Thomas Smith McGinnis

 

Cincinnati Enquirer, Sunday, 20 July 1902, page 15

NEWPORT

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas S McGinnis of 824 East Fourth street, will celebrate their golden wedding anniversary tomorrow at their home.  They were married July 20, 1852, at Allegheny and came to Newport April 23, 1853.  They have made this city their home ever since.  Mr. McGinnis early entered the river trade as an engineer, and ran such boats as the Bell Air, the Bostona, the Boone, the Kenton, Daniel Boone, Yorktown and James Parke.

During the Civil War, while in the Government service, he ran on the Champion and Aurora, which latter was blown up by the Confederate forces at Johnsonville Tenn. He was chief engineer for years at the Newport Pike Works.

The aged couple are members of the First Presbyterian Church in Newport.  Of their five children, three are now living, James, Miss Ida M, and George McGinnis, while two, Harry W and J W McGinnis, have passed away.  Mr. George McGinnis was formerly President of the Newport Board of Alderman.

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Cincinnati Enquirer, Friday, 3 November 1905, page 9

NEWPORT

Thomas McGinnis, who is nearing fourscore and ten, is lying at the point of death at his home, Fourth near Overton street. He son, George McGinnis, ex-member of the Board of Aldermen, and wife have arrived from Cleveland and are at his bedside, as is also Prof. James McGinnis, another son.

He is probably the oldest river engineer in this part of the country, having been an engineer on Ohio River steamboats for over 50 years.

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Cincinnati Enquirer, Monday, 6 November 1905, page 7

NEWPORT


Mr. T S McGinnis, one of the oldest river men of this vicinity and a resident of Newport since 1852, died last night, aged 87, at his residence on East Fourth street.  His grandfather came to Kentucky from Virginia with Boone and other pioneers.  Mr. McGinnis ran in the Maysville, Portsmouth and Pittsburg trade as engineer and also in the New Orleans and Red River and the Upper Mississippi.

He served on the Scioto, Bell Air, Bostona, Boone, Kenton, Daniel Boone, Yorktown, James Park and other boats.  During the Civil Aar he served in the Government service on the Champion and Aurora, which latter boat was blown up by the Confederates at Johnsonville Tenn.  For a number of years he was chief engineer at Gaylord's foundry.

He was a member of the Presbyterian Church.  his wife survives him, as do three of his children, Prof James McGinnis, Miss Ida McGinnis, a teacher in the city schools, and George M McGinnis of Cleveland. H W McGinnis of the C H &D Railroad; James McGinnis, of the engineering corps of the same road; Albert N McGinnis of the Interstate Dispatch, and Margaret and Martha McGinnis are his grandchildren.  The funeral will take place on Tuesday.
 

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