers on the "Norwich" – either as a deckhand or fireman. Over those long ago years, some of the better known Hudson River steamboat captains who had captained the old "Ice King" from Rondout were Jeremiah Patterson, George Gage, Stephen Van Wert, James Welch, Harry Barber, Jacob DuBois, Ira Cooper and, at the end, Rol Saulpaugh.

Author

Captain William Odell Benson was a life-long resident of Sleightsburgh, N.Y., where he was born on March 17, 1911, the son of the late Albert and Ida Olson Benson. He served as captain of Callanan Company tugs including Peter Callanan, and Callanan No. 1 and was an early member of the Hudson River Maritime Museum. He retained, and shared, lifelong memories of incidents and anecdotes along the Hudson River. ​

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