Vintage duck boats: Robert Elliston

Donna Tonelli

New member
Have an old Robert Elliston letterhead that states he built boats and William Hazelton referred to him as " the best boat and decoy builder on the Illinois River" in his book, Days Among the Ducks. Does anyone have any information an Elliston boat.
 
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In the 40 years I have been collecting duck boats I have never come across an Elliston boat. No doubt he had the skills and it is possible . Ive owned a Perdew boat and a Graves boat , both metal sided doublenders. In a conversation I had with Charles H. Perdew in his shop,he told me there was no money in making boats with the backlog of decoy orders. I would think Elliston spent most of his efforts on decoys as well.
 
Bob; There is a photo of Charlie Perdew standing on the 'Margurite'. I'm sure you have seen it: It is in the Perdew book by Tandy Lacey. I have copy in Illinois but we are in SD now. Will post it here when we get back in a couple of weeks.
When visited with Elliston's daughter, Margurite she said Charlie and Edna were always visiting her parents. A Elliston letterhead says he was a 'manufacturer of fine decoys and hunting boats.' Hazelton described him as " the best boat and decoy builder on the Illinois River" in his book, Days Among the Ducks.
The letterhead also states he had a factory in Henry. I suspect that young Charlie Perdew worked for Elliston and Elliston built the "Margurite" . I could be wrong but I am researching this idea for an article I am writing for Decoy Magazine
 
He was associated with Undercliff Sportsmens Association, But I doubt if he worked as a pusher.
quote from Article I am working
The reporter mentioned that Elliston "later would be pusher" (at the Undercliff club). This is doubtful: since Hazelton included this Elliston quote in his Days Among the Ducks. " My name is Elliston. I build boats and decoys at Putman." ( Elliston's house set between Putman and Bureau on the river road.) " Today I went out for a little duck shooting myself. I do not go out very often, but seeing a lot of Chicago hunters come in every day with many ducks was too much of a temptation for me and I thought I would try it myself."
 
Tom he died in dec 10, 1915. I believe he probably made all kinds of hunting and pleasure boat. See my reply to Bob Welsh.
 
I?m familiar with that photo in the Perdew book of Charlie and Edna?s pleasure boat. While Robert Elliston was living at Undercliff on Lake Senechwine he sure had access to the duck clubs nearby as well as visiting hunters at the hotel there. From what I have read(including articles you wrote) he was an enterprising man and if the market for boats was there he would be in it.
Perdew letterhead and advertising included boats as well as duck and crow decoys and calls for those birds.
The boat production according to his son was not very large.
Tube Dawson of Putnam ,IL is said to have been a skiff builder as well but I have not seen a documented example of his skiffs
Unlike the great decoys that that have been preserved for us the boats for the most part have all rotted away.
Hope this helps
 
Somewhere in my files I have a pencil sketch that Perdew layout for a duck boat. I find it for you when I get home. Also have several images of Perdew boat used at Swan Lake club. If I ever get enough info on Elliston's boat style, I am guess there is one among the other duck skifts they have.
 
Hi Donna -

In one of you notes you mention he had a factory in Henry and I see you are now in South Dakota. You wouldn?t be referring to Henry South Dakota by chance? If so I am going to be in DeSmet SD in a couple of weeks and it is near Henry DS. I could go over to Henry and ask around if you like. It will give me something to do.

Mark
 
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Years ago I brought my Perdew skiff to Pheasant Run and had it on display . Mine came from SLC and branded so on the gunnel. I took the lines off the boat and they are in the shop somewhere. The wide bottom board was special ordered and sent to the lumberyard in Henry and the ribs(frames) were elm. He looked for the natural bend in the tree to conform to the shape of the hull. The shear strake was wood that he fastened to the boat and was flat. Galvanized tin was used to fill in the curvature of the hull between bottom board and shear strake. He overlapped the tin about an inch and fastens with a million brads. Unfortunately those brads were steel and rusted causing leaks over the years .
 
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