Horace Ezra Bixby facts for kids

Horace Ezra Bixby (born May 8, 1826 – died August 1, 1912) was a skilled steamboat pilot. He worked on the big river system in America, including the Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio rivers. He started in the late 1840s and continued until he passed away in 1912.

Bixby was well-known for being excellent at his job. He also invented things to help steamboats and served in the American Civil War. But most people remember him because he taught a young man named Sam Clemens. Sam later became the famous American writer, Mark Twain. Twain wrote about Bixby's personality and teaching style in his book Life on the Mississippi. This book made Bixby famous, even though he found the attention a bit annoying!

Early Life and First Job

Horace Bixby was born on May 8, 1826, in Geneseo, New York. This town is near Rochester in the Finger Lakes area of New York. His parents were Sylvanus and Hanna Bixby.

When he was still a teenager, Horace left home. He moved to Cincinnati, Ohio. There, he first worked in a tailor's shop. Soon after, he got a job on a steamboat called the Olivia. He started as a "mud clerk," which was a beginner's role. Within two years, he became the pilot of the Olivia.

Becoming a Steamboat Pilot

In the mid-1800s, being a steamboat pilot on the Mississippi and Missouri rivers was very challenging. These rivers were huge and always changing. Their banks would cave in, and snags (sunken trees) would move around. Sandbars were never still, and the main channels kept shifting. Pilots had to guide their boats through these dangers day and night. There were no lighthouses or buoys to help them back then.

A pilot needed to remember every detail of the river's winding path. This included all its chutes, islands, sandbars, hidden rocks, and sunken wrecks. They also had to understand how changes in the river's water level would affect its depth. Pilots needed to be able to "read" the water's surface like a book. Most importantly, a successful pilot needed good and quick judgment. They also needed calm courage that no danger could shake. Because of these difficult skills, steamboat pilots earned a lot of money. Horace Bixby was known as a master in this tough job.

Why Bixby Was Called "Lightning"

A steamboat pilot not only had to keep the boat safe but also had to finish each trip quickly. Horace Bixby was known for his unusual speed without risking safety. This earned him the nickname "Lightning" Bixby. One story says he completed a trip from New Orleans to St. Louis in just 4 days, 14 hours, and 20 minutes.

Mark Twain also shared a story about Bixby saving his steamboat from a full night's delay. He did this with an amazing piloting move. Another pilot on board at the time shouted, "By the Shadow of Death, but he's a lightning pilot!"

Bixby was also special because he had a pilot's license for all three major inland rivers. These were the lower Mississippi, the Missouri, and the Ohio. Most pilots only had a license for one river. Piloting on the Missouri River in the 1850s was especially hard. The land around it was undeveloped. A steamboat might be stopped by buffalo herds crossing the river one day. The next day, it might be stopped by Sioux warriors.

Some of the boats Bixby piloted during this time included the Olivia, Hungarian, Paul Jones, and Aleck Scott. While on the Colonel Crossman, there was an explosion that killed 14 people.

Horace Bixby and Mark Twain

Bixby first met Mark Twain in February 1857. Twain was 21 years old and traveling to New Orleans on the Paul Jones. He had always dreamed of becoming a river pilot. He decided to try one more time to make that dream come true.

After some talks, Bixby agreed to teach Twain how to pilot on the lower Mississippi River. Twain paid $500 for the lessons. He paid $100 upfront and was supposed to pay the rest from his future salary. However, Twain only paid $300 before the Civil War started. The war stopped all commercial traffic on the Mississippi. So, Twain and Bixby agreed to cancel the rest of the payment.

For almost two years, Twain learned from Bixby. Sometimes, Bixby would have other pilots teach Twain. This happened when Bixby was learning and working on the Missouri River. After Twain got his pilot's license, they worked together on boats like the Crescent City and the New Falls City. In his book, Mark Twain described Bixby as a "grumpy but lovable teacher."

Serving in the Civil War

Horace Bixby served as a pilot on the USS Benton. He was on this ship from October 25, 1861, to August 28, 1862. The Benton was the main ship of the Mississippi River Squadron. Both Mark Twain and Bixby's obituary mention that Bixby was the squadron's "Chief Pilot" during the Battle of Memphis. Bixby's obituary also says he believed the Union victory at Memphis was due to the information he gave Commodore Foote.

After the War: Pilot and Captain

After the Civil War, Horace Bixby continued to work on the river. He was both a pilot and a captain. A captain was in charge of everything about the boat's management, except for steering it. Steering was the pilot's job, and the captain was not allowed to interfere. For many years, Bixby worked as a captain for the Anchor Line. He owned more shares in the company than any other employee.

On April 1, 1865, Bixby was one of the pilots of the steamboat Bertrand. The Bertrand sank after hitting a snag in the Missouri River. This happened north of Omaha, Nebraska. The wreck of the Bertrand was dug up in 1968. Over 500,000 items from its cargo are now on display. You can see them at the DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge museum near Missouri Valley, Iowa.

In 1871, Bixby and George Richey received a patent for a new type of binnacle light. This invention was part of a bigger plan to make river navigation safer. Mark Twain explained that with Bixby and Ritchie's charts and new lamp, boats could now travel in fog with much more safety.

Bixby continued working until the very end of his life. His last job was commanding the government snagboat Horatio G. Wright. He finished this job on July 30, 1912. He was waiting for a call to take out another boat when he died two days later. He passed away in Maplewood, Missouri, on August 1. His obituary said, "He died as he often said he wished to die, 'in the harness.'"

Bixby's Later Relationship with Mark Twain

When Mark Twain returned to the Mississippi River in 1882, he was gathering information for his book Life on the Mississippi. Bixby was happy to meet him in New Orleans. It seems they remained friends throughout their lives.

However, Bixby eventually found it annoying to be famous because of Mark Twain. He was bothered by reporters constantly asking him for stories about their time together. Bixby's obituary states that he "received hundreds of letters from strangers." These people knew him only through Mark Twain's books. This became unpleasant for him. In his later years, he avoided mentioning Mark Twain's name.

A newspaper called Waterways Journal reported in 1910 that Bixby once told a reporter he wished Mark Twain were dead. He said this so he wouldn't have to keep telling stories about him. Bixby was upset when the remark was printed. But there is no record that Mark Twain ever heard about it. If he had, it was the kind of funny remark he probably would have understood.

Family Life

Horace Bixby first married Susan Weibling from New Orleans. They did not have any children who lived past infancy. Susan died in 1867.

In 1869, he married Mary Sheble. Mary was the daughter of Captain Edwin A. Sheble of St. Louis. Horace and Mary had three children: a daughter named Edwina, and two sons named Edwin and George Mason. Edwina married Dr. Louis T. Pim in 1901. By 1910, Horace and Mary had moved in with them. Mary Bixby lived nine years longer than her husband, passing away in 1921. Horace and Mary are buried together in Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri.

A photograph of Horace Bixby can be seen in the collection of UW-La Crosse.

Bixby in Movies and Shows

Horace Bixby has been played by different actors in various media:

• Robert Barrat played him in the 1944 film The Adventures of Mark Twain.
• Robert Lansing played him in the Great Performances episode Life on the Mississippi.
• Doug Mancheski played him in the American Folklore Theatre musical production of Life on the Mississippi.