George Emmett Roper -- Riverboat Company Executive

 

 

George Emmett Roper was born on July 11, 1892 in Paducah, Kentucky, the second of four children born to Charles U. Roper and Lucy Dyer Thomas Roper.  George had an older sister, Ida M. Roper who was born in 1889 but died a year later in 1890.  He had another younger sister, Celine Louise Roper who also died at the age of one. She was born in 1912 and died in 1913.  His only sibling to live to adulthood was a brother, Clyde Hale Roper, who was born in 1897. His father, Charles, was a native of Terre Haute, Indiana and worked as a carpenter. His mother, Lucy, was a native of Trigg County, Kentucky and was a housewife.

George grew up in Paducah and began his career working in the coal industry.  He was employed for a number of years with the Pittsburg Coal Company in Paducah.  He later worked with the Southern Coal, Coke and Mine Company in St. Louis. He transferred to New Orleans with the company and became involved with the steamships and tugs used to transport the coal.

George became the president and general manager of the Crown Coal and Towing Company of New Orleans which was incorporated on October 15, 1920.  The company operated tugboats used to tow steamships in the New Orleans harbor.  As head of the company, George was instrumental in purchasing ocean-going tugs that were used during World War I.  These tugs were refurbished and equipped with wireless communication units for use in the New Orleans harbor.

George eventually became president of the River Terminal Corporation of New Orleans.  The company maintained freight service on the Mississippi River and its tributaries.  The River Terminal Corporation had a fleet of 27 barges and several towboats. In 1937, the company christened the "Captain Alphin" which was considered the "last word' at the time in river packets or passenger and freight steamers. This towboat was built under personal direction of Capt. George E. Roper. Captain Roper had piloted the "Captain Alphin" on Its triumphant trip from Paducah down to New Orleans.  He had had 29 years river experience at the time. All rooms on the boat had hot and cold running water. There were electric refrigerators aboard and the latest type of kitchen ranges.  Living quarters on the boat were called "luxurious" by veteran rivermen who were used to the old hard bunks and the plain staterooms of old.

On May 6, 1915, George married Katherine Rebecca Thieleman at the home of the bride’s parents in Paducah. Katherine was native of Paducah and the daughter of John Jacob Thieleman and Sarah Chambers Thieleman.  George and Katherine were the parents of one child, a son, George Emmett Roper, Jr., born in 1917. Although George and Katherine lived the last 20 years of their lives in New Orleans, they made many river trips back to Paducah to visit their families.

George died on September 16, 1942 in New Orleans at the age of 50.  He was buried in the Maplelawn Park Cemetery in Paducah.  Katherine died on January 11, 1977 in Escambia County, Florida at the age of 82.  She was buried in the Maplelawn Park Cemetery next to her husband.

 

George and Katherine Roper tombstone

George Roper tombstone

Katherine Roper tombstone

LINEAGE:  (George Emmett Roper was the son of Charles U. and Lucy Dyre Thomas Roper and the grandson of Albert Dillard and Mary Jonathan Vinson Thomas.  Albert was the second child of Peyton and Sarah L. Ethridge Thomas.  Peyton was the third child of Cullen and Elizabeth Futrell Thomas.  Cullen was the first child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.)