I would like to thank Michael Marleau for his research and resulting
article in the latest Mark Twain Journal. He fills what I have always
felt was a gap in Sam's riverboat history. It had seemed strange to me
that, considering Sam's adventurous spirit, he didn't explore the
Missouri River when Bixby decided to learn it. He may not have wanted
to "learn it" but I would be surprised if he did not want to see it.
Life on the Mississippi leaves one with the feeling that most of Sam's
training to be a pilot was under the tutelage of Horace Bixby, when in
fact only his introduction to steering and his final graduation to
piloting were with Bixby. Starting with the John J. Roe, Sam's boats
each had different pilots that Sam would steer for.
I've edited my page on the D.A. January to reflect this new research.