THE CAPTAIN'S TOMB
By Jay Gravette

During the early to mid 1800's one name was synonymous with the river, Captain Francis "Frank" McHarry. McHarry was one of the leading river businessmen in the Louisville area. Born to Andrew McHarry, an Irish immigrant in the southern Indiana area, McHarrys love of the river seemed only natural.

In the 1820’s the future captain began working construction on various river sites. In the early 1840’s he worked as a toll operator. Later he became a partner in J. Hume and Co. one of the area's leading producers of cement, flour and lime.

In the 1850’s McHarry entered a new trade, the ferry business, by purchasing the Portland - New Albany Ferry. Due to his company’s dependence on the river it was said that as the new burgeoning steamboat trade grew so did McHarry’s anger and hostility. He felt that the wakes from the steam boats rocked his ferry’s and frightened the animals and people aboard.

It was an anger that McHarry took to his grave in 1857. This is also when McHarry’s "anger" achieved legendary status. The tomb in which he was laid to rest was to be vertical. Some say it was so that McHarry could look out over his beloved Ohio river. Others say is was done so the captain could curse the passing riverboats as well as the bridges crossing the river. This seems unlikely as the first bridge was not constructed until 1870. His curse stated the "anyone who sees my grave will not make it back to the shore and the river would be their home". Of course his grave sits on a bluff over looking the river. In the 1930's the trees around the tomb were cut back, allowing much easier viewing.

Although no documentation exists to support the Captains legendary "anger", steamer cruise directors of the 1920's and 30's traveling the Ohio, took pleasure in relating and often "embellishing" the tale of Captain Francis McHarry and his cursed tomb.
 

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