Scope and Contents

STEAMBOATS AND INLAND RIVERS Keller, a fisherman along the Illinois River in Mason County, discusses fishing, duck hunting, and recalls the sinking of an excursion boat and a levee breaking at Spring Lake, south of Pekin.

2 tapes, 20 pp. Interview by John Knoepfle, 1962 OPEN: released by John Knoepfle

Scope and Contents

STEAMERS AND INLAND RIVERS Kelley, riverboat pilot, discusses Ohio River traffic in the early 20th century. He recalls various boats, rivermen, upper Ohio River trade, cargo, and piloting conditions on the river.

1 tape, 17 pp. Interview by John Knoepfle, 1957 OPEN

Scope and Contents Knoepfle, poet and professor of English at Sangamon State University, discusses events and ideas which have influenced his life, writing, and teaching. He recalls his family background, Swiss-Irish parentage, education, childhood memories of the Ohio River and riverboats, and religious schooling. He also discusses naval service at Iwo Jima during WWII, family members and their influence on his life, various jobs he has held, producing a documentary on Ohio riverboats, teaching experiences,...

Scope and Contents

STEAMBOATS AND INLAND RIVERS Lyle, clerk and river agent, recalls the rivermen, boats, roustabouts, carpenters, wharfs, and wharf workers he encountered on rivers in Ohio and the Midwest. He also talks about boat building and the lumber industry in Cincinnati.

1 tape, 19 pp. Interview by John Knoepfle, 1957 OPEN: released by John Knoepfle

Scope and Contents

STEAMBOATS AND INLAND RIVERS Marshall discusses boats, whistles, smokestacks, floods, packet lines, his family, and stories about Ohio's rivers.

1 tape, 15 pp. Interview by John Knoepfle, 1957 OPEN: released by John Knoepfle

Scope and Contents

STEAMBOATS AND INLAND RIVERS McCann recalls his career as a riverboat clerk and purser: boats and personnel who worked in the Pittsburgh trade and the Greene Line on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers.

1 tape, 13 pp. Interview by John Knoepfle, 1957 OPEN: released by John Knoepfle

Scope and Contents

STEAMBOATS AND INLAND RIVERS Menke discusses the showboat entertainment business on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, showboats, the agent's work, scripts and casting, and St. Louis.

1 tape, memoir 15 pp. Interview by John Knoepfle, 1957 OPEN: Released by John Knoepfle

Scope and Contents

STEAMBOATS AND INLAND RIVERS O'Hearn discusses experiences on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers: towing timber and coal, various riverboats and people, and work on streetcars and at a card company.

1 tape, 21 pp. Interview by John Knoepfle, 1957 OPEN: released by John Knoepfle

Scope and Contents John Knoepfle’s papers (1985-1993) include research he conducted mostly between the years 1985 and 1993 for the Peoria Myths and Tales project. The materials gathered in this series comprise of JIK's research on the language and history of the Peoria-Miami American Indian tribes, as well as their cultural stories, poetry, myths, and tales. The materials would become The Peoria-Miami Language Collection, and "The Peoria-Miami Freeform," Nimrod (Oklahoma Indian "Markings" issue). 32:2...

Scope and Contents John Knoepfle's papers include manuscript drafts of several of his published works as well as individual poems. His correspondence files include communications with several important Midwestern regional authors and editors of the late twentieth century. Also included in the papers are several reviews about his work, reports Knoepfle wrote as a correspondent for the Upward Bound project during the 1960s, audio tapes of poetry readings, and several publications to which he contributed poetry....