Biography
Philomene Daniels, or "Captain Phil", was the first woman in the U.S. to be licensed as Pilot and Master for steamboat navigation. With her husband, Captain Louis Daniels, Jr., she operated the "Daniels Boat Line" on Lake Champlain and on the Otter Creek.
Captain Louis Daniels operated the daily ferry, "The Water Lily", which ran between Vergennes, VT and Westport, NY. Philomene Daniels had about ten years experience at the helm of this craft prior to becoming the first licensed female steamboat captain. Daniels then operated her own boat, "The Little Nellie". While her husband ran the daily ferry, Philomene would often use her ferry to run "excursion trips". On these trips she transported wealthy passengers from Vergennes and Westport to rail connections to New York City to attend the opera and stay up-to-date with the latest fashions. The Daniels Boat Line stopped at all the summer resorts and private landings in the area. On one notable trip in September 1887, Champ, Lake Champlain's legendary lake monster, was reportedly sighted.
When Captain Louis Daniels died in 1903, Philomene Daniels continued to run the business until her son, Mitchell, and his wife, Helen, took over. Helen Daniels became the third female licensed steamboat captain in the U.S. While raising eight children, she took over Philomene's duties for 13 years before the ferry finally became outdated in 1916.Occupation
Steamboat Captain