Wells Family - Person Sheet
Wells Family - Person Sheet
NameCaptain Walter Henry Karnath 
Birth21 May 1908, Fountain City, Buffalo Co, WI
Death26 Dec 1985, Rochester, Olmstead Co, MN
BurialFountain City Cem, Fountain City, Buffalo Co, WI
FatherCaptain Rudolph Jacob Karnath (1875-1961)
MotherIda Gottlieb Bensel (1879-1967)
Misc. Notes
His birth record from the church lists his name as Walter Heinrich.
After a poor performance in school, Walter was told by his parents that if he quit school that he would have to move out. He left school after the eighth grade.
In 1958 he opened Karnath Tug Service out of Winona, Minnesota. He was distinguished as one of the best captains of riverboat traffic on the Mississippi River. He established records for piloting the most number of barges up and down the river, and was certainly a legend in his time.
Married Ruth Doris Miller (1917-1997) and had 3 daughters and 2 sons.
[Obituary] The Winona Daily News - Saturday, 28 December 1985, pg 4
Walter H. Karnath, 77. of 776 Terrace Lane, died Thursday (Dec. 26, 1985) at Saint Marys Hospital, Rochester, Minn. He was born May 21, 1908 at Fountain City, Wis., to Rudolph J. and Ida Bensel Karnath. He married Doris Miller on Feb. 1, 1941, in Minneapolis, and the couple had lived in Winona since 1943. He worked on riverboats since he was 14. receiving his Master Pilot's license when he was 21. He was the youngest pilot so licensed. He worked on a variety of river steamers, and he owned and operated a tugboat service in Winona from 1957 to 1967 with the tug Invincible. He appeared in a variety of newspaper, magazine, and television features. He was a member of the McKinley United Methodist Church, the Masonic Lodge 18. the Rochester Scottish Rite Bodies, the Sons and Daughters of Pioneer Rivermen. and the American Sternwheeler Association. He was a founding member of the National Rivers Hall of Fame and the Midwest River Buffs. Survivors include his wife; three daughters. Mrs. Enrique (Jeane M.) Carrillo of Seattle. Mrs. William (Ruth A.) Block of Apple Valley. Minn., and Susan Karnath of Winona; two sons. James W. of Chesapeake. Va., and Richard J. of Winona: five grandchildren; and a sister, Mrs. Elmer (Beata) Loken of Grand Rapids, Minn. Three brothers and a sister have died. Funeral services will be at noon Monday at McKinley United Methodist Church, the Rev. Kathy Arnold officiating. Burial will be in the Fountain City Public Cemetery in the spring. Friends may call at the Fawcett Funeral Home after 7 p.m. Sunday and after 11 a.m. Monday at the church. The Masonic Lodge 18 will conduct a service at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Pallbearers will be Andrew Giversen. Kenneth Stock, William Block, Nigel Stoneburg, Michael Herzberg. and Harold Strelow. Memorials may be directed to the National Rivers Hall of Fame or the McKinley United Methodist Church.
After a poor performance in school, Walter was told by his parents that if he quit school that he would have to move out. He left school after the eighth grade.
In 1958 he opened Karnath Tug Service out of Winona, Minnesota. He was distinguished as one of the best captains of riverboat traffic on the Mississippi River. He established records for piloting the most number of barges up and down the river, and was certainly a legend in his time.
Married Ruth Doris Miller (1917-1997) and had 3 daughters and 2 sons.
[Obituary] The Winona Daily News - Saturday, 28 December 1985, pg 4
Walter H. Karnath, 77. of 776 Terrace Lane, died Thursday (Dec. 26, 1985) at Saint Marys Hospital, Rochester, Minn. He was born May 21, 1908 at Fountain City, Wis., to Rudolph J. and Ida Bensel Karnath. He married Doris Miller on Feb. 1, 1941, in Minneapolis, and the couple had lived in Winona since 1943. He worked on riverboats since he was 14. receiving his Master Pilot's license when he was 21. He was the youngest pilot so licensed. He worked on a variety of river steamers, and he owned and operated a tugboat service in Winona from 1957 to 1967 with the tug Invincible. He appeared in a variety of newspaper, magazine, and television features. He was a member of the McKinley United Methodist Church, the Masonic Lodge 18. the Rochester Scottish Rite Bodies, the Sons and Daughters of Pioneer Rivermen. and the American Sternwheeler Association. He was a founding member of the National Rivers Hall of Fame and the Midwest River Buffs. Survivors include his wife; three daughters. Mrs. Enrique (Jeane M.) Carrillo of Seattle. Mrs. William (Ruth A.) Block of Apple Valley. Minn., and Susan Karnath of Winona; two sons. James W. of Chesapeake. Va., and Richard J. of Winona: five grandchildren; and a sister, Mrs. Elmer (Beata) Loken of Grand Rapids, Minn. Three brothers and a sister have died. Funeral services will be at noon Monday at McKinley United Methodist Church, the Rev. Kathy Arnold officiating. Burial will be in the Fountain City Public Cemetery in the spring. Friends may call at the Fawcett Funeral Home after 7 p.m. Sunday and after 11 a.m. Monday at the church. The Masonic Lodge 18 will conduct a service at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Pallbearers will be Andrew Giversen. Kenneth Stock, William Block, Nigel Stoneburg, Michael Herzberg. and Harold Strelow. Memorials may be directed to the National Rivers Hall of Fame or the McKinley United Methodist Church.
Spouses
Birth16 Dec 1917, Minneapolis, Hennepin Co, MN
Death12 Apr 1997, Winona, Winona Co, MN
MemoCERTID# 1997-MN-012268
BurialFountain City Cem, Fountain City, Buffalo Co, WI
Misc. Notes
[Obituary]
R. Doris Karnath Dec. 16, 1917 - April 12. 1997
WINONA - R. Doris Karnath, 79, formerly of 766 Terrace Lane, died Saturday, April 12, 1997, in the C&R unit of Community Memorial Hospital, Winona. She was bom Dec. 16, 1917, in Minneapolis to Ervin and Clara (Carlson) Miller. She attended the University of Minnesota, studying Home Economics. She married Capt Walter H. Karnath of Fountain City, Wis., on Feb. 1, 1941, in Minneapolis. They later moved to Winona. After raising five children, she worked for many years at William's Glass House. Doris was a very active member of McKinley United Methodist Church and a member of Winona Chapter 141 Order of Eastern Star. What Doris enjoyed most was being a rrverboat pilot's wife. Doris will be missed by her children; James, Columbus of Ohio, Capt Richard J. of Winona, the Rev. Jean Carrillo of Minneapolis, Ruth A. (William) Block of Apple Valley and Susan (Randy) Murphy of Fountain City, Wis.; five grandchildren, Lorelei (Daniel) Evans, Kendra (Anderson) Gray, Jasori Gorsha, Jared and Sarah Block; two greatgrandchildren, Daniel and Elizabeth Evans; and three brothers, her twin brother Richard (Anita) Miller, John Miller and William (Stacey) Miller, all of the Twin Cities area. Her husband preceded her in death Dec. 26, 1985, as has a sister, Ann Dorothy. A memorial service will be held at 12 p.m- Wednesday at McKinley United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Shirley Duncanson officiating. Interment in Fountain City Public Cemetery. Friends may call at the Fawcett Funeral Home Tuesday from 6-8 p.m.
R. Doris Karnath Dec. 16, 1917 - April 12. 1997
WINONA - R. Doris Karnath, 79, formerly of 766 Terrace Lane, died Saturday, April 12, 1997, in the C&R unit of Community Memorial Hospital, Winona. She was bom Dec. 16, 1917, in Minneapolis to Ervin and Clara (Carlson) Miller. She attended the University of Minnesota, studying Home Economics. She married Capt Walter H. Karnath of Fountain City, Wis., on Feb. 1, 1941, in Minneapolis. They later moved to Winona. After raising five children, she worked for many years at William's Glass House. Doris was a very active member of McKinley United Methodist Church and a member of Winona Chapter 141 Order of Eastern Star. What Doris enjoyed most was being a rrverboat pilot's wife. Doris will be missed by her children; James, Columbus of Ohio, Capt Richard J. of Winona, the Rev. Jean Carrillo of Minneapolis, Ruth A. (William) Block of Apple Valley and Susan (Randy) Murphy of Fountain City, Wis.; five grandchildren, Lorelei (Daniel) Evans, Kendra (Anderson) Gray, Jasori Gorsha, Jared and Sarah Block; two greatgrandchildren, Daniel and Elizabeth Evans; and three brothers, her twin brother Richard (Anita) Miller, John Miller and William (Stacey) Miller, all of the Twin Cities area. Her husband preceded her in death Dec. 26, 1985, as has a sister, Ann Dorothy. A memorial service will be held at 12 p.m- Wednesday at McKinley United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Shirley Duncanson officiating. Interment in Fountain City Public Cemetery. Friends may call at the Fawcett Funeral Home Tuesday from 6-8 p.m.
Marriage1 Feb 1941, Minneapolis, Hennepin Co, MN
ChildrenJames Walter “Jim” (1942-2019)
Susan Doris (1949-2020)