Canal Boats in Defiance, 1900

It used to be very common to read in the local newspapers of the canal boats coming through the canal into Defiance.  Sometimes they were just passing through; other times, they were taking out timber or grain or delivering supplies of some kind.  
The Crescent-News of June 30, 1900 had this "Marine News:"

"The 'A. Tuttle' passed the locks this morning with 34 cords of wood and the 'Shamrock' with 18000 feet of lumber for Toledo.  Both boats are in charge of Capt. Dolman.

The 'Brooklyn,' Capt. Fisher's craft with 15000 feet of hickory bending timber passed through today enroute for Toledo.

The 'Walbridge' commanded by Capt. Sarah Hammon, brought down twenty-five cords of wood today and is unloading at Monen's brick yards."

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So, were women canal boat captains?  Did they actually run the boats?  In reading A Photo Album of Ohio's Canal Era, 1825 - 1925, the author stated that the rank of captain automatically went to the boat's owner.  So was Sarah the owner and the one in charge on the boat?  Research has led nowhere.  No Sarah Hammon was found who had canal boat captain as an occupation on the 1900 U.S. Census.  A search for The Walbridge also came up nil.

Any help out there?