OBITUARY: HENDERSON DAILY GLEANER, Henderson, KY, Saturday, 11 Jan 1919, page 1:
JACK W. BODINE
DIES SUDDENLY
Stricken With Pneumonia Friday,
Lives Only Short Time
WAS WELL KNOWN
Jack W. Bodine, aged 43, well known citizen of Henderson, died at 11:00 o'clock last night at the city hospital of double pneumonia, his death being very sudden. Mr. Bodine had been complaining of feeling badly for several days, but it was not until Friday afternoon that he became sufficiently ill to take to his bed. He summoned a physician who pronounced his condition as serious, and he was removed to the city hospital at 5:00 o'clock. He gradually grew weaker and passed away an hour before midnight. The news of his death will be a profound shock to numerous friends. Mr. Bodine was one of the best known men in the city. At the time of his death, he was engaged in the real estate business and farming. He was formerly city tax collector and a number of years ago was a member of the grocery firm of Posey, Robinson & Bodine, on Second street. He was one of the owners of the excursion boat John S. Hopkins, which burned in the mouth of the Green river about two years ago. He also owned a large, well-developed farm on the Smith Mills road. He was unmarried and is survived by one sister, Mrs. C. M. Martin, of Greenville, who was notified of his death and will arrive in the city today.
Funeral services will be conducted Sunday afternoon by the Elk's lodge, of which he was a leading member. Complete details will be announced later.
HENDERSON DAILY GLEANER, Henderson, KY, Sunday, 12 Jan 1919, page 2:
FUNERAL OF JACK
W. BODINE TODAY
Elks Will Have Charge Of
Funeral - Services at Home
Of J. Dee Collins
The funeral services of Jack W. Bodine, well known citizen, who died suddenly Friday night of pneumonia, will be held Sunday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock at the home of J. D. Collins on Elm street. The Elks will have charge of the funeral, Rev. Thos. Cummins, officiating. The pallbearers will be: James B. Johnson, Thomas Mason, W. B. Jennings, Chas. Held, J. D. Collins, and W. A. Reichert.
HENDERSON DAILY GLEANER, Henderson, KY, Tuesday, 14 Jan 1919, page 3: JACK W. BODINE
The last sad rites over the body of Jack W. Bodine were said Monday. The services were conducted at the home of John D. Collins on Elm street, by the Elks with Rev. Thomas Cummins officiating. Interment was in Fernwood. Many friends of the deceased attended the funeral and the grave was heaped with floral offerings.
TOMBSTONE INSCRIPTION: Fernwood Cemetery, Henderson, Henderson Co., KY, plot no. 585. The tombstone inscription reads: Jackson W. Bodine, 1875 - 1919
DEATH RECORD: The Henderson County Library, Henderson, KY, has microfiche copies of Kentucky Vital Statistics relating to Henderson County. Included in these records is a death record for Jackson W. Bodine with the following information:
Age: 43 Marital status: Single
Occupation: Real estate dealer Buried: Fernwood Cemetery
Date of death: 10 Jan 1919 Cause of death: Heart trouble
Place of birth: Union Co., KY Residence: Henderson, KY
Place of death: Hospital By whom reported: W. W. Wilson
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES: Henderson, KY, City Directory 1899-1900, page 38:
Bodine Hattie E. widow Robt. W. res 706 2d
Bodine John W. (Robinson & B.) res 706 2d
Bodine Louise S. res 706 2d
--Henderson, KY, City Directory 1899-1900, page 187:
Robinson & Bodine 717 2d
--Henderson, KY, City Directory 1909, page 118:
Bodine J W real estate 107 1/2 N Main
The following information regarding a steamboat of which Jack Bodine was at one time a part owner was provided by Louie DeCar, Madison, IN:
JOHN S. HOPKINS - Sternwheeler packet, wood hull. Built at Sewickley, Pennsylvania (hull only), and completed at Pittsburgh, 1880. 200x35.5x6. Engines, 16's - 7 ft. Three boilers, each 44" by 20 ft. Owned by Evansville, Paducah and Cairo Mail Line. Run by Capts. Joe and Dick Fowler and others. Damaged by fire in 1882, and rebuilt at Cincinnati. Capt. H. C. Gilbert, Evansvile, was her master many years, with W. D. Newbill, Clerk. Sam G. Smith went Clerk of her November 1905. Capt. J. B. Thompson, Evansville, converted her into an excursion boat in April 1912. Burned, laid up in Green River, January 1917. Most of her years, ran Evansville-Paducah. (Authority: Ways Packet Directory, 1848-1983, Capt. Frederick Way, Jr.)
Further information regarding the steamboat JOHN S. HOPKINS comes from the HENDERSON DAILY JOURNAL, Henderson, KY, Friday, 12 Jan 1917:
STEAMER HOPKINS BURNED TO
WATER'S EDGE IN GREEN RIVER
There will be no more excursions on the steamer John S. Hopkins in the future. Between 4 and 5 o'clock Thursday afternoon this beautiful excursion steamer burned to the water's edge and sank in Green river six miles below Spottville. The steamer had been taken into Green river to get clear of the ice some weeks ago. It was tied up just above the mouth of Race creek, together with the Evansville wharf and several small derrick boats.
All these, it is understood, were saved, while the beautiful steamer owned and operated by H. F. Dade, Jr., Jack Bodine and George Ragan, all of this county, was destroyed by (unreadable due to scratch on microfilm) The value of the boat could not be learned, as both Mr. Dade and Mr. Ragan were out of the city. It is said the boat was worth from $25,000 to $30,000. It was insured for $20,000.
The John S. Hopkins was built in 1884 for service in the packet trade between Evansville and Paducah by the Evansville and Paducah Packet Company, of which the late Capt. John Gilbert was president and Capt. Harry Gilbert commanded her up to the time of the dissolution of the Packet company about five years ago, when the Hopkins and companion boat, Joe Fowler, were purchased by Messrs. George Ragan and Archibald Hollerbach, the latter disposing of his interest to Mr. Ragan several months later.
Mr. Ragan then formed a company and entered the Hopkins in the excursion trade between Evansville and Henderson. The splendidly arranged cabins and other accomodations quickly won favor with the public and she soon became the most popular excursion boat on the lower Ohio. Making four excursion trips every Sunday besides being in demand by faternal organizations and churches, she built up a profitable business and was operated regularly during the year except when compelled to retire of account of ice.
About a year ago her hull was rebuilt on the marine ways at Mound City and other improvements were made at an expense of about $15,000. During her retirement in the ice harbor in Green river, H. F. Dade, manager of the company, has been engaged in repainting and placing her in order for the coming season's business and Mr. Dade, who was in the city Wednesday, stated that he expected to bring the boat out for resumption of business Sunday.
Capt. Jeff Watkins, one of the stockholders of the company, stated last night that he and his associates had already agreed to take steps to secure a boat to take the place of the Hopkins for the trade temporarily, until a suitable steamer can be purchased or built to replace the old favorite.
The Joe Fowler, the companion boat to the Hopkins, was sold several years ago to Pope Brothers, of Parkersburg, West Virginia.