A Raft Pilot's Log cont. Some of the Men Prominent in the Rafting Industry,1840-1915 229 COLONEL E.W. DURANT Edward Durant was prominently connected with the rafting business almost from the beginning. He was born at Roxbury, Massachusetts, April 8,1829. The family moved first to Cincinnati and then to Sterling, Illinois, and in 1843 to Albany, Illinois. When about eighteen, Captain Stephen Hanks took young Durant with him as cook and clerk on floating rafts. He soon dropped the cooking part and gave serious attention to learning the river, made rapid progress and very soon began piloting rafts himself. About 1867 he formed a partnership with another young pilot called Jack Hanford and they took contracts to run logs and lumber with Stillwater, Minnesota, as their home port. Always progressive they early began using boats to shove and handle their rafts. In 1869, they had the side-wheelers 'Julia Hadley' and 'Viola.' Durant also took up the selling of logs and lumber and no one could beat him at this. Jack hanford was killed by getting caught in the geared machinery of the 'Julia Hadley.' Then R.J. Wheeler joined the firm with the fine towboat 'Louisville' and they bought the 'Robert Semple,' another Ohio river towboat. Then in 1877, Captain A.T. Jenks entered with the 'Bro.Jonathan' and the style of the firm was changed to Durant Wheeler and Company. The firm had a successful career and extended its business until 1880 it had a boat yard where it built several fine raft-boats, including the 'R.J. W' heeler,' 'Netta Durant,' 'Daisy,' 'Pauline,' and 'Dispatch.' It also had a big interest in South Stillwater Lumber Company, the Lumbermans National Bank and owned the fine new opera House. Captain Durant had excellent ideas about building 230 boats and had excellent taste in finishing them so they all looked like June brides. He gave a lot of time to public affairs, showing a great interest in his h ome city andhis state; was active in politics and got the title of Colonal in recognition of his party service. He was an influential member of the Masonic and K. of P. Lodges and also the Old Settlers Association of the saint Croix Valley. They had one boat built on the Ohio river, called first 'A.T. Jenks,' later the 'Ed Durant,Jr.' She had the same power but was not as good a boat in any way as those they built in their own yard. He was a genial, jolly, courteous gentleman of the old school. I knew him best when he was up in the eighties, ripe and mellow with age, full of fun and interested in everything. He left us December 9, 1918, after a long and pleasant voyage.