The Mystery of the Lost Captain of Port Washington

In June 1869, Port Washington canal boat captain James Hammersley died mysteriously in Cleveland—was it a tragic accident, or something more sinister?

James Hammersley (1842-1869) was born in January 1842 in Port Washington, Tuscarawas County, Ohio, to farmer Andrew Hammersley (1813-1893) and his wife Catherine Stocker (1816-1884). James was recorded on the 1850 census as living with his mother, siblings, and maternal grandparents on their farm in Port Washington (Andrew’s whereabouts at the time is unknown). When James was 19 years old in September 1861, he enlisted as a musician in the 51st Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, a unit raised at Canal Dover during the early years of the Civil War. While he enlisted for three years, his service was relatively brief, as he mustered out a year later in 1862.

James married Harriet Erma Sperling (1843-1922) in March 1863 in Tuscarawas County, and began a new chapter in his life as a husband and, eventually, a father. James worked on the canal boats that plied the Ohio & Erie Canal and, by June 1869, he had taken command of the canal boat Mazeppa. The Mazeppa transported goods between Tuscarawas County and Cleveland. James’s life, rooted in the working rhythms of rural Ohio, bridged the transition from antebellum farming communities to the growing industrial markets of the postwar era.

On a quiet June night in 1869 along near where the Ohio & Erie Canal crossed under the Merwin Street bridge, James tragically lost his life under mysterious circumstances. James transported a boat full of Tuscarawas County grain to Cleveland and brought his mother along for company on the trip. After unloading his grain, he then loaded the boat with lumber, salt, and merchandise for the return trip to points south. James had just completed loading the Mazeppa for the return trip, when he decided to rest for while on a narrow beam next to the nearby canal lock.

Around 10:00 pm, a cry rang out, drawing the attention of a nearby policeman. Upon arriving at the canal bridge, the officer discovered James Hammersley had fallen into the water and was being pulled out by Captain Seeley of the canal boat Veto. Earlier, Captain Seeley spoke with Hammersley and not long after returning to his own boat, Seeley’s wife heard a sudden splash and spotted a figure in the water. Fearing it was Hammersley, Captain Seeley rushed to the canal with a boat hook. Though James had already sunk beneath the surface, Captain Seeley managed to retrieve his body and, with help, brought it aboard the Mazeppa.

After James’s body was brought aboard the Mazeppa, where his grieving mother sat beside him, they discovered some alarming injuries: a deep gash near the right temple, additional wounds to the head, and severe bruising on his face. These injuries sparked immediate speculation and, while some believed Hammersley had simply fallen and struck his head on the lock’s stone edge, the lack of blood at the scene and the nature of the wounds led others to suspect foul play. Still, no obvious signs of robbery were evident, his money remained untouched, and Hammersley had no known enemies in Cleveland. Three Cleveland law enforcement officers investigated the site but found no conclusive evidence that pointed to either foul play or an accident. Fellow canal boat Captain Adam Miller (1832-1900), also of Port Washington, traveled to Cleveland to personally investigate the circumstances surrounding the drowning of his friend and neighbor. His actions brought broader attention to the suspicious nature of the death.

Hammersley, remembered as a peaceful, industrious, and well-liked man, had arrived in Cleveland earlier that week with a load of grain and had planned to return home the following morning. His mother had joined him on the trip, while his wife and two children waited for him back in Port Washington. His sudden and unexplained death left a community in mourning. A solemn funeral was held in his hometown, where Rev. Uriah Jesse Knisely (1833-1891) delivered a heartfelt sermon. Though the exact cause of death will never be known, the tragedy of James Hammersley left a lasting impression on all who knew him.

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© Noel B. Poirier, 2025.