Captain John A Williamson
Kentucky Post, Friday, July 8, 1898, page 3
Passed Away
Demise of Captain Williamson, of Newport
Captain John A Williamson died Thursday night at his home in
Newport, where he had resided since 1833. He was one of the pioneer river
men of the Ohio. Williamson was born at Portsmouth on July 9, 1826.
In 1844 he shipped as pilot at New Orleans on the streamer Brazil for
Cincinnati, and was the youngest pilot then on the river.
In 1866 he acquired the Cincinnati and Newport ferry which he operated until 1874. Captain Williamson conceived the idea of the central bridge and organized the company for its construction. Of this company he had been president continuously. For 14 years he was President of the Newport Light Company.
After operating a line of horse cars between Cincinnati and Newport for 20 years, he negotiated the consolidation of all the street car companies on the Kentucky side of the river.