If you are still interested, I have a very well documented story about how Jeremiah Kendall and Lewis Wetzel built a flatboat at Wheeling, WV and floated down "Old Man River" to New Orleans. At one point they were attacked by Indians.....it's a really great story. Time frame is about 1805 or so. Let me know if you would be interested.

-Lynette (Salsbury) Greenwald

PS
Have you ever seen "How The West Was Won"? There is scene in the beginning in which the family is going down the river on a flatboat and capsizes in rapids. It is actually, what I think, is the worst part of the movie, but it is supposed to be in Ohio :)