The River Engineer Who Built Steamboat Legacies | Lexington News

Lexington News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Aug 9, 2026 · 1m

A young woman’s curiosity about a steamboat engineer who looked like her grandfather led to a riveting discovery: Elmer L. Henderson, a river rat turned naval hero. Starting as a cub pilot in 1917, he quickly found his true calling behind the engine room controls. From snagboats to sternwheelers, and even a stint on the S.S. ALLOWAY, Elmer’s career was as fluid as the Mississippi. He met his future wife, Clara Ruth, on the RUSSELL LORD, married in 1923, and later spent 32 years with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers — including WWII service in the “Catfish Navy.” Retiring in 1956 as a…