History of the Great Lakes

Vol. 2 by J.B. Mansfield
Published Chicago: J.H. Beers & Co. 1899

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CAPTAIN EDWARD BABCOCK

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

Captain Edward Babcock, an old and widely-known lake mariner, was born in Painesville, Ohio, in 1833. He attended the public schools of his native town until 1847, when he commenced his lake career as boy on the schooner Nebraska, with Capt. Normal Richmond, the following season serving on the schooner Matt Root, and in the spring of 1849 shipping as seaman on his first boat, the Nebraska, with Captain Blanchard. On the 2d of July they came up to the bark Sunshine, which had capsized in a squall; the captain and mate were drowned, and the Nebraska picked up the captain’s wife, the second mate and five of the crew. In 1850 Captain Babcock shipped on the scow I. C. Pendleton with Capt. David Becker, who lost his life a few years ago, his vessel having taken fire off St. Catharines, Ontario. In the spring of 1851 he shipped as seaman on the brig Iroquois; in 1852-53 in the scow E. L. Herrick; in 1854-55 in the schooner Nebraska, as second mate; in 1856-57 in the schooner Goodell, with Capt. Ras Herrington; in 1858-59 as second mate on the steamer E. B. Hale. In the spring of 1860 he was appointed second mate of the brig Iroquois, and remained on her until May 20, 1861, when she was laid up at Cleveland. Captain Babcock then enlisted in the Twenty-third O. V. I., serving with that regiment eighteen months, and participating in all the encounters in which it was engaged, including the battles at Island No. 10 and Vicksburg. In 1862 he was transferred to the navy, and was promoted to captain of the aftguard of the man-of-war Metacomet, a side-wheel, double-end steamer, which he joined at Mobile. He was with this boat in the engagements at Mobile and New Orleans, and remained on her until the expiration of his three years’ term of enlistment, when he re-enlisted for another three years, being assigned boatswain to the man-of-war Michigan, under command of Captain Jewett. He served in that position until the close of 1866, and the year following was appointed boatswain of the revenue cutter Commodore Perry, Capt. D. O. Ottinger commanding, on which he remained two years.

In the spring of 1869 Captain Babcock shipped on the schooner Harvest Home. In 1870-71 he engaged in the fishing business out of Erie, Penn., and in 1872-73 he was again boatswain of the cutter Commodore Perry. In 1874 he joined the life-saving service as surfman, at Erie, remaining there two seasons, and in that time assisted in the rescue of the crews of the schooner Beels Thompson, which was burned off that port, and the barge St. Joseph. Removing to Cleveland, Captain Babcock there engaged in occupation ashore two years, but in 1878 he joined the Cleveland life-saving service as surfman, and during his connection with same participated in the rescue of the crews of the schooners Moonlight, Baldwin and Cossack. In the spring of 1879 he engaged in the fishing business out of the port of Cleveland, continuing same until, in the fall of 1884, he entered the employ of the Smith Tug Company as watchman, remaining there one year. The following year he engaged as night watchman for the three tug lines, the Black, Red and Independent, serving in that capacity about four years, following which, for another four years, he was watchman for the Red Stack line. In the spring of 1895 he entered the employ of the Cleveland Tug Company as night manager which position he yet retains.

Captain Babcock is an ardent member of Stedman Post, G. A. R. In 1872 he was united in marriage to Miss Emily Gibson, of Erie, Penn., who died in September, 1895.

CAPTAIN GEORGE FRANCIS BABCOCK

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

Captain George Francis Babcock is the only original keeper appointed by the United States Government to the life-saving service on the lakes in the Ninth District, when the Cox bill providing for a paid life-saving service first became a law, and he had been for years previous to that in command of a volunteer life-saving crew. He is a man in every way qualified to fulfill the hazardous and oftentimes dangerous duties of his calling. He is stationed at Fairport, Ohio, a locality often subject to the fiercest tempests, and visited by any of the ore and coal carriers, a combination which requires him to be ever on the alert.

The Captain was born in Fairport, December 20, 1845, and is a son of Joseph and Mary Ann (Allen) Babcock. Previous to the construction of the railroad in Fairport, his father kept a grocery and supply store near the docks, and supplied the emigrants (who, on their way west on the steamer, usually put in at that port) with provisions, etc., and carried on quite a lucrative trade. The mother was born in Pennsylvania, and was of Scotch descent. The grandparents on the paternal side were Daniel and Thankful Babcock, and located at Painesville among the earliest pioneers. They purchased and cleared up a large tract of land. During the war of 1812 great ill feeling existed between the whites and Indians, and several massacres occurred on the island contiguous to Fairport. Daniel Babcock owned a small boat which he used for fishing, and on one occasion when an Indian outbreak was threatened, he conveyed many of the islanders to Cleveland. Many of those who could not thus get passage were killed by the Indians.

Captain Babcock, the subject of this article, acquired such education as the public schools afforded in his boyhood days, working meanwhile on his father's farm, which consisted of three hundred acres. It was in 1863 that he began sailing, his first berth being in the little schooner Vermont as boy, making but one round trip that season. The next spring he shipped in the brig Sultan, but left her in July to help his father get in the harvest, expecting to rejoin her before she sailed again. When he reached Cleveland she had sailed, which was perhaps fortunate for him, as the brig was lost that trip with all hands except Lee Speers, the mate, who afterward became captain in Alva Bradley's employ. In the spring of 1865 Captain Babcock shipped in the schooner E. C. Roberts with Captain Andrews, closing the season in the scow Marion Dixon. The other vessels in which he sailed were the schooners Industry, Frankie Wilcox, Algerine, J. C. Hills, Indianola, of which he was second mate, the Colorado and H. A. Lamars, of which he was mate. He then started in the fishing business out of Fairport, in which he succeeded in losing the money invested, and again went sailing.

In 1871 Captain Babcock was appointed assistant to the government light keeper at Fairport harbor, holding that position seven years. He then purchased two boats and again essayed the fishing business, which continued fairly profitable. In 1876 the life saving station was built at Fairport and Capt. D. P. Dobbins tendered him the office of keeper, thus making him keeper of both the lighthouse and life saving station, operating the latter with a volunteer crew for some time. During the twenty-two years that the Captain has been employed in the life saving service, he and his crew have been instru-mental in rescuing over three hundred people on vessels he has gone out to relieve with his crew. The values of vessels, which are too numerous to name in this article, if computed would reach over $3,000,000. One on occasion when the Captain was obliged to make four trips in order to get the perishing crew he broke one of his feet, and it required the utmost fortitude to continue the good work. The Captain keeps a record of all events occurring about his station with the utmost exactitude, and makes a neat daily report in typewriting to the Superintendent of the District.

Fraternally he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of the Foresters and of the Independent Order of Good Templars.

Captain Babcock was wedded to Miss Alice Warren, of Fairport (but a native of Roxton Falls, Canada), on February 2, 1875. The wife's father and three brothers took an honorable part in the Civil War. She died June 10, 1894. The children born to this union were: Eva, David J., Seth W. (who was drowned when six years old), and George F. Captain Babcock has spent the best years of his life in the cause of humanity, and as he has done his work well it is safe to say that he has a clear conscience.

W. I. BABCOCK

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

W.I. Babcock, the efficient manager of the Chicago Ship Building Company, is a finished scholar and a man of national reputation as a naval architect and ship-builder. He has the right to contemplate with pride the many finely constructed steamers that he has designed and launched, some of which have been noted for their speed, and others for their stanch sea-going qualities. Mr. Babcock was born in Stonington, Conn., in 1858, a son of Capt. David S. and Charlotte (Noyes) Babcock, who in 1866 removed to Brooklyn, N. Y., where our subject had the advantage of the excellent public-school system, graduating from School No. 11, in 1872. He then attended the Brooklyn Collegiate and Polytechnic Institute, graduating in 1876 with the degree of B. S., and two years later he was granted the degree of civil engineer by the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, of Troy, N. Y., from which he graduated.

In 1878 Mr. Babcock became connected with the Morgan Iron Works, of New York, in the machine shop and as draughtsman, remaining with them until the next year, when he became assistant engineer of the Tehuantepec Inter Ocean Railroad Company, in Mexico. In 1880 he was engaged as draughtsman at Roach's shipyard, Chester, Penn., and remained with that concern five years. He was then called to New York to become assistant to the president of the Providence & Stonington Steamship Co., retaining that office two years. It was in 1887 that Mr. Babcock accepted the position of superintendent of the Union Dry dock Company at Buffalo, N.Y., and during the two years he remained with that corporation he designed and constructed several steamers notable for their beauty and speed. In 1889 he accepted the office of manager of the Chicago Shipbuilding Company, and during the ten years that he has directed affairs the company has built some of the finest and largest steel vessels that traverse the lakes. Since October, 1897, they have launched three fine vessels. The towbarges Australia, build for James Corrigan of Cleveland, and the Maia, for the Minnesota Steamship Company, have each a 376-foot keel, 48-foot beam, 26 feet deep, and a gross tonnage of 3,745.17, and a net tonnage of 3,467.89, while the steamer William R. Linn, built for C.W. Elphicke and others, of Chicago, has a 400-foot keel, 48-foot beam, is 28 feet deep, and has a gross tonnage of 4,328.71, and a net tonnage of 3,196.99. The Chicago Shipbuilding Company was organized in December, 1889, under the laws of Illinois, by certain Chicago parties, and parties connected with the Globe Iron Works, of Cleveland, Ohio. The first officers were J.F. Pankhurst, president; W.I. Babcock, manager; Luther Allen, vice-president and treasurer; and J.H. Craig, secretary. In 1892 the Cleveland stock was purchased by Chicago men, and Emmons Blaine became president; W. F. Cobb, vice-president and treasurer; O.R. Sinclair, secretary; and W.I. Babcock, manager. After the death of Mr. Blaine, in the summer of 1892, William L. Brown became president, the other officers remaining unchanged, and all these hold their respective positions.

The societies of which Mr. Babcock is a member are of a high order, and comprise the American Society of Naval Engineers, United States Naval Institute, Society of Naval Architects & Marine Engineers, and Institution of Naval Architects, of London, England.

In 1890 Mr. Babcock was united in marriage to Miss Grace W. Kernochan,daughter of Hon. Henry P. Kernochan, of Louisiana, and one son, Irving, has been born to them.

FREDERICK A. BAILEY

Frederick A. Bailey, son of Capt. Joshua Bailey, is a well known steamboat master, and for the season of 1899 has been appointed to the steamer Mariska, of the Minnesota Steamship Company. Socially, he is a Master Mason of Ely Lodge, in Vermilion, and a member of the Ship Masters Association, carrying Pennant No. 958. Capt. Frederick A. Bailey was united by marriage to Miss Marie Martin, of Vermilion, Ohio, the ceremony taking place on September 24, 1890. One son, Charles Albert, has been born to them. Both father and son have fine modern-built homesteads in Vermilion, Ohio.

CAPTAIN JOSHUA BAILEY

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

Captain Joshua Bailey, who has had quite as varied an experience as any master mariner on the lakes, and who carries his three-score years in a happy way, his good nature being proverbial, was born in Whitby, Ontario, August 28, 1839, a son of James and Rebecca (Ferguson) Bailey. His father was a native of the North of Ireland, while his mother was of English birth. They removed to Canada about the year 1824, locating at Whitby, where they purchased a farm and where they both passed to a better world. Capt. Joshua and John Bailey are twins, and the mother died in giving them birth in 1839.

Capt. Joshua Bailey attended the schools in Whitby a short time, but when eleven years old ran away from home and shipped as cook on the schooner Paragon, Capt. Abraham Fairwell. The next year, 1851, he went before the mast on the schooner Duke of Darlington. On July 4, she capsized off the Highlands of Toronto, her cargo, consisting of forty-five tons of pig iron, having shifted; all of the crew were drowned except Captain Bailey, who succeeded in getting on the yawl, which was floating bottom side up, in which precarious position he passed the entire night. He was rescued the next morning, however, by the steamer Magnet, Capt. Towig, of Toronto. His next berth was before the mast on the schooner James Leslie, closing the season on the schooner New Haven, with Capt. George Stone, with whom he sailed at various times for seventeen years. In the spring of 1852 he shipped on the Canadian barks Alice and Fawn, and, after the latter was stranded, on the schooner Ellington until October, after which he transferred to the schooners Thornton, Lewis Wells, and S. Robinson. In 1853 he shipped on the schooner Queen City, Capt. George Stone, and that winter kept ship and remained with her seven years, making a winter voyage, however, in 1858, from New York to Liverpool, in the Three Bells, of Glasgow, finally reaching the position of mate.

In the spring of 1862, Capt. Joshus Bailey was appointed master of the schooner F.T. Barney, which he sailed seven years. In 1869 he joined the scow Wellhouse as pilot for one trip, but closed the season as mate of the bark Coyne, going the next spring with Capt. E.C. Roberts, until June, when he was appointed master of the schooner William B. Ogden. In the spring of 1871 he joined the schooner Escanaba as mate, remaining until the Nellie Redington came out new, when he was appointed to her two seasons, making a last trip, however, in 1872. His next berth was on the new steamer E.B. Hale as mate, retaining that office six years, and in 1879 he was appointed master of the schooner Escanaba; but, after sailing her successfully for five years, she stranded on Gull Island Reef on June 18, 1883. The Captain was then transferred to the schooner J.F. Card as master. His next vessel was the schooner Joseph Paige, on which he went as mate; but in September he joined the steamer R. J. Hackett in a like capacity. In the spring of 1885 Captain Bailey became mate of the steamer A. Everett with Capt. Albert Meyers, retaining that position three years. Then followed three seasons, during which time he was mate, a season each, of the steamers Smith Moore, Continental and Mariska, coming out with her new and working in the Globe shipyard at Cleveland during the winter months. In the spring of 1891 he joined the steamer C.J. Kershaw as mate, closing the season as master, and sailing her the following season; then went as mate on her in 1893, but closing the season in the steamer V.H. Ketcham. The next season Captain Bailey entered the employ of the Minnesota Steamship Company as mate of the steamer Maruba, transferring to the steamer Marina, on which he remained two seasons. In 1897 he was appointed mate of the steamer Nyanza; but in July he joined the steamer Senator, and remained with her until the close of the season of 1898.

Socially he is a Royal Arch Mason, and has belonged to Masonic bodies for thirty-seven years.

On July 24, 1863, in Vermilion, Ohio, Capt. Joshua Bailey was wedded to Miss Louisa Meyers, daughter of John and Persis (Whepley) Meyers, the former of whom was a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Vermont. The children born to this union are Frederick Albert and Mary Louisa, now the wife of George Randerson, of Cleveland. Socially Captain Bailey is a Royal Arch Mason, and has belonged to Masonic bodies some thirty-seven years. Mrs. Bailey's brother, Albert Meyer, who was a skillful steamboat master, lost his life at the time of the foundering of the steamer Western Reserve on Lake Superior, about sixty miles north of the Sand Hills, and it will be remembered that but one man, a Mr. Stewart, of Algonac, lived to recount the disaster.

CAPTAIN ROBERT N. BAILEY

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

Captain Robert N. Bailey, one of the family of five sons and five daughters of Alfred and Caroline (Brush) Bailey, and the only one who has in any way become identified with navigation of the Great Lakes, was born at Amherstburg, Canada, November 12, 1854.

When twenty years of age he commenced tugging at Detroit on the Oswego, which he wheeled for two seasons, and was also on the Swain in a like capacity for same length of time, after which he was appointed master of the City of Dresden, and sailed her two seasons. The following four seasons he was back again on the Swain as her mate, after which he divided one season on the tugs Gladiator and John Owen. In 1892 he sailed as second mate on the passenger steamer Depere, and in 1893 shipped as first mate to Captain Meikleham on the B. W. Blanchard, which berth he has filled continuously ever since, including the season of 1897. Captain Bailey is a member of Toledo Harbor Masters and Pilots Association, and makes his home with Captain Meikleham at No. 641 West Washington street, Toledo, Ohio.

CAPTAIN THOMAS J. BAILEY

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

Captain Thomas J. Bailey, captain of United States lighthouse station at Chicago, has in the fifty-eight years of his existence enjoyed a life that has been replete with incident, chiefly on ocean and lake navigation. From earliest recollections it was his ambition to be a sailor, and at the tender age of ten years he abandoned his home in England and ran away to sail the seas, and live his dream.

The Captain was born in Somersetshire, England, in 1840, the son of Joseph and Mary (Pickford) Bailey. The father was a farmer and native of the same country, the mother being from Witshire. Both parents lived and died in England. It was because he found at home strong opposition to his wishes to become a sailor that young Thomas stole away from his father's home and started for a seaport. He reached Portsmouth via London, and went before the mast on the school brig, serving one year. He was thence transferred to the Rosamond and later to other vessels of the English navy. For more than twenty years he was in the English navy. He served in the Crimean war, and during the Indian mutiny in Field's brigade. He served in China as chief yeoman to Admiral Hope, at which time he was boatswain. From China he went to New Zealand, and was quarterdeck officer of the vessel Cracker. From New Zealand he was transferred to Paraguay, and served through the Paraguayan war. Returning to England, Captain Bailey resigned and came to America. He reached Chicago in 1871 and located on a farm in Will county, near Joliet, and there engaged in farming. But life was not congenial, and he remained there only a short time. Captain Bailey has been in the employ of the British and American governments most of his life. He has been connected with the lighthouse service for a great many years. For three years he was in the lifesaving service at Ludington and White Lake, Mich., and for six years he was subsequently prime keeper of the government lighthouse at Big Point Sable, Mich. From that station Captain Bailey came to Chicago in 1893 to take charge of the government lighthouse station there.

In 1874 Captain Bailey was married in Canandaigua, Mich., to Miss Mary McClure, a native of Ohio, daughter of Andrew and Elmira (Strong) McClure. Andrew McClure was born in Pennsylvania in 1811; his wife was born in Connecticut, daughter of Capt, David Strong, a sea captain and vessel owner, who sailed from Connecticut, and whose vessel was seized by the French. Captain Strong was confined to a French prison for a year, and his vessel confiscated, like many others at the time, by the French Government. When the indemnity was paid for these seizures the Strong heirs failed to receive their share. The parents of Mr. Bailey moved to Lenawee county, Mich., in 1844, and settled in Adrian. The father died in 1897, the mother in 1892, both at the age of eighty-six years. Since 1893 Captain and Mrs. Bailey have resided in Chicago. Four children have been born to them, Juliett, a stenographer; Fred L., Victor and Winfield. Captain Bailey is a member of the Evening Star Lodge No. 173, F. & A. M., at Medina, Michigan.

The lighthouse, situated at the mouth of the Chicago river, and of which Captain Bailey has charge, was established in 1859. There are six lights, as follows: One revolving light at the outer breakwater, and one lens and fog signal at the outer breakwater, one fifth-order light and lens light off the south breakwater, and one-sixth order lens and lantern on the north pier, and a fog bell stuck by clock work on the north pier. The lighthouse was built on piers in 1859, and was then all surrounded by water. There was a raised walk from lighthouse to shore, the lake having been filled since then. Originally there was only one light, which has been removed to Twin River, Wis. The present lighthouse was erected in 1859, and is one of the landmarks that escaped the fire of 1871. This is the largest lighthouse on the Great Lakes, and is among the oldest and most prominent. Captain Bailey has a crew of five assistants.

CAPTAIN A. J. BAIN

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

Captain A.J. Bain was born January 15, 1859, at Stirling, Stirlingshire, Scotland, the son of John and Mary Ann (Tracy) Bain, who brought him to America when he was five years old. His father was a soldier in the regular service of the British army, and as such came from Glasgow, Scotland, to St. John, Canada, from there removing to Kinston, Ontario, and thence to St. John's Newfoundland; he returned to Kingston, was later in Quebec, and in 1871 settled in Windsor Ontario, where he still resides. The mother, who was a native of Londonderry, Ireland, died December 9, 1871.

Archibald J. Bain began his marine life in 1872 as mess-room boy on the propeller Armenia, running between Montreal and Chicago, remaining on her only a short time, however, as he returned to school in the winter. In the capacity of wheelsman he served during different seasons on the Vulcan, I.U. Masterse, Champion and Ira Chaffee, and with Capt. P. L. Millen acted as second mate on the Ogemaw, Iron King, Iron Duke, Iron Age and Joliet. Later he was mate on the C. H. Starke and the Swallow, after which he entered the employ of the Detroit, Belle Isle & Windsor Ferry Co., spending three seasons upon the Sappho and Excelsior in the same capacity, and then taking command of the Arthur Jones for about six months. In March, 1896, he came to the Detroit & Walkerville Ferry Co. and has since acted as mate on the Ariel, alternating watches with Captain Huntoon during the summer season.

Captain Bain was married, December 9, 1889, to Miss Susannah Haslip, of Dresden, Ont., and they have had children as follows: Elizabeth Pearl, who is attending school at the present time; Agnes Jessie and Emily Haslip, who are still at home, and Susannah, deceased.

CAPTAIN ISAAC GUILBERT BAIN

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

Captain Isaac Guilbert Bain, son of William and Mary Ann (Guilbert) Bain, was born in County Wicklow, Vale of Avoca, Ireland, November 20, 1850, and like the majority of boys of those times received very little education, in fact only as much as he could pick up while at work.

Captain Bain began sailing at the age of thirteen, as boy on the steamer Windsor, from Dublin to Liverpool, serving on her a period of about three months. He subsequently went on the steamer Denmark, of the National line, as boy, and afterward as ordinary seaman, leaving her in New York, in 1866, and going to Buffalo; taking to the lakes he shipped as second cook on the Ella Bradbury, and then on the Philadelphia, in 1868, with Capt. Lyman Hunt, where he remained three years, as lookout, then as watchman and wheelsman. After leaving the Philadelphia he went on the propeller Sun with Le Hunt as master, and then on the Idaho, as wheelsman. In 1873 he sailed as wheelsman on the Dean Richmond, which had just been rebuilt, and after two trips was made second mate of her. Afterward he was mate on the Araxes two seasons, and second mate of the Commodore about four months, or until the Chicago was brought out, when he was transferred, and finished that season, as well as the next, on her. He then went into the Commercial line of steamers, and was mate on the Scotia and Russia for seven years, until the line went into the hands of a receiver, when he was appointed custodian, at their old docks in Buffalo, retaining that position a year. At that time he went in the Lackawanna line, with which he has been engaged the past twelve or thirteen years, as mate on the Colorado, Grand Traverse, Journeyman, Elmira, Miami, Scranton, Russia, Lackawanna, Arthur Orr and master of the Newburg, Russia, Barnum and others for several trips. Captain Bain has been rather lucky, never during his career having been in any wreck of any consequence, and through his determined, although jovial, ways made many friends since sailing.

In May, 1872, Captain Bain was married to Miss Margaret Stoddart, of Kingston, Ont., and six children have blessed their union, two of whom, Sadie, aged seventeen, and Isaac D., thirteen, are (1898) living. Socially, Captain Bain is a member of Erie Lodge, F. & A.M., and of the Shipmasters and Pilots Association, Local Harbor No. 41. He was also a charter member of the Lake Pilots Aid Association, remaining with same until it was disbanded. The family residence is at No. 186 Miami street, Buffalo, New York.

CAPTAIN EDWARD J. BAKER

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

Captain Edward J. Baker, of the Florence B., the Detroit river mail boat, was born in Detroit in the year 1870. He attended the public schools there, and after leaving school went on the tug Summer as watchman, and remained there all season. The two following years he was wheeling on the S.C. Hall.

At the age of twenty-one Captain Baker secured his papers as pilot, and was on the S.C. Hall again for four years as second mate. During the early part of the season after which he left the Hall, Captain Baker sailed on the E.G. Lindsay, but was compelled to lay off on account of illness.

During 1894 he made several trips on different boats, and in 1895 was assistant on the mail boat Florence B., with which he is still connected.

Captain Baker was married three years ago, and has no family. He has always lived in Detroit.

CAPTAIN C. R. BAKER

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

Captain C.R. Baker, one of the younger men connected with the lake marine, has sailed more than half his life and held many responsible posts. He was born in Willoughby, Ohio, February 16, 1867, the son of Edwin Baker, who was a lake engineer for a number of years and is now engaged as engineer of the water works at Willoughby.

Captain Baker began his sailing career in 1881, having completed the course of instruction in the Willoughby public schools. He was with the schooner Negaunee two years, and with the schooners Thomas Quayle and Ahira Cobb one year each, during the next few years serving for brief periods on the steamers S.E. Sheldon, Wallula, Mitchell and Hesper, and the schooners Erastus Corning, Harvey Bissell, Conrad Reid and St. Lawrence. For some time following he was second mate of the steamer R.P. Ranney, of the E.B. Hale for two seasons, mate of the Henry Chisholm one season, second mate of the Maurice B. Grover one season, and mate of the George Stone for two seasons. During 1896 he sailed the schooner Samuel P. Ely, and the following season was again on the Stone as mate. On November 17, 1888, when Captain Baker was in the Bissell, that vessel went ashore on Point Abbey, in the Straits, in a blinding snow storm. She was scuttled to save her from pounding to pieces and remained there eight days before she was pumped out and released. When the steam pumps were placed on board, it became necessary to close the openings through which the water had been admitted, and this task was delegated to Captain Baker, who was then a seaman before the mast, and Joseph Langdon, the second mate. The work was most difficult and exhausting, as the two men were forced to stand immersed in the icy water and to repeatedly drop below the surface, in order to fasten the bolts at the bottom of the shutter which had been opened. He succeeded so well, however, in spite of all difficulties, that the vessel was pumped out and floated. Captain Baker was mate of the Stone when that vessel collided with and sunk the Kimball in Saginaw bay, April 26, 1895.

CAPTAIN J. BAKER

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

Captain J. Baker, master of the schooner York State, has had an experience of over a quarter of a century on the Great Lakes. He has sailed to all lake ports, and during his extended service he has ever been a careful and efficient sailor.

Captain Baker was born in Denmark, in 1853, the son of E. and Jane Baker. The father was a sailmaker and remained in the home of his nativity through life. When but a boy the Captain came to America, and landed at New York. In 1867, when only fourteen years old, he went before the mast, and in 1872 came to Chicago, and for the past twenty-five years has been sailing on the Great Lakes. He first went aboard the schooner Topsy before the mast, and within three weeks was appointed first mate. He remained with her three years, and then went on the Francis Palm, of Detroit, as mate. After serving on various other boats in the same capacity, he sailed the schooner Charles Luling, and remained her master for five years. Then for three years he sailed the schooner Richard, after which came the schooner Mediator. From that vessel Captain Baker took command of the schooner York State, which he has since sailed. He owns an interest in several vessels, and is regarded as one of the careful and promising practical men of the lakes.

He was married at Chicago, in 1878, to Miss Johanna Platt, a native of Hanover, Germany. Three children have been born to Captain and Mrs. Baker: Nancy, Emma and Eddie.

JAMES W. BAKER

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

James W. Baker, who for several years was a prominent marine engineer, and is the present engineer of the Ogden school, in Chicago, was born in Sandusky, Ohio, in October, 1855, a son of John M. and Lydia M. (Whitaker) Baker. The father was born in New York, but moved to Sandusky, Ohio, about the year 1835, and there worked at his trade, that of ship-carpenter, dying in Chicago, in 1891; his widow is now a resident of Chicago. They were the parents of three sons: James W., our subject; J. Marr, who was on the tug Relief when she burned, in 1887, on Lake Erie, is now in Chicago; and Arnold R., who also sailed the lakes.

The subject of these lines was reared in Cleveland, and there learned the trade of machinist and boilermaker after which, in 1870, he commenced sailing the lakes from Cleveland on the tug Belle King, on which he remained eighteen months; then went on the tug Maggie Sanborn, as fireman for one season; then on the tug Amadeus, at that time one of the largest harbor tugs on the lakes. On her he remained some eighteen months and then went as second engineer of the D.W. Wilson in the coal and iron ore trade. After one season on her, he, in the following spring, went as chief engineer of the lake tug Relief, and was on her four seasons. She was burned in 1887 on Lake Erie, off Sandusky, after which Mr. Baker went back to his home in Sandusky, Ohio, where he sojourned some time. He was then licensed chief engineer, and in that capacity went on the V. Swain, of Cleveland, remaining with her two years, at the end of which time he became engineer of the White & Fraint, of Chicago, was on her seven months, and then became engineer of the Fred Kelley, of Cleveland, which brings us now to 1889, the year Mr. Baker left the lakes. In 1887 he came to reside permanently in Chicago.

Our subject's next occupation was as chief engineer for the Gillett Chemical Works, Chicago, where he remained two and a half years; then had charge of the Excelsior Block for about the same length of time, in 1894 receiving appointment as chief engineer of the Ogden school, his present charge.

In 1880, at Sandusky, Ohio, Mr. Baker was married to Miss Fanny Palmer, of Fort Wayne, Ind. Our subject was formerly a member of the M.E.B.A., No. 4, and was president of the lodge in 1892. He is affiliated with the K. of P., and with the A.F. & A.M., Blair Lodge No. 393.

J. A. BALDWIN

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

J.A. Baldwin, chief engineer of the Masonic Temple, of Chicago, is one the prominent and well known men of his profession in the city. He is the eldest child and only son of four children born to his parents, Joel and Angeline H. (Hill) Baldwin, the former of whom was born near Utica, N.Y., and the latter was reared in Huron county, Ohio. The father was a man of fine educational attainments, and in his early life was a prominent and successful educator. Subsequent to his marriage he engaged in the boot and shoe business, in which enterprise he was successful. His death occurred March 25, 1883. Mrs. Baldwin, his widow, is yet living and resides at Benton Harbor, Michigan. J.A. Baldwin's boyhood was spent in Columbia Station, Ohio, where he was born August 26, 1850, and where he received the rudiments of his education in the common schools and by instruction under the tutelage of his father. At the age of twelve years he secured a situation in a shingle factory in his native town, which became the starting point of his mechanical career. In the above factory and in a wooden bowl factory of the same place he was alternately employed until he went on the lakes at the age of sixteen years. His maiden trip was made in the spring of 1867 on the schooner-rigged boat Nellie, commanded by Capt. William Aldridge, on which he remained during the shipping season of that year. Spending the following winter in his native town, he, at the beginning of the lake season of 1868, returned to the Nellie, then under command of Captain Stickney, and later went to the Elyria, Capt. Charles Reed, and still later in the season he went to the steamer George W. Bissell, Capt. George Pringeld as wheelsman. On the former named boats he was a sailor before the mast. At the close of navigation in 1868 he went to Paw Paw, Mich., and attended school the following winter. At the opening of spring in 1869, he secured employment as engineer in a sawmill, and later became engineer of a large furniture factory at Paw Paw, and still later in that year became engineer in a sash and door factory at Decatur, Mich., where he remained a part of the winter following. The spring following (1870) he was employed by R.W. Colburn to run his sawmill near Paw Paw, where he remained during the summer, and in the winter he moved that mill to the north branch of the Paw Paw river, where he operated it in the late winter and early spring (1871), then went to Saugatuck, where he was employed in a sawmill until June, when he went to Muskegon and secured work in a sawmill there for a short time. He then worked as a stevedore, loading vessels in the summer of 1871, then made five trips on the steamer Alpena as watchman, when he quit and went to Black lake and engaged at cutting logs and getting out hemlock bark for a mill that was there until fall. He then took charge of the mill at Black lake, owned by Swarthouse & Mulder, running the same on shares until along in the winter, when he shut down and rebuilt the mill, which he started up in February, 1872, and which afterward he continued to run, having an interest in it. That winter he took up his residence there with his family, and carried on the mill until late in the summer of 1872, when he became a partner with Captain Rowe in the purchase of the tug Hattie May. It was in the spring of this year that he secured at Milwaukee his first papers as engineer from United States Inspector Humes. He then moved to Spring Lake, and towed logs for Cuttler & Savage, mill men, and during the summer traded the Hattie May for the tug Croton, and moved to Douglas, doing general towing on the Kalamazoo river. In the late summer of 1872 he sold the tug Croton to its original owner, for whom he ran the tug as engineer. In the fall he quit the Croton and went to St. Joe, and secured a position as fireman on a passenger engine on the West Michigan railroad. William L. Fitch was then master mechanic of that road. He, however, remained only a short time in that position, when he went on the steamer G.P. Heath, Capt. R.C. Brittain, finishing the season with him. On the last trip of that boat from Saugatuck to Chicago he brought his family, which he settled near Downer's Grove, Ill. In the winter and spring of 1873 he went to Sherman, Mich., where he ran a sawmill, in which he was interested as part owner. Late that spring he returned to Downer's Grove, was taken ill and remained there during the ensuing summer. In the fall of that year he fitted out the propeller Skylark, and ran her for two months from St. Joe to Chicago, spending the following winter at Downer's Grove. In the spring of 1874 he returned to the Skylark, starting on his first trip April 24, and remained on her until July 1, 1874, when he returned and accepted a position with the West Michigan railroad as engineer, which he retained until early in October following when he became ill; recovering early in December, he went to Sand Lake, Mich., where for most of the winter he was employed in shipping lumber and scaling logs. In February of 1875, he again returned to the West Michigan Railroad Company, where he remained until he accepted a position on the tug Fannie Shriver in April, Captain Boswell commanding, for Captain Robbins, owner, and remaining on her until in the fall when he passed one month on the Messenger, of the Graham & Morton line, spending the following winter in Paw Paw. In February, 1876, at St. Joe he began putting machinery in the Sweet Brothers, owned by Henry Grimm & Co., Captain Myers sailing her. On the Sweet Brothers he remained until in the middle summer. In November he returned to the Skylark, aboard which he finished the season. The next February he again fitted out the Skylark and went across the lake with her in March, and was a week in making the trip owing to the great quantity of ice in the lake. On the Skylark he stayed all that season, and during the winter of 1877-78 ran a sawmill at Paw Paw. In the spring of the latter year he returned to St. Joe, where he ran a fish tug, and afterward was on the riverboat Union, on which vessel he was employed as engineer until late in the season. He then returned to the Skylark, finishing the season, and afterward removed her machinery, refitted her and remodeled her into a passenger boat - W.H. Williams becoming her owner - finishing her that winter. In the spring of 1879 he brought her (the Skylark) out as chief engineer, running her a short time and then came to Chicago and went on the canal and river boat, the H.P. Heath, steamer -running on the Illinois river and canal - Captain Nicholson owner. Later that year he went on the Niagara, Captain William Neadder owner, a similar boat on the Illinois river and canal. In the winter of 1879-80 he was employed as engineer in a coal mine at Beardstown, Ill. In the spring of 1880 he returned to the Niagara, remaining on her that season, and during the winter of 1880-81 was with the N.K. Fairbanks Company, as steam fitter.

The following March he fitted out the Niagara, a river steamboat, at Havana, Ill. On June 22, he became assistant engineer on the Mary Jarecki, running between South Chicago and Escanaba, continuing on her until September 4, when he was scalded by the bursting of a throttle, and returned home. When recovered he returned again to the N.K. Fairbank Company, with whom he remained throughout the rest of that year. In February, 1882, he went to Benton Harbor and fitted out the propeller Skylark, then owned by the Graham & Morton Transportation Company, first under Captain Stines and then under Captain Randall, and afterwards Capt. Wm Boswell, remaining on her until December following, when he returned to Chicago, and entered the employ of the N.K. Fairbank Company for the winter. In March of 1883, he was employed in putting new machinery in the City of St. Joe, a passenger boat, Captain Elton in command, which when completed he ran as engineer during the season, under Captain Stines. In the spring of 1884 he went on the passenger boat Lora, as engineer, finishing on her the lake season of that year, again returning to the N.K. Fairbank Company, and then to the Chicago Sugar House Company, 12th street, for the winter (1884). The year 1885 he was again on the Lora in his old capacity, spending the following winter in Chicago with the N.K. Fairbank Company as steam fitter. Early in the spring of 1886 he was employed by the owners of the Lora to refit her, and afterward he assumed his old position on her till the end of navigation of that year. During the winter of 1886-87 he was employed by Tobin & Hamler, who were building new boilers for the steamer Puritan, and at Benton Harbor the next spring he fitted out three boats for the Graham & Morton Transportation Co., and during the following season served aboard the Lora, Puritan and other boats of the same line as chief engineer of that line. During the winter of 1887-88 he rebuilt the machinery of the steamer Puritan, and when navigation opened he went on the latter boat, serving as chief engineer throughout that season. That fall he quit the lakes, went to Kansas City, Mo., to accept the office of chief engineer of the "Midland Hotel" of that place, remaining there creditably filling his responsible position during the year 1889 and until 1892, inclusive. On January 1, 1893, he accepted the position of constructing engineer for the Williams Engine Company, of Beloit, Wis., remaining with the firm until it went out of business late in August, when at the instigation of the above company he made arrangements with the Benton Harbor and St. Joe Electric Railway and Light Company to rebuild their plant, which he accomplished in a highly satisfactory manner, finishing his work in February, 1894. When navigation opened that spring he went out on the steamer Reed, running between St. Joe and Milwaukee, quitting her the last to July to go to Kansas City, Mo., to accept the position of constructing engineer for the Link Belt Machinery Company, of Chicago, and put in new boilers in the "Midland Hotel" plant, for the Grand Avenue Hotel Company, of which he was constructing engineer. In the spring of 1895 he returned to Chicago, and late in April went in partnership with Ben Haskell, of Glenn Pier, Mich., bought the steamer Yattow, which they later chartered to a steamship company on Lake Erie, running between Black river and Cleveland, Ohio, and later they chartered the steamer Root, which they put in the fruit-carrying trade between Glenn Pier and Chicago, closing the steamboat business October 1. He then returned to Chicago, and in November went to work for Wells & French as chief engineer of the street-car shops, where he remained until July 20, 1896, when he accepted the position of assistant engineer on the steamer Tioga under Charley Cushane as chief, Captain Wilkie in command, running between Chicago and Buffalo in the package trade. The Tioga was laid up in Buffalo the last of the year, and Mr. Baldwin returned to Benton Harbor January 1, 1897, then went to Chicago and later fitted up an ice plant for Swift & Co., at Calumet Lake, running the same until the middle of February, and soon after he appeared in Kansas City as a witness in an important case affecting the Midland Hotel Company. Returning to Chicago he was engaged in overhauling an ice plant, and later became assistant engineer of the Chicago Stock Exchange, having night charge of the plant until the last of June, when, on July 1, he was called to fill the responsible position of chief engineer of the Masonic Temple, where since by the engineering skill displayed he has won an enviable place among the men of his profession.

On September 13, 1869, he was married at Paw Paw, Mich., to Miss Libbie Button. Mr. Baldwin has filled many important positions of responsibility and trust, and he has received from his employers many testimonials certifying to his ability as an engineer, his integrity as a man, in whom great trusts may safely be imposed, and to the faithfulness of his character and entire freedom from questionable habits.

CAPTAIN T.G. BALDWIN

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

Captain T.G. Baldwin, the subject of this sketch, is one of the younger shipmasters of the Great Lakes, one who has already evinced a fitness and adaptability for the responsible work, a fact due to his tastes for the life, and to the study necessary to the thorough mastery of the duties connected with navigation. His father was one of the most successful and best known captains of the lakes, and emulation may have been an incentive in the rise of the young captain. During the past season he has been master of the J.C. Ford, of the Vandalia line, under charter of the Graham & Morton line.

The grandfather of Captain Baldwin was Thomas Baldwin, a Yorkshire Englishman, who, early in the present century, migrated to America and settled on the west banks of Lake Chautauqua, Chautauqua, Co., N.Y., and who later in life removed to Michigan, locating near Birmingham, where he engaged in farming (his life pursuit), and where he remained through life. He was a sturdy character, of firm principles and sterling traits. He reared the following family of children: Stephen, now a millionaire of Detroit, Mich.; James, a farmer; George, father of our subject; Cooper, a Michigan farmer; William, also a farmer of Michigan; Charles, a traveling man; Anna, Mary and Sarah.

Capt. George Baldwin, the father of our subject, was born in Chautauqua county, N.Y., June 6, 1820, and when a boy moved with his parents to Michigan. He did not take kindly to the routine of agricultural life, and at the age of twelve or thirteen years he went to New York and shipped for a short time on a sailing vessel. He then entered the United States navy and shipped for a three-years' cruise around the world. His connection with the Great Lakes began about 1837, when he shipped around the lakes to Chicago and began sailing on schooners, passing the winters as pilot on the Mississippi river. During the year 1847 he engaged in the government survey of the Great Lakes, and it was about 1860 that Capt. George Baldwin began sailing steamers. He first became mate of the Ottawa, then went in like capacity onto the Allegheny, serving for four years, when he acted as her master for three years. In the year 1871 he brought out the City of Traverse, at that time the finest passenger steamer on the lakes and owned by the Hanna Lay Lumber Company, of Traverse City. Captain Baldwin remained in command of the City of Traverse until 1885, when he retired from the lakes. It was during November of that year that his wife and life companion passed away. She was, at the time of their marriage, a Miss Margaret Corbett, of Manitowoc county, and the children born to this union were Capt. T.G.; Omar, deceased; Charles and Lillie. Capt. George Baldwin died February 7, 1891, and with his departure from life there passed away one of the most efficient and best known lake shipmasters of his day. For about a half century he had sailed the lakes, and the conditions of his life had developed in him a strong and interesting character. He lived in Chicago until 1881, when he bought a fruit farm near Traverse City, and there in comfort and comparative retirement he passed the remainder of his life.

Capt. T.G. Baldwin, son of the preceding was born in Chicago, August 2, 1856. He was educated in the public schools of the city, graduating from the Foster school in 1870. His education was supplemented by a commercial course in St. Ignatius College. Since his boyhood days Captain Baldwin has been a close and discriminating reader of current liter-ature and news, and is known as a well-informed man. His career on the lakes dates from 1870, when, as a lad of fourteen, he shipped on the G.J. Truesdell as porter. The next season he went with his father on the City of Traverse, and remained on that vessel for many years in various positions, from watchman to mate, and it was while acting as second mate of this boat that he passed his examination and was made first mate; and the following season was granted a master's certificate. In 1885 he succeeded his father as master of the City of Traverse, continuing in command until the vessel was sold, June 19, 1887. The balance of the season he was mate of the Gill.

In 1888 he brought out the Petoskey, of the Seymour Transportation Company, and ran her for one season. The season of 1889 he began as wheelsman on the Jay Gould, on Lake Superior. After three trips he was appointed second mate of the City of Duluth, and after one trip was made mate, serving the balance of the season. The following two years Captain Baldwin conducted a meat market business at Traverse City, but in 1892 he returned to the lakes as mate of the Lawrence. In July of that year he went onto the City of Charlevoix as mate for the balance of the season, and in 1893 went as mate of the City of Traverse, the boat on which he spent about twenty-two years, and ran as such for five years. In the spring of 1898 Captain Baldwin was appointed master of the J.C. Ford, of the Vandalia line, under charter by Graham & Morton, which vessel he commanded through the past season.

Captain Baldwin was married to Miss Ella Meaney, of Chicago, and has one daughter, Lillian G. He is a charter member of the F.& A.M., of Traverse City. In his work on the lakes he has been quite successful. Though comparatively young in years he is possessed of the same admirable and sturdy qualities which gave to his father such marked eminence among lake mariners of a generation ago.

HORATIO F. BANGS

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

Horatio F. Bangs is the only son of Horatio E. and Susan (Flagg) Bangs, natives of the State of Ohio. The father, who died about ten years ago, was formerly a prominent and wealthy grain merchant of Toledo, Ohio. There is also a daughter named Sarah.

Horatio F. Bangs was born at Toledo, October 13, 1873, and attended the public school of that place until 1887; the following year he took the finishing course at the Toledo Business College, then began tugging, firing for three years on various tugs about Chicago, after which he commenced steamboating, oiling on the Owego for one season. He fitted her out next spring, and shipped on the Yuma, on which he was oiler for two months, the balance of the season serving on the Marina. In 1893 he filled a like position on the Arthur L. Orr for seven months, and after she was laid up finished the season on the Thomas W. Palmer. He received his first issue of license in 1894, and was appointed second engineer on the Lewiston, putting in that season on her, and the following ones on the Elphenmere, and John Pridgeon, Jr. For the season of 1897 he was second engineer to Al Stewart, of the Northern Queen. Mr. Bangs holds three issues of license. Socially, he is a member of Local Harbor No. 1, M. E. B. A., is unmarried and makes his home at No. 168 Glenwood Avenue, in Buffalo, New York.

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

Captain G.C. Barnes, of Cleveland, Ohio, is a native of Belmont, Ohio, born in 1839, and on the paternal side is of English descent, and on the maternal side of Scotch extraction. The town of Barnesville was named after his grand-father, who settled there in 1800. Mr. Barnes is a representative man of Cleveland, and is of fine physique and six feet two inches in height. He has served one term in the city council, and while an incumbent was appointed on several important standing committees. He is a business man of untiring energy and enterprise, together with manifest integrity and fair dealing.

Mr. Barnes came to Cleveland in January, 1875, and acted as the agent of the Aetna Grate Company for fifteen years, with an office with the Globe Iron Works Company. He then organized the Chase Machine Company, of which he became president and treasurer. He enlisted in the Second West Virginia Cavalry, Company C, August 12, 1861, taking an honorable part in all the battles and skirmishes of that famous regiment, and was discharged June 27, 1865. He is active in Grand Army interests, and has served as commander of Memorial Post, and is now a memeber of Army and Navy Post. He is also a Knight Templar Mason.

In 1875 Mr. Barnes was married to Miss Kate Fox, of Allegheny, Penn., and has one son.

WILLIAM C. BARR

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

William C. Barr, the engineer for the Public Lighting Company, Detroit, is the son of A. F. and Sarah (Smith) Barr, and was born August 16, 1854, at Detroit. His father, who was a native of Pennsylvania, died at Ypsilanti, Mich., in 1860; he was a physician all his life.

William Barr spent the first two years of his life at his native place and then removed with his family to Port Huron, where he attended school until he reached his sixteenth year. In 1872 he went sailing, and for a number of years following devoted the greater part of his time to marine work. He first shipped on the propeller Montana, out of Buffalo, on which he remained one year, as oiler, and he then served two years as second engineer in the W.L. Wetmore and Sparta, transferring to the Lady Franklin as chief in 1876. For three years following he acted as chief on the John Owen, and he also held that position on the Iron Age, Iron Duke, S. J. Macy, Manistique, Gettysburg and Emily P. Weed. At the close of his service on this boat he abandoned sailing and embarked in the sand-dredging business under the name of the Detroit Sand & Gravel Co., in 1895 taking his present position with the Public Lighting Company.

On December 27, 1892, Mr. Barr was married to Miss Dorothea Luther, of Springfield. Ill. Fraternally he is a member of the Marine Engineers Beneficial Association No. 87, and of the Engineers and Mechanics Clubs.

C. L. BARRON

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

C.L. Barron, Detroit, Mich., chief engineer of the steamer City of Milwaukee, was born on the Michigan side of the St. Clair river. His parents, Benjamin and Catharine (Yax) Barron, were French Canadian, the former a native of Montreal, and the latter born on the St. Clair river. The father was a blacksmith by occupation, and carried on that business at Marine City, formerly Newport, Mich., where he settled and raised his family, and at which place his death occurred in 1855. His wife died two years previous.

Our subject passed his boyhood at Newport, where he received training in the common schools, and there learned the trade of a blacksmith with his father. At the age of twenty years he entered the machine shop of E.B. Ward, in Newport, where he remained three years and completed his trade. At about this time, Mr. Ward built and ran the largest line of boats on the lakes. Newport being then headquarters for steamboats, and at this point he established large repairing and erecting shops. In 1855, on leaving these shops, young Barron sailed on the steamer Huron as second engineer, his first experience in steamboating. The Huron was the property of Mr. Ward, and ran between Detroit and Saginaw. The following season (1856) he took charge of the steamer Samuel Ward as chief engineer, and was with her two years, running the same route. The three seasons following he was on the steamer Ruby between Detroit and Lexington, and then for eight years he was with the steamer Susan Ward, owned by E. Ward & Strachan, of Detroit, which was in the trade between Detroit, Saginaw and Toledo. He was then on the propeller Annie L. Craig for four seasons, which ran between Buffalo and Chicago. >From the Annie L. Craig he went to the steamer Dove, which ran between Detroit and Amherstburg, and remained on her three years. After this he took charge of Capt. Darius Cole's line of steamers - the Alpena and Green Bay City, plying between Bay City and Alpena. He remained with Captain Cole six years. For a period of ten years following he was in the employ of John P. Clark as chief engineer on the steamer Pearl, which plied between Put-in-Bay and Cleveland. From the Pearl he went into the service of the D. & M. R. R. line, taking charge of the City of Milwaukee, and has been with her for the past ten years, it being understood that when the boat was leased to the Graham & Morton Transportation Co., that the engineer and captain were to go with her.

In 1891 he moved from Detroit to Grand Haven, where he remained till 1896, when he removed to Benton Harbor, still remaining in charge of the steamer City of Milwaukee, running between Benton Harbor and Chicago in the interests of the Graham & Morton line.

During the year of 1854 Mr. Barron was married to Miss Clarissa, daughter of William C. and Catherine (Droulard) Crampton, the former a native of Vermont and the latter of Canada, and to this marriage were born the following children: William, Charles, James, Kate, Carrie and Ella, all of whom are living. The mother of these children died September 2, 1893, and in September 1895, he married his second wife, Mrs. Mary O'Dell, of Detroit, born in that city of Irish descent, and on December 9, 1897, a son named Robert was born to them.

Our subject is now in his forty-second year of service of sailing on the lakes, during which time he has encountered many storms, but met with no serious accidents. He also possesses forty issues of license as marine engineer, the last one being for five years. He is hale and hearty, and to all appearances is good for many years more of active life.

Socially, he is a member of Star Lodge No. 13, of Detroit, A.O.U.W.; of Crescent Lodge (sick benefit) of the same city; of the National Dotare of Grand Haven, and the M.E.B.A., No. 3, of Detroit. In politics he is a Republican. He resides at No. 122 Church street, Benton Harbor, Michigan.

CAPTAIN JOHN BARROW

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

Captain John Barrow has had an eventful career both on the Great Lakes, and on shore since retiring from seafaring life. He was born in Cleveland in 1836, his father being Capt. Richard Barrow, and at the age of fourteen he went on the lakes as cook of the schooner Mary, which was commanded by his father, remaining on that vessel for two years. His next employment was as porter on the Telegraph, and later he served as wheelsman on that vessel until 1857. He began the season of 1859 with his father on the schooner Union, but left that boat in July of that year and shipped in the North Star. The following spring he again shipped on the Union, and there remained until she was sold in August, 1864, when he secured a berth on the yacht Octava, Captain Goulder in charge, to New York, arriving there in January, 1865, and returning home by train. He then purchased the schooner Eagle, which he sailed during the seasons of 1865 and 1866, and the following year was mate of the Mountain Maid for a short time, but on August 7, 1867, retired from the lakes to become a member of the Cleveland police force, with which he was connected for the long period of twenty-eight years, resigning in July, 1895. For the last thirteen years he had served as lieutenant, and, as he was always prompt and faithful in the discharge of his duties, he proved a popular officer.

In 1860 Captain Barrow married Miss Katherine Hartman, of Columbus, Ohio, who died in 1889, and five years later he wedded Miss Margaret Mapes, of Detroit, by whom he has a daughter.

Capt. Richard Barrow, father of our subject, was born in 1800, in Kent, England, and sailed on the English Channel for a number of years previous to coming to the United States in 1831. He was married in 1818 to Miss Mary Slatter, of England, by whom he had seven children: George, Richard, Ann, Sarah, Joseph, Thomas, and John. In 1836, with his son Richard, he purchased the sloop Wave, and the following year commenced trading with the fishermen and Indians on Lake Huron. In 1842 he bought the Friendship, sailing a part of the time as a packet boat, and later he purchased the sloop Emma, which he also ran as a packet boat until the fall of 1848, when he built the schooner Mary, running it for several years on the Cleveland-Port Stanley route. Selling the Mary in 1852, he purchased the steamer Telegraph in Detroit, which he sailed until August 2, 1858, when she collided with the schooner Marquette, and sank forty miles off Cleveland. In the spring of 1859 he built the schooner Union, sailing her until his death, in June, 1861.

FRED B. BARROWS

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

Fred B. Barrows, one of the prominent marine engineers of Duluth, and a descendent of old New England stock, learned the machinist's trade in the employ of the Minnesota Iron Company, at Minneapolis, in which city he also acquired his public-school education. His parents, Daniel and Armenia (Luce) Barrows, removed to that locality in 1857, from Stowe, Vt., where Fred B. was born in 1851. Mr. Barrows is an engineer of unusual attainments, and in addition to his marine work has had a wide experience with the intricate machinery of some of the largest flouring-mills in and about Duluth and Superior. His ancestors came to the American colonies in the year 1636 first locating near Boston, Mass., after some years removing to New Hampshire, where the grandfather raised a family, some of his sons going to Vermont, among whom was Daniel, the father of Fred B. The great-great-grandfather was a staff officer during the Revolutionary War.

The first marine berth that Mr. Barrows held was in 1866, on the steamer St. Anthony Falls, a side-wheeler plying on the upper Minnesota River, between Mankato and St. Paul. On leaving this boat he became engineer in a sawmill, at Hinckley, Minn., on the St. Paul & Duluth railroad, the first mill in that locality, and remained there until the spring of 1880, when he was appointed engineer of the tug Siskiwitt, which berth he retained three years. The Siskiwitt carried the United States mails and supplies to the north shore ports of Lake Superior, and was out in the great storm of September 16, 1881, which registered great loss of life and property. She tried to find refuge at Sucker Bay but could not make that port, and was also compelled to run by Two Harbors, hence headed for Duluth. When she got opposite the entrance of the harbor the huge combers took her and carried her up onto the south pier where she rolled over on her beams end and dropped back into the canal, but the next sea picked her up; she righted and steamed safely inside without loss of life, the credit attaching to engineer Barrows who stood by the throttle although threatened with instant death, an evidence of presence of mind in a time of peril. He was chief of this boat three seasons, and was then transferred to the tug Eliza Williams, where he remained until July, 1883, when he took charge of the dock machinery of the Ohio Coal Company, in Duluth.

During the seasons of 1884-85 Mr. Barrows was chief engineer of the passenger steamer Isle Royal, plying between Duluth and Port Arthur. This steamer sprung a leak off Isle Royal in July, 1885, and sunk, and the engineer finished the season in the tug Mollie Spencer. The next season he fitted out the steamer R. G. Stewart, but did not go in her, as he took charge of the Ohio Coal Company's machinery on the dock in Duluth, where he remained three years. In 1889 he became chief engineer of the Imperial mills, and two years later was engaged as traveling salesman of the Vaccum Oil Company until November, when he was appointed chief engineer of the tug Keystone, of Ashland, Wis., staying with her two seasons, and after one season in the yacht Nautilus, he accepted engineer's berth in the "Spalding Hotel." In 1896 he entered the employ of the Crane-Ordway Company, dealers in mill supplies, as salesman, and when that concern discontinued business he went to work in the machine shop of the National Iron Works until the next spring, when he ran the tug Tomlinson for Barry Bros., after a short time transferring to the employ of Williams & Co., as engineer of the tug Ella G. Stone, and working in the National Iron Works again that winter. In the spring of 1898 Mr. Barrows was appointed chief engineer of the passenger steamer Bon Voyage, plying between Duluth and Portage Lake, a position he now holds. He has fifteen issues of marine engineer's license, but did not keep his numbers up while working ashore. Socially, he is a Master Mason of good report.

Mr. Barrows was united by marriage to Miss Margaret, daughter of Matthew Siefner, of Houghton, Mich. The children born to this union are: Fred E., now second engineer with his father on the steamer Bon Voyage, and who commenced his lakefaring life as fireman on the yacht Nautilus, advanced to the position of second engineer in the steamer Shenandoah, served a season in the tug Zenith, and, in 1897, was engineer of the tug Industry; Frank S., Ella A., Florence M. and Grace M. The family homestead is situated at No. 1128 East Third Street, Duluth, Minnesota.

CAPTAIN JOHN L. BARTLETT

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

Captain John L. Bartlett, whose lake-faring life dates back to 1851, takes rank among the oldest masters in active service on shipboard. He is a descendant of good old New England stock, and is therefore still full of vitality and energy, and his long experience makes him a valuable man in his present employ, especially as a Georgian Bay pilot. He was born at Clayton, N.Y., April 21, 1830, a son of Joseph and Charlotte (Farr) Bartlett. The father was born in Bennington, Vt., in 1782, and died near Forestville, Mich., in 1856, while the mother was a native of Chesterfield, Chester Co., N.H., and died in the town of Fine, St. Lawrence Co., N.Y., in 1847. The paternal grandfather was John Bartlett, a son of Josiah Bartlett, who was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. The grandmother was Mrs. Olive (Collard) Bartlett, a daughter of Joseph Collard, who was a petty officer in the British navy, and took an honorable part in the colonial English and French Wars.

Captain Bartlett acquired his education in the public schools of Clayton, N.Y., which he attended until he reached the age of fifteen years. He then went to Fine, St. Lawrence Co., N.Y., where he worked on a farm with his father until the death of his mother, at which time he was seventeen years old. It was in 1851 that he went to Clayton and shipped on the schooner Utica with Capt. James Borland, and after three months he joined the schooner G.S. Wickes as seaman. The next season he went before the mast on the schooner Patrick Henry with Capt. John Estes, and in 1853 on the schooner Montezuma. In the spring of 1854 he shipped on the schooner Marshfield, and closed the season on the bark Danube; began the season of 1885 on the Milwaukee Belle, and finished as master on the schooner Cambria. In 1856 he became mate of the brig S.C. Walbridge, going thence to Julia Smith as master in 1857, and remained on her till August of that year, when she was sold, then joined the schooner J.F. Tracy as mate, and during the season of 1858 accepted the same position on the schooner, Wm. H. Craig.

The season of 1859 found him serving as mate on the bark Sonora, and in 1860 began the season as mate on the schooner Rebecca, closing on the schooner Comely as master, and in 1861 filled a like position on the schooner Petrel; 1862 came out as second mate on the schooner Nightingale, but after making one trip was appointed master; master of bark Fame in 1863; 1864-65 also in command of the schooner Walrus; 1866 became mate of the schooner John Hibbard, laying her up in the fall as master.

In the spring of 1867 Captain Bartlett took out master's papers, which were unlimited, and came out in command of the new steamer Henry Howard. In the spring of 1868 he was appointed master of the schooner Home, and sailed her three seasons; 1871 went as mate on the schooner Kate Richmond; 1872 was mate on the bark Wells Burt, and the following seasons filled a like position on the vessels named: 1873, Grace Murray; 1874, Narraganssett; 1875, L.W. Perry; 1876, E.C. Roberts; 1877, steambarge H.C. Schnoor, and in September of that season became master of the schooner Sasco; 1878 acted as mate on the schooner Frank Perew, and in 1879 was in the same capacity on the schooner Carlingford. During 1880 went on the Melvina in the same position, and remained as such till July, 1881, when he became her master for the balance of the season. During the season of 1882 officiated as mate on the Ira Lafrinier and the tug Peter Smith, remaining on the latter boat and in the same position till July, 1883, when he went as mate of the tug Kate Winslow; and in 1884-85 served in like capacity on the William Goodnow; 1886 joined the schooner M.F. Merrick as her mate, and finished the season on the tug Ella M. Smith. The season of 1887 found him mate of the Niagara, and that of 1888 master on the same vessel, going, in 1889, again as mate of the Peter Smith, after which he filled the same position on the Ella M. Smith for the remainder of the season of 1889, and again joined her in 1890. The next two seasons he was mate on the Peter Smith, and in 1893 was transferred to the fine tug Sweepstakes as master. This was followed by two seasons on the Lake tug Niagara as mate. In the spring of 1896 he was appointed master of the Peter Smith, and continued to sail her up to 1898, thus rounding out a period of forty-seven years without losing a season ashore. Captain Bartlett possesses the happy faculty of never getting into trouble with his boats, thereby winning the confidence and esteem of the owners.

Socially, he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Royal Arcanum. On December 14, 1856, Captain Bartlett wedded Miss Amelia E., daughter of Harvey J. Brown, who was a son of Major Brown of Revolutionary fame, noted for his patriotic quarrel with Benedict Arnold, having accused the latter of attempting to sell the stronghold of West Point to Sir Guy Castleton, then in command of the British fleet. The children born to this union are: Delos; Harvey C.; Rosella, now the wife of Frank Colborn, of Cripple Creek, Colo.; Estella M.; Schuyler; Omar D.; and Cora Bird, now wife of William Armor, also of Cripple Creek. Mrs. Bartlett died on March 20, 1889, and on December 4, 1897, the Captain chose for his second wife Zuba Kendall, daughter of Solomon Gotham, of Clayton, N.Y. The family residence is in Clayton, New York.

PETER D. BAULD

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

Peter D. Bauld, chief engineer of the Morrison estate, Chicago, sailed for several years upon the lakes, and is a worthy representative of a family which has been prominently connected with marine affairs. He was born in Chicago, in 1860, a son of David and Jennette (Houston) Bauld, both natives of Scotland and early settlers of Marine City, Mich., where the father was for some time chief engineer of the Ward line of boats. After coming to Chicago in 1854, he was made superintendent of the Hanna, Lay & Co. line of boats, and superintended the construction of all their boats, including the Traverse City and Grand Rapids. He remained with them for the long period of twenty-eight years. He was an expert machinist, and well known all over the Great Lakes. He died in Chicago, in 1889, and his widow still resides in that city.

There our subject was reared and educated. During his boyhood he commenced his business career as oiler, and at the age of twelve years began serving an apprenticeship to the boiler making trade in the Rock Island railroad shops. In 1872 he commenced sailing out of Chicago as oiler on the City of Traverse, and remained on her some years, being made second engineer in 1875. She belonged to Hanna, Lay & Co., was engaged in lumber and passenger trade, and made Buffalo and nearly all important lake ports. On leaving her in 1878, Mr. Bauld was made second engineer on the City of Grand Rapids, which was engaged in the passenger trade, and in 1881 became chief engineer of the T.S. Faxon, a fast passenger boat, which is still in commission and is now running on the Great Lakes. Later he was chief engineer on the John A. Otis, engaged in the iron trade between Chicago and Escanaba, Mich. As second engineer he was then in the employ of the Union Steamboat Company, and was first assistant on the Avon and later on the Starrucca, engaged in the freight trade between Chicago, Buffalo and Detroit. She is a very large boat, and is still in commission. For the following season Mr. Bauld was chief engineer of the City of Traverse, but in 1887 he quit the lakes and accepted a position of engineer for the Western Electric Company for one year. He was then assistant engineer for the city hall for the same length of time, and remaining in the employ of the city he had charge of the Jackson street bridge for a time, and was engineer of the Holden school building one year. The following year he was chief engineer of the Union League club, for a time was assistant engineer of the Royal Insurance building; and for six years was chief of the Commercial National Bank building. His next position was as superintendent of the Van Buren street bridge, but for the past year and a half has been chief engineer of the Morrison estate. Socially he was at one time a member of the Marine Engineers Association, and is still widely and favorably known in marine circles.

In 1889, in Chicago, Mr. Bauld was united in marriage with Miss Anna Riewald, and they have one daughter, Dorothea.

WILLIAM BAUMERT

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

William Baumert is a native of Prussia, and was born in 1853 at Frankfort-on-the-Oder, son of Carl and Anna Rosina (Summer) Baumert. He attended school in the city of his birth, and at the age of fourteen began learning his trade with his father, who was a locksmith, working with him one year, and spending the succeeding three years at the same work, but in other employ. For the years following until 1872 he was engaged in the capacity of oiler on salt-water steamers of the old Red Star line, out of Antwerp to Philadelphia, after which he made up his mind to sail on the Great Lakes for a livelihood. He made a couple of trips as fireman on the steamer James Lord, but because of dull times returned to salt water and accepted the berth of fireman on an ocean steamer to Hamburg. Upon a visit to his native town he was drafted into the German army, in which he was compelled to serve three years, and from the close of his service to the spring of 1878 he migrated from place to place in the old countries, working at his trade. In 1878 he proceeded from Antwerp to Philadelphia, and thence to Pittsburg, where he worked at the locksmith and blacksmith trades until he was taken ill, being compelled to abandon labor for about five months. In 1879 he went to Cleveland and shipped as fireman on the steamer Roanoke, of the Commercial line, from which he transferred to the James Lord, under Capt. M.M. Drake, closing the season on her. For the ensuing ten years he was variously employed, both on the lakes and in machine shops, and in 1890 he began to sail the lakes steadily, during that season serving as oiler on the steamer Brazil. He was oiler on the Susquehanna the early part of the season of 1891, and closed it as second engineer of the Owego. In 1892 he was second engineer of the old Belle Cross until June, when he became chief engineer of the private steamyacht Alcyone, owned by Henry Bulge, of Minneapolis, which he laid up at Chicago. In 1893 Mr. Baumert fitted out the Alcyone and operated her until June, when he went to Buffalo and entered the employ of the Western Transportation Company as second engineer of the Montana, laying her up at Buffalo at the close of the season. He retained his berth in the Montana until June, 1895, when he was taken ill and compelled to leave, for the rest of that season finding employment on shore as a steam-fitter. At the opening of the season of 1896 he was engaged as second engineer of the steamer J. H. Shrigley, remaining on her until June, from which time until the close of navigation he was on the W. B. Morley, which was laid up at Milwaukee. He is a member of the Marine Engineers Beneficial Association. In 1892 Mr. Baumert was married at Chicago to Mrs. Bertha Trenner, who had one child by her first husband, named Nicholas. They reside at No. 23 Cypress street, Buffalo, New York.

JAMES W. BEACH

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

James W. Beach when a lad possessed great bravery and manliness, and at the age of ten years drove a team of horses from Geneseo, N. Y., to Hall's Corners, Mich. He was born at the former place April 5, 1821, and is the son of Samuel Beach, a farmer, who left the family some time afterward and went to Michigan.

Here he purchased land and built a log-cabin upon it, after this going back to the family in New York State for a short time. He soon left, however, and blazed the trees as a guide for the sharp eyes of his son, who was to conduct the family to the place which he had prepared for them. This was accomplished, and they duly arrived with all the necessary household effects. Soon after their advent, another family, that of John Marvin, from the same town in New York, arrived and made their home with them in the cabin which had been prepared by Mr. Beach, and in this place Azubah B. Marvin and James Beach passed their childhood and youth, and on March 9, 1843, were united in marriage, forming a closer tie between companions from infancy. They remained here till 1850, when Mr. Beach came to Cleveland, and found employment in the Cuyahoga Works, now the firm of Bassett, Presley & Train, he having learned the machinist's trade in Coldwater, Mich. He remained in Cleveland a year, and was then joined by his wife. Later on he connected himself with the Union Steamboat Company, of Buffalo, being in their employ for over twenty years, some of which time was spent as chief engineer on the lakes; but in 1868 remained on shore as chief engineer of the line. During his career as marine engineer he was on the Wabash, Genesee, Jersey City, New York and other vessels.

Mr. Beach was the father of five children: (1) Harriet I., born September 24, 1845, died in August, 1847; (2) Ellen M., born August 28, 1848, died in the fall of 1859; (3) George N., born September 3, 1851, died in July, 1852; (4) Florence A., born October 19, 1854, married Albert C. Berger, April 25, 1878, and is the mother of four children - William B., deceased; Grace, Raymond and Abigail; and (5) Oscar M., born December 19, 1862, a marine engineer, filling the position of chief on the Vulcan and Wallace, having served an apprenticeship under his father. During the American-Spanish war he was employed as machinist on the torpedo boat Dupont, which carried to the battleship Maine the message ordering her to Havana, and later on was active in the Havana blockade. At the close of the war he was engaged on the torpedo boat Rogers, belonging to the United States navy. He is married and lives at the old home in Cleveland.

Mrs. Beach died January 25, 1895, and was preceded twelve years by the death of her husband, which occurred may 18, 1883. Up to the last he had charge of the business at Buffalo, having visited the office on the day of his death. He was practically what is termed a self-made man; was a fine scholar, and an accurate mathematician, though he never attended school after he was ten years of age.

OSCAR M. BEACH

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

Oscar M. Beach, who for a number of years was connected with marine service in various capacities, is one of Cleveland's native sons, his birth having occurred in that city in the year 1862. In his youth he served an apprenticeship at the machinist's trade in the King Iron Works, in Buffalo, N. Y., and thoroughly mastered the business in all its details. His first service on the lakes was in 1883, when he accepted a position as assistant engineer. His first appointment as chief engineer was on the propeller John C. Gault, of the Wabash line, plying between Toledo, Ohio and Buffalo, N. Y. He remained on that vessel for five years, and on the expiration of that period was appointed to the position of chief engineer on the Robert Wallace, where he remained until the Vulcan was built, she being owned by the same company.

In the winter of 1891 Mr. Beach entered upon a different field of labor, establishing a machine shop in Fairport, Ohio, and engaging in marine repair work and in dealing in engine supplies. For two years he carried on that enterprise and then returned to the lakes, accepting a position as chief engineer on the steamer Alexander Nimick, which position he filled for two years. From that time until April, 1896, he conducted a meat market in Cleveland, and was connected with other business interests of the city. Since September, 1897, he has been in the United States navy. He enlisted (for three years) as first-class machinist, and was assigned to the torpedo boat Dupont. On July 1, 1898, he was promoted to chief machinist on the torpedo boat Rodgers, where he is at present.

CHARLES BEATTY

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

Charles Beatty, one of the prominent marine engineers who have sailed out the port of Buffalo in past years, but now lives retired from active duties in that line, was born of Scotch-Irish descent in Londonderry, Ireland, March 15, 1837, a son of Richard Beatty, a mason and contractor, and his wife, Margaret (Doty) Beatty. His education was acquired at the public schools in Ireland and also in the United States at Milwaukee, Buffalo, etc., in the winter seasons.

Mr. Beatty came to the United States early in the fifties, and made his home in Philadelphia, where he had kinsmen. Being a lad of adventurous nature he shipped out of Philadelphia on one of the steamers of the Sanford Independent Steamboat line, plying between that port and New York, also between Portland, Bangor, Boston and Norfolk, and remained in that employ four years, working his way up to the position of second engineer; he sailed on the Kennebec, Delaware, Mineman, Sanford and Cape May. In the spring of 1857 he went to Cleveland, and was appointed engineer of the tug George H. Notter, which he took to Milwaukee in the employ of Elias and Thomas Simms, on contract work.

While in the employ of the Simms Brothers he did considerable wrecking with their large wrecking tug, and also did towing with her in the summer of 1860. During the winter he found employment on the railroad ferry boats between Milwaukee, Wis., and Grand Haven, Mich., as engineer. He then went to Buffalo and entered the employ of the Pease Passenger line, between Buffalo and Chicago, as second engineer during the seasons of 1862-63-64 on the Winona, Idaho and Galena. In the spring of 1865 he went as second engineer on the steamer Pacific and remained with her one season, the fall of that year purchasing a half-interest in the tug Mixer, which he engineered in Buffalo harbor two seasons and then sold. He then took the steambarge Oakland four months, finishing the season as chief engineer of the passenger steamer Atlantic. In 1868 he bought a half-interest in the tug C.W. Jones, which he ran himself in Buffalo harbor, and after selling her he built and was half owner of a new one, to which he gave the same name, C.W. Jones; he also bought an interest in the tug Compound. About this time he owned and operated the Mary E. Pearce. After running the new tug Jones one year he sold his interest and there engineered the Compound for five seasons, after which he built the tug Thomas Wilson, named for Capt. Thomas Wilson, of Cleveland, who had been Mr. Beatty's playmate in boyhood and lifelong friend. In 1892 he sold his other tug property and built the tug Townsend Davis. In 1892 while this tug was operating out of Buffalo harbor he made a visit to his old home, and spent three month very pleasantly in England, Ireland and Scotland.

Mr. Beatty has been quite prosperous in his marine ventures, and by the exercise of good judgment and industry during his younger years has acquired considerable property. He has held money in interest in the Hand & Johnson Tug line in Buffalo for over thirty years, and in the Wilson Transit line in Cleveland for ten or twelve years. He also holds a good block of stock in a brickyard, operating in Lancaster, N.Y., with an office in Buffalo. Mr. Beatty is treasurer of this company. During his active marine life he never had trouble with his machinery, owing, no doubt, to his thorough knowledge of the marine engine, and it is gratifying to him to know that he has never had a man injured on his boat. He is a member of the F. & A.M., DeMolay Lodge, of Buffalo.

RICHARD BEAUBIEN

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

Richard Beaubien (deceased), who in his lifetime was one of the leading ice and coal dealers of Detroit, was born in that city in 1821, and for years was a marine surveyor. He owned a large dockage along the river, and for many years was in the tug business with Anthime Moisan, under the firm name of the Beaubien Tug Company. The firm name remains unchanged, as, since the death of Mr. Beaubien, his widow has continued to hold his interest and to take an active part in its management. The firm known as the Beaubien Ice Company now has for its president Mrs. Beaubien; S.P. O'Brien, vice-president, and John R. Long, secretary, and under the wise control of these parties does a large and lucrative business.

In 1866 Mr. Beaubien was united in marriage with Miss Frances S. Coquillard, of South Bend, Ind., and of this union were born three children, one of whom is now deceased. Those living are: (1) Josephine, wife of S.P. O'Brien, vice-president of ice company, by whom she has three children - Maurice B., Richard B. and Henriette J. (2) Edna Blanche, wife of John R. Long, secretary of the ice company, by whom she has three children - Carlisle R., Beatricia Ellenor and John Cornelius.

Richard Beaubien was a Democrat in his political faith, and in religious belief accepted the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. He passed to his last rest June 21, 1896, honored and respected by all.

HENRY BECK

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

Henry Beck, the only surviving son of John O. and Eliza (Langman) Beck, was born October 20, 1859 at Elmore, Ohio, from which place he moved to Buffalo in 1864, and in the latter city obtained a common-school education while he was between seven and eleven years of age. He learned his trade at the respective machine shops of David Bell and the C. & B. Holmes Iron Works on Chicago Street.

In 1883 Mr. Beck began sailing the lakes as greaser in the steamer Philadelphia, remaining in that capacity one season, and for the two successive seasons - 1884-85 -was engineer of the same steamer. In 1886 he purchased the tug Lone Star at Ithaca, N. Y., and after bringing her to Buffalo harbor sold a half-interest in her to Capt. John Owens; she has been used as a harbor tug steadily for ten successive seasons, during which period Mr. Beck has been her engineer. He and Captain Owen also own a half-interest in the tugs Trenton and E. E. Frost. For the seasons of 1897-98 he has been engineer of the tug Trenton, one of these boats. He is a member of the Canal-boat Owners Association of New York City.

Our subject was married, in 1895, at Buffalo, to Miss Nellie O'Neil. They reside at No. 26 W. Ferry Street, Buffalo, New York. Mr. Beck has been one of the successful men of Buffalo harbor.

WILLIAM G. BECKBISSINGER

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

William G. Beckbissinger is a native of Germany, having been born at Wurtemburg, October 16, 1867. His parents are George A. and Annie M. (Scholl) Beckbissinger, also of that place, where the father is in the milling business. Our subject has four brothers and two sisters, of whom John A. is a florist of Lansing, Mich.; another brother is in the postal service at Stuttgart, Germany; one is in the milling business; and the other is employed in a paper mill in the old country.

William G. Beckbissinger attended school and assisted his father in his native city until fourteen years of age, when he secured employment as oiler in a paper mill. He remained there two years, at the end of which time, believing that advancement in any profession was more rapid in America, he emigrated to these shores. This was in 1884. For the first six years he worked in machine shops, and in 1890 took to steamboating, starting on the Iron King as oiler, in which capacity he served three seasons. In 1893 he received his first issue of license, as second engineer, and shipped on the Wyandotte for that season. In 1894-95 he was second on the W. R. Stafford, and in 1896 went onto the John Oades as second, remaining on her until August 14, when he went as second to George Lawrence on the Appomattox, which they brought out new. He has continued on her ever since.

Mr. Beckbissinger was married at Detroit, Mich., in 1895, to Miss Fredericka Leucht, of Wurtemberg, Germany, and one child has blessed their union. The family residence is at No. 94 Lafferty street, Detroit, Mich. Mr. Beckbissinger is a member of the M. E. B. A. No. 3, of Detroit, and also of Detroit Lodge No. 6, A. O. U. W.

CAPTAIN DANIEL M. BECKER

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

Captain Daniel M. Becker (deceased) was a representative of a family which came from Holland and located in New York State soon after Hendrick Hudson made his discoveries. The Dutch name was Van Becker, but it was gradually changed to Becker by American use and brevity. With a party of their relatives the family located on a farm on the coast in New York, which place is now owned and occupied by Frederick Becker, a brother of our subject. Captain Becker was born April 22, 1834, in Charleston, N. Y., but shortly after his birth the family removed to Three Mile Bay, where he attended the common schools. At an early age he and three of his brothers - Calvin, William and Hiram - went upon the lakes, being the first of the family to embrace a maritime life, and all became owners of vessels or captains, sailing for many years. Hiram died in Chicago in 1892. Daniel Becker left home at the age of sixteen and first sailed as mate on the Minnehaha. He was later on several different schooners, and had command of the Florida, Bahama, Thomas Mott, Brightie, Negaunee and Ahira Cobb. From the last named he went to the Everett, of which he was captain up to the week before his death, which occurred at Milwaukee, in December, 1890. He had made his home in Cleveland since 1875, and from 1874 until 1884, was a ship broker and a member of the Board of Trade in that city. During all these years he commanded vessels not a man on board was ever lost. He was a highly respected citizen of Cleveland, and a prominent member of the Ship Masters Association and of the Masonic Order.

On December 25, 1857, Captain Becker was united in marriage to Miss Mary Kelley, a young lady of Irish ancestry, whose father, Michael Kelley, was a pilot on salt water and spent the latter part of his life in Chicago. The Captain and his wife became the parents of six children, namely: Minnie, now the widow of Webster Roberts, who died in 1887; William H. of Cleveland, who married Mamie Gibson and is a member of the firm of J.H. Outhwaite & Co.; Zuleika, who died in 1884; Calvin, who died in infancy; Calvin, who married Nora Creegan, and resides in Cleveland, and Daniel, Jr., deceased.

G. W. BEERS

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

G.W. Beers, the well known master mechanic of the Packing & Provision Co., at the stock yards, Chicago, was born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1859, a son of David A. and Kate (Conley) Beers, the former a native of Painesville, Ohio, the latter of New York. The father was reared in Ohio and for some years engaged in sailing out of Cleveland as chief engineer for the Northern Transportation Company. During the Civil War, he enlisted in the navy, and after the war he was chief engineer of the Commodore Perry. His entire life was spent in sailing or in working in machine shops. Both he and his wife died in Cleveland, honored and respected by all who knew them. The schools of Cleveland afforded our subject his educational privileges, and after laying aside his text books, he served his apprenticeship to the machinist's trade at the Cuyahoga works. In 1878 he sailed from Cleveland as second engineer on the old G. N. Brady, remaining on her for one season, and from that time until 1897, he was either on the lakes or connected with shipbuilding. For one season he was oiler on the City of Detroit, a passenger boat, after which he worked in the machine shops for three years, and next went as second engineer on the steamer Atlantic, finishing the season, however, with the Union Dry Dock Company, Buffalo where he fitted out the revenue cutter, William P. Fessenden. He remained with them until the H. J. Jewett was completed, after which he was employed as her second engineer for one season. The following season he came out as engineer as on the tug Protection, of Chicago, and later was on the revenue cutter, William P. Fessenden. The following winter he worked for Hodge & Co., engine builders of Detroit, and then became second engineer of the steamer Pearl, for J. P. Clark, of Detroit, after which he was second engineer in the Anchor line. The next season he was with the Union Dry Dock Company, until the steamer Tioga came out, and on her shipped as second engineer for part of two seasons, spending his winters with the Union Dry Dock Company from 1885 to 1888. The steamer Chemung then came out, and on her he sailed as engineer for one season. He continued with his connection with the Union Dry Dock Company of Buffalo until 1890, when he was made master mechanic and chief engineer under Mr. Babcock of the South Chicago Shipbuilding Company. He was on the steamer Philadelphia, of the Anchor Line, in 1891, as engineer of the Arthur Orr, sailing out of Chicago in 1893, but returned to the Chicago Shipbuilding yards, where he was employed until in 1897 he accepted his present position as master mechanic of the Chicago Packing & Provision Co., at the stock yards. He has fitted out altogether over forty new boats and is a most thorough and competent marine engineer.

In 1886, in Buffalo, N. Y., Mr. Beers married Miss Katie Bradigan, a native of that city, and to them have been born five children: Frances, George A., Mary, Nellie and Katie.

THURMAN E. BEERS

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

Thurman E. Beers was for several years connected with the lake marine, but for some time past he has been occupied on shore, being the present engineer at the Columbus street bridge, Cleveland. He was born in Peninsula, Summit Co., Ohio, September 29, 1867, a son of George W. Beers, a native of Painesville, Ohio, in which State he spent the greater part of his life, at present living on a farm near Independence. For some time the father owned and operated boats on the Ohio canal.

Leaving his birthplace at the age of six years, Thurman E. Beers removed with his parents to Newburg, Ohio, and later to Independence township, Cuyahoga county, attending school at both places. He early felt a desire for marine life, which was gratified in 1884 when he went on the Charles Castle as fireman, but remained only a short time. He then became connected with the White Stack line of tugs, owned by Robert Greenhalgh. After a time as fireman in that employ, he remained on shore one season and then went again on the Charles Castle for one year. He was next fireman on the tug Paddy Murphy, and afterward spent two seasons on the Tom Maytham, finally becoming engineer.

Mr. Beers spent part of the next season on the tug Florence, of which he was part owner, and the remainder of the year with the V.O.T. Co., on the Tom Maytham. For about eighteen months he was employed on the H.L. Chamberlain, and on the Alva B., for about five months, both belonging to the V.O.T. Co. In August of the same year he went on the propeller H.B. Tuttle as second engineer, and was later promoted to chief, serving as such for one year, since which time he has remained on shore.

On December 16, 1890, Mr. Beers married Miss Kate Drew, of Cleveland. He is a member of the Knights of the Maccabees, and is the center of a large circle of friends and acquaintances.

HARVEY C. BEESON

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

Harvey C. Beeson, son of Jacob and Elizabeth H. Beeson, was born in Niles, Mich., January 1, 1856. Mr. Beeson's father was one of the pioneers and prominent citizens of Niles, and was one of the men who drafted the first constitution for the State of Michigan; the family removed to Detroit in 1858, where he established a banking business.

At an early age young Harvey, after completing his studies in the public schools, entered the employ of Messrs. Robinson, Burtenshaw & Co., wholesale shoe dealers, for the purpose of learning the shoe business. Shortly after, or in 1876, he associated himself with his father and brother in the grain business, under the firm name of Jacob Beeson & Co. In 1881 he established the firm of H.C. Beeson & Co., produce and commission merchants, which he continued until 1885, when he was appointed deputy collector and marine clerk in the United States custom service. While in this position, early in 1887, he had called to his attention the desirability of a marine manual that would answer the many inquiries necessarily made by vessel men, generally in relation to marine documents, etc., and he at once set about the production of such a medium of information. His first publication was what is known as Beeson's Marine Directory, which was issued in the spring of 1888, in pocket form, and with no idea that there were any of the possibilities in it that have since developed. This publication, at the end of the third year, had obtained a prestige and circulation sufficient to warrant him in throwing up a position from which he realized $2,000 per year that he might devote his entire time and attention to the requirements of his manual. The work was published in Detroit in 1894, when he removed his office to Chicago in order that he might be in the center of a trade in which vessels and vessel men were more in evidence. As he had surmised, his location in Chicago called forth more strenuous and increased efforts on his part, and a very material enlargement of his work was the result. The last issue of the work is from Mr. Beeson's own plant, and judging from the typographical standpoint, it strikes one as being a work of art.

In 1878 Mr. Harvey C. Beeson was married to Miss Henrietta L. Bourke, of Detroit, to whom were born three children, Walter B., Harvey C. and Henrietta Louise. In May 1893, he was again married, his second union being with Miss Esther R., a twin daughter of the Hon. George S. Clapp, of Niles, Michigan.

DAVID BELL

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

David Bell, one of the most prominent manufacturers and ship builders on the chain of lakes, was born December 7, 1817, at Amesfield, Dumfriesshire, a border county of Scotland, on the Solway Firth. In 1834 he was apprenticed to the millwright trade, of which he quickly acquired a practical knowledge. Afterward he visited England and there acquired additional experience and skill. Having a brother in St. John, N.B., he determined to come to America, and accordingly sailed for New York in the spring of 1841. During a portion of this time he was in the employ of the Boston Steam Engine Works, receiving $1.50 per day. In the fall of 1841 he visited his brother at St. John, and worked there in a machine shop about a year. In 1842, he removed to Buffalo, N.Y., and was at once engaged by the Buffalo Steam Engine Works, and shortly afterward went to Cleveland, Ohio, where he worked for the Cuyahoga Steam Engine Works for a while. Returning to Buffalo, he was soon employed in building the propeller Hercules, the first screw steamer to successfully sail the Great Lakes. In 1845, Mr. Bell formed the partnership with William McNish, under the firm name of Bell & McNish. From this time onward Mr. Bell, being at work for himself, instead of others, demonstrated his great ability as a skillful engine builder. What his firm lacked in capital they made up in knowledge and enterprise. They erected a small shop on the site of what is now Mr. Bell's foundry and machine shop, and there prosecuted their business to the best of their ability. One of the first engines built by this firm was the one put in the elevator built by Joseph Dart, which was the first in the world devoted to such a purpose. This engine gave such satisfaction that the same firm successfully built engines for the elevators Seymour and Wells, Evans, Stirling, Bugbee and others. The firm also constructed marine engines for a number of passenger steamers that were then rapidly taking their places on the lakes, and the same firm also built the "handy tug engine," which enables tugs to pull a tonnage so largely disproportionate to their displacement.

In 1850 the copartnership between Mr. Bell and Mr. McNish dissolved, and Mr. Bell continued the business alone until 1854, when he rented his shop, sold his machinery and tools to the Buffalo Steam Engine Company, and became superintendent of that company at a salary of $2,500 per year. Soon after he resigned that position, and paid a visit to Scotland. Returning to Buffalo in 1855, he took possession of his old shop, and began again to build up a business in that city. Not long afterward, his shop having burned down, he erected a large building on the triangle bounded by Norton, Evans and Water streets. In 1858, Mr. Bell, having some time previously assisted in putting a steam engine in the Black Hawk, the first steamboat tried on the Erie canal, and which had a stern wheel like steamboats on the Mississippi river (and which proved a failure), built the steamtug and fleet of canal boats that made a triumphal voyage on the canal, which is celebrated in history as being an occasion of the finest illumination in Buffalo up to that time and for many years thereafter.

In 1861 Mr. Bell began to build the first iron propeller ever launched on the Great Lakes. This vessel was named the Merchant, was of 720 tons burden, and was built for J.C. & E.T. Evans. The new propeller was a success, notwithstanding numerous baleful predictions of failure that were made when she was on the stocks. Mr. Bell had the fullest confidence in her success from the first, and more vessels of the same kind followed the Merchant rapidly into the water.

During the progress of the war of the Rebellion, Mr. Bell rendered powerful aid to the Government of the United States. His swift, handsome and powerful tugs were purchased by that government, and were of great use on the Atlantic waters. One of the tugs built by Mr. Bell was towing the Constitution when she was scuttled off Newport News, and it was also one of his tugs that carried the information to President Lincoln that led to the eventful destruction of the Merrimac.

Following this is a complete list of the iron vessels built by Mr. Bell: The iron propeller Merchant, which was, as has been stated elsewhere, the first iron boat built on the lakes, in 1862. Then came the Glen Iris in 1863, the Dexter, in 1866; the Metropolitan, a police boat for New York, in 1867; the Philadelphia, the tug Eliza Williams, the Cayuga and the yacht Ariadne, all in 1868. In 1869, the side-wheel steamer Ivanhoe and the tug Nellie Cotton; in 1870, the tug Douglass and the yacht Mary Bell; in 1871, the revenue cutters Hamilton and the Gallatin; in 1873, the G.A. Boutwell; in 1875, the tug M.C. Carrington and the yacht Titania; in 1876, the yachts Rosaline and the G.W. Gardner, and the yacht Esperanza, for the Royal Canadian Yacht Club, of Toronto; in 1878, the steamer Arundel; in 1879, the yacht Flora and the yacht Vanderbilt; in 1880, the yacht Angelique; in 1881, the yacht built for E.L. Dow and for Mr. Wesson of Detroit, Uarda and the tug A.W. Cotton; in 1882, the tug Robert H. Cooke; in 1883, the yacht Waller; in 1884, the yacht Theseus; in 1886, the Sand Beach, a government dispatch boat; in 1887, the yacht Seneca Chief; in 1887, the fireboat City of Buffalo, now the George R. Potter; in 1888, the tug Phil Sheridan; in 1889, the Florence Rice; in 1890, the tug Spalpeen; in 1891, the tugs Keystone and Paddy Miles; in 1892, the yacht Neversink and the fireboat J.M. Hutchinson; in 1893, the revenue cutter Calumet; in 1894, the yacht William McKinley; in 1895, the tug Katherine T. Wilbur and the yacht Primrose; in 1896, the seamless steamyacht Sandusky and the yacht Alert. In addition to the above, Mr. Bell has built a large number of wooden boats, and also the first yacht for Lake Tahoe in the Rocky Mountains, to carry mail across the lakes in connection with the Union Pacific railroad. He also proposed a canal-boat for use of the Erie canal, when enlarged and deepened, which was to be 200 feet long, and 26 feet beam, and to draw, when loaded, 9 feet of water.

Mr. Bell was one of the organizers of the Mechanics Institute, which was formed in 1865, and incorporated in 1869. He was also one of the incorporators, and was unanimously elected its first president. It was largely owing to Mr. Bell's efforts that this institution held its first International Exhibition in Buffalo, in 1869, the result of the exhibition bearing abundant evidence of the soundness of his judgment and of his great executive ability. The receipts were more than $18,000, and, after all expenses were paid, there was more than $4,500 left on hand. Mr. Bell was re-elected to the presidency the next year, 1870.

Mr. Bell is a life member of the Young Men's Library Association, serving as its president one year, and has done much to aid it in its work. He is a member of the St. Andrew's Scottish Society and of the Scottish athletic organizations. He is a promoter of all healthy outdoor sports, and has been president of the Grand National Curling Club, and was pre-sented with a grand testimonial by the society as a token of their high appreciation of his services. He is also a life member of the Society of Natural Sciences. He was also made, in 1895, an honorary life member of the Buffalo Historical Society, to whom he presented a cannon captured by the Americans during the war of 1812, and which now stands in front of the Soldiers' Monument in Lafayette Park.

In May, 1897, Mr. Bell entered into a contract to build a steel tug for the Cleveland Tug Company. This tug is 90 feet long and 23 feet beam, and it is the largest tug on the lakes. Her boiler is a return tube marine, is 12 feet diameter and 16 feet long, and her engine is a fore-and-aft compound, slipper guide style, 20 inches and 40 inches by 30 inches. In 1865 Mr. Bell began to build locomotives, the first one he built being named the David Bell, after the builder. This was the first locomotive built in Buffalo, and its trial trip up to Dunkirk was the occasion of a great celebration. The entire number of engines built by Mr. Bell was eight. It will be seen, therefore, that he was a very successful inventor and builder. He built the first engine for an elevator in the world; the first iron propeller on the lakes; the first revenue cutter ever built at Buffalo, and also the first locomotive built at Buffalo. He is the inventor and patentee of a new style of steam hammer, which has proved to be very effective, and which in its different sizes is adopted to the ordinary blacksmith shop and to the largest forge shops.

An article written by David Bell in May, 1876, with reference to the comparative values of wood and iron in the construction of vessels is of great interest to vessel men, as it conclusively demonstrates the superiority of iron, and the great advantages derived by the use of iron in their construction. This article gives a brief history of the iron steamer Merchant. When completed in 1862 she was valued at $90,000. She was lengthened in 1872, her value thereby being increased to $120,000. At that time, after ten years of service, her iron work was in as good condition as when she was built. In 1875 she struck on Racine reef, and sunk, becoming a total loss, because the season was so far advanced that it was useless to attempt to raise her. From 1862 to 1875, inclusive, she made 2,041-1/2 trips, and during that period she paid to the underwriters for insurance on hull and eastbound freight, $154,535.80, and the total amount received for insurance during the period was $143,913.35, leaving a profit to the underwriters of $10,622.55. During the career of the Merchant she sunk twice in Detroit river, and once in a fog in Lake Michigan, striking on rocks and shoals. There was, however, but little difficulty in raising her, the entire cost being but $17,170.37.

The same principle is more fully established by taking into consideration the history of ten other propellers built of iron, as follows: the Philadelphia, built in 1868, cost $165,000; the Alaska, in 1871, cost $170,000; the India, built in 1871, cost $170,000; the China, built in 1871, cost $170,000; the Japan, built in 1872, cost $170,000; the Cuba, built in 1872, cost $160,000; the Java, built in 1872, cost $160,000; the Scotia, built in 1873, cost $160,000; and the Arabia, built in 1873, cost $165,000; a total cost of the propellers of $1,600,000. Up to 1876 the eleven vessels, including the Merchant, had paid to the underwriters for insurance on hulls and east-bound freight, $940,231.96, and the entire amount paid by insurers for losses was $395,124.53, leaving a profit to the insurers of $545,107.43. This was in addition to the premiums on west-bound freight, which were estimated at $155,000, bringing the total up to $700,107.43. This profit had been made notwithstanding that some of the vessels had been injured, more or less, by striking on rocks and shoals, which the underwriters had paid for. And it was found, too, that the vessels were in good condition as far as their iron work was concerned, as they were when they were launched. The superiority of iron over wood being then generally recognized, as was evident that many boats even on the Mississippi river made of that material.

An incident in Mr. Bell's life is very creditable to him, and shows the estimation if which he was held by his fellow citizens. In 1869 he was the first choice of the Republican party for mayor of Buffalo, but as he was at that time president of the Mechanics Institute, which was then holding its first International Exhibition in Buffalo, he felt compelled to decline the honor, giving as his reason for so declining, that the duties in connection with the Exhibition engaged every moment of his time, and was likely to do so for some weeks thereafter.

In 1844 Mr. Bell was married to Miss Elizabeth Adams, a native of Perthshire, Scotland. By this marriage, Mr. Bell has one daughter now living, who married a son of the late Sir Casimir Gzowski, of Toronto, Canada, the builder of the International Bridge across the Niagara river. Mr. Bell was married to Mrs. Jane Reid, his first wife having died in 1866. By this marriage he has two sons; David and George Burwell, born in 1875.

"Whilst the fierce and ever memorable struggle was being waged in the United States between the North and the South, it may appear strange that perhaps the most honorable and civilizing enterprise of modern times was being launched in the troubled world of commerce, not many hundreds of miles away from the actual scenes of battle.

"It was in the year 1862 that Mr. J.C. Evans, of Buffalo, N.Y., commissioned the veteran shipbuilder, David Bell, of the same city, to build for the company now known as the Anchor line the first iron merchant vessel that ever floated on the Great American Lakes. This vessel, the Merchant, was a screw steamer of about 200 feet length, and her deadweight ability equalled about 700 tons.

"Though her capacity was small, her gross earnings could not have been insignificant, for when carrying flour and bacon from Chicago to Collingwood in those days, not less than $7 to$10 was received; twenty-five cents was not an uncommon price to be paid for the transportation of wheat from Chicago to Buffalo. As the Merchant could carry about 35,000 bushels, her freight would often amount to over $8,000.

"Though the modern successors of the Merchant can carry seven times the amount of cargo, it is doubtful if an $8,000 freight has yet been credited to one of the large modern steamers for a voyage of equal distance. I have not been able to learn what the Merchant's hull and machinery cost, but she was the first iron vessel, and also the first cargo boat, I believe, on the Great Lakes to burn coal under her boilers." [Joseph R. Oldham, in Cassier's Magazine.]

GEORGE M. BELLOIR

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

George M. Belloir, one of the most prominent and best qualified marine engineers sailing out of Duluth, has inherited many of the admirable characteristics of his French ancestors. The same qualities previously transmitted to his father rendered him one of the most notably courageous soldiers of the American Civil war, and it was he of whom General Custer wrote: "I record the death of one of the bravest of the brave, Sergeant Mitchell Belloir, who has been my color bearer since I have been in command of this brigade, and who received his death wound while gallantly cheering the men on at the head of a desperate cavalry charge at the battle of Trevillian Station, West Virginia." Mitchell Belloir was born in Lyons, France, and came to the United States about the year 1845, locating in Ogdensburg, N. Y. Soon after the birth of his son George M., which occurred in Ogdensburg, April 15, 1851, he removed to Marquette, Mich., where he followed his business as iron worker in the first forge erected in that city. On June 14, 1861, he enlisted in Company B. First Michigan Cavalry, Captain Town being in command of the company, and the regiment eventually became a part of General Custer's brigade and saw much service on the battlefield. Mr. Belloir was promoted to the rank of sergeant and color bearer for the regiment, and was noted for his gallantry. He was invested with the brigade colors in 1863, and had the honor of participating in the momentous battles of Antietam, Fredericksburg and Gettysburg. He was taken prisoner at Cedar Mountain, and on June 14, 1864, was shot in the head and died at the head of his brigade, with the flagstaff in his hand, as noted above and recorded in detail in a volume entitled "Michigan in the War." George M. Belloir, being but thirteen years old at the time of his father's death, was taken charge of as a ward by Cornelius Donkersley, superintendent of the Marquette, Houghton & Ontonagon railroad, and sent to school in Marquette. In 1865 Sidney Adams was appointed as his guardian until 1870, and in the meantime he learned the machinist's trade in the shops of the Marquette, Houghton & Ontonagon Railway Company, serving a four-years' apprenticeship. In the spring of 1871 Mr. Belloir went to Sault Ste. Marie and entered the employ of Mr. Burke, remaining with him four years. It was in the spring of 1875 that he opened his career as an engineer in the employ of Mr. Trompf, as assistant in the tug W. D. Cushing. The next year he was appointed chief engineer of the steamer Mary, following with two seasons on the Mystic and part of a season in the William H. Seymour. In the spring of 1880 he took the lake tug E. M. Peck, which he ran for two seasons, In November, 1882, he went to Duluth, and the next year was appointed chief of the T. H. Camp, running her three seasons. In 1886 he was chief engineer of the steamer R. G. Stewart, owned by the A. Booth Packing Company, transferring the following spring to the steamer A. Booth, as chief, and retaining that office until July, when she was lost, and he again joined the Stewart. In the spring of 1888 Mr. Belloir went to Baltimore after the steamer Hiram R. Dixon, which Mr. Booth had purchased to taken the place of the A. Booth, and as chief engineer ran her to Portland. In August he went to Tacoma, Wash., where he had acquired a homestead, and during the two years he was in the West he sailed on Puget Sound as chief engineer of the passenger steamer Seaside. On returning to Duluth in 1890 he was engaged to the close of the season on the ferry boat Estelle - plying between that city and Superior -and the little steamer Point Angelus, and in 1891 he became chief engineer of the steamer Doctor, holding that berth three consecutive seasons. In 1894 Mr. Belloir again entered the employ of the A. Booth Packing Company as chief engineer of the steamer S. B. Barker, which he ran two seasons, when he was transferred to the pass-enger steamer Hunter, as chief, retaining that berth up to the present time and giving uniform satisfaction.

On October 31, 1880, Mr. Belloir was united in marriage with Miss Ella L. Wray, of Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., formerly of Williamsport, Penn., and to them have been born two children - Earl Eugene and Collia Wray. Although Mr. Belloir lives in Duluth, Minn., the family homestead is in Tacoma, Wash. Fraternally he unites with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Marine Engineers Beneficial Association No. 38, of Seattle, Washington.

CAPTAIN W. H. BELTZ

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

This well-known shipmaster was born in London, Ont., November 15, 1848, and before he was a year old removed with his parents to Grand Island, N. Y. He attended the public schools of that place and at the age of nine years became assistant cook on the tug Relief. In 1863 he was fireman on the tug Ellen M. O'Brien, and the following year he enlisted as a private in the Sixteenth United States Infantry, with which he sesrved faithfully for three years. In 1869 Mr. Beltz received his papers as marine engineer, and shipped in that capacity on the tug Fanny White, of Cheboygan, Mich.; during the season of 1870 he was engineer on the tug Mildred, of that port, and in 1871 came to Buffalo and sailed the steamyacht Maggie L. Wilson, as master. The following year he shipped as second engineer on the tug Music, and in 1873 served as chief engineer of the barge Saginaw. He worked ashore during the years 1875 and 1876, and in 1877-78 was engineer of the steamer Allentown, the year following shipping on the tug Mayflower in the same capacity. In 1880 he sailed the private yacht Lorelei as master, and in 1890 became the master of the excursion steamer Huntress, belonging to the Oakfield and Island Clubs, and still holds that berth.

Captain Beltz was married November 27, 1879, to Miss Josie Rockleman, of Buffalo, and has three children living. They reside at No. 163 Potomac avenue, Buffalo, New York.

CAPTAIN CHARLES E. BENHAM

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

Captain Charles E. Benham is one of the busiest and most enterprising men along the entire chain of lakes. He began his career as a sailor at the age of nine years, and has filled many positions of trust and responsibility from the age of fifteen up to the present date.

Captain Benham was born in Ashtabula county, Ohio, September 29, 1847, a son of Samuel Benham, who has charge of his son's vessel supply store on River street, in Cleveland. Captain Benham graduated from the Ashtabula high school, and removed to Cleveland when he was fourteen. He occupied himself during the winter seasons in school, and the summers, since his ninth year, on various lake craft. He also spent one year in a commercial college in Cleveland. From 1862 to 1883 he sailed continuously, as master of all classes of craft, from one hundred and fifty tons to two thousand tons burden. Following are a few of the vessels on which he has served in various capacities: scows - Union, Spanker, and Jim Hill; and schooners - American and Medbury. In August, 1862, he was appointed master of the scow Industry, after which he sailed the tugs L.H. Nichols, T.W. Notter, W.D. Cushing, J.H. Martin, Solon Rumage, and the river tug Samson; also the topsail scow Seabird, bark Indiana, the steambarge Fayette, and the steamers J.K. White, Hickox and Metropolis, and the V.H. Ketcham, of which he was part owner, besides numerous other vessels, of which he was in temporary charge in his capacity of wrecking master. During his career as wrecking master Captain Benham used the tugs Champion, Gillett and Adams, releasing the steamer Wallace and consort from the beach below Marquette, and was master of the powerful tug Samson, five years, which he owned. He accomplished some notable work in that branch of the business, as representative of the old Mercantile Marine Insurance Company (by whom he was employed seven years), now operating under the firm name of Foote & Maxson. He is still in charge of the marine department of the firm; also representing the Fire and Marine Insurance Company of Toronto, the St. Paul Insurance Company, and the Greenwich Insurance Company. Among the wrecks recovered by him may be mentioned the schooners Zach Chandler, Cormorant, George Sherman, James F. Joy, the David and Robert Wallace, etc. During the years 1894 and 1895 he has recovered several wrecks, among which is named the W.B. Hall, and he also stripped the B.F Bruce. The job of wrecking the two Wallaces was attended with unusual danger and difficulty, both vessels being frozen up in the ice. Captain Benham shipped his pumps and other wrecking appliances by rail from Cleveland to Marquette, and on the passage up with the water expedition he stopped at Detroit and took along some of Captain Grummond's wrecking appliances. The water expedition reached the scene of the wreck before the pumps, etc., shipped by rail, were taken off the cars at Marquette. The expedition was entirely successful; both vessels were pumped out and floated without loss of life notwithstanding the precarious conditions. Capt. C. E. Benham is also largely interested in the wrecking tug C.E. Benham, lighter Mentor, the steamers H. B. Tuttle, Nahant, Rube Richards, May Richards, Germanic, Edward S. Pease and consort Planet, the schooners H. C. Richards and Queen City.

He is now engaged in the brokerage business and the marine insurance business, making a specialty of marine surveying. He was connected with the municipal department of West Cleveland, being chairman of the waterworks board for three years, and was chairman of the joint committee on annexation. He was for several years chairman of the West Cleveland Republican club, a member of the infirmary board of Cuyahoga county for some time, and is at the present writing a member of the city council, and the chamber of commerce of Cleveland. He was chairman of the navigation committee of the Chamber of Commerce for one term, and represented Cleveland in the session of the Deep Waterways Convention at Toronto. He has been a member of the river and harbor commission in Cleveland for three years, representing both the city and the Chamber of Commerce at different times. He has filled all the offices in the Ship Masters Association, and now holds the rank of past grand president in the Grand Lodge of that Association, and carries Pennant No. 234. He is also purser of Harbor No. 42 of the American Masters and Pilots Association. He is interested in several banks and a director in one; a member of the Lake Carriers Association and the Vessel Owners Association, and has always been very active in working for the improvement of channels, lighthouses, etc., maintained by the government, having often appeared before committees in Congress for this purpose. He is now serving on two commissions for the improvement of rivers and harbors, and was one of the compilers of the Rules of the Road at sea, termed the White Bill - Captains George P. McKay and William S. Mack (deceased) being the other two members of that commission.

Capt. C. E. Benham was wedded to Miss M. J. Prescott, of Boston, Mass., and seven children have been born to them.

The eldest son, Capt. Chas. A., was master of the steamer Sitka during the season of 1896; the second, Capt. William P., was master of the steamer Nahant during the season of 1896; the third, Capt. George E., master of the Queen City, in 1895; Robert is a marine engineer; Harry and two daughters, Eva M., the wife of J. A. Karr, one of Cleveland's young business men, and Jennie, complete the family.

CAPTAIN W. P. BENHAM

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

Captain W.P. Benham, of the steamer Nahant, is one of the younger men who have met with success in the management of vessels on the Great Lakes, and has been sailing since 1885. He is a son of Capt. C. E. Benham, who occupies such a prominent position in maritime and civic circles in Cleveland, and was born in Cleveland in 1870, receiving his education in the public schools of that city, for the most part in the Orchard school. He commenced his sailing career when fifteen years of age, shipping as watchman on the tug Samson for a few trips in the fall of 1885. The following season he sailed before the mast in the schooner Queen City, spending the season of 1887 in the schooner Our Son, from which he transferred to the steamer Henry C. Richards, in which he remained six years; the first season he was second mate, and for the remaining four years master of the vessel. During the season of 1894 Captain Benham sailed the steamer H. B. Tuttle, and he was master of the steamer Britannic from the opening of navigation in 1895 until she was lost in the Detroit river. This accident was due to the failure of her steam-steering apparatus to work properly, so that she was struck amidships by the steamer Russia and sunk. After the accident Captain Benham sailed the steamer Waverly one trip, and the steamer Bulgaria two trips, closing the season on the steamer Australia. He commanded the steamer Nahant during the season of 1896, laying her up in Cleveland, and then sailing the wrecking tug C. E. Benham for a short time in the late fall. Captain Benham has made occasional trips on other craft than those named, while his own vessels were laid up; he was before the mast in the schooner Brunette one fall, and was wheelsman of the steamer Cambria for a time during the year she came out. The accident which resulted in the sinking of the steamer Britannic in the Detroit river was the only serious one which has occurred to any vessel with which he has been connected.

D. C. BENNETT

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

D.C. Bennett is one of the old-timers on the lakes, his career dating from 1844. He was born in Genesee county, N. Y., February 22, 1828, and his father was an old-time stage driver, in the days when railroads were scarce. In 1844, Mr. Bennett began steamboating as fireman on the old Anthony Wayne, running from Buffalo to Chicago, and continued on her during that and the next season. The two succeeding seasons he fired on the St. Louis for Captain Floyd, and the next season he fired on the Dewitt Clinton, in 1849 filling the same berth on the steamer Superior, after which he put in a couple of years working in the shops as machinist. In 1853 he served as assistant engineer on the propeller Forest City, and the next season shipped on the new propeller Sun. In the spring of 1855 he went to Grand Haven to run the engine of the Mary Belle, and held that position for two years, the next season returning to Buffalo and firing on the Orontes for two months, when he shipped as second engineer on the Edith. He remained with her and the Neptune until 1861, when he went back to the Orontes as assistant engineer, leaving her in the fall to take charge of the engine of the city elevator in Buffalo. This position he held until the elevator burned in March, 1864, when he went out as chief of the tug Harrison, serving on her when the government took her to patrol the Niagara River to prevent the crossing of the Fenians into Canada. The next season Mr. Bennett ran the tugs Danford and Bryant, both belonging to one line, and that winter he went to Titusville, Penn., to superintend the sinking of an oil well and the putting in of pumping machinery, remaining in the oil fields one winter. In 1867 he was second engineer on the Badger State, the next two seasons he ran the tugs Tiger and Harrison, and in 1870 he worked in a machine shop; in the spring of 1871 he shipped as chief engineer of the Araxes, and held that position for five years, at the end of which time he went to Sandusky to take the position of chief on the Orontes, which berth he held for two years. During the nine years following he sailed out of Sandusky as chief of the tugs Mystic and R. B. Hayes. In 1887 and part of 1888 he was chief of the American Eagle, and left her to become chief of the barge Norma, removing to Detroit. He then shipped as chief on Grummond's tugs, and was with that line on different boats, the Oswego, Gladiator, etc., until 1894, when he went out as chief of the steambarge Business. During 1895 he ran the Huron City, but in 1896 he did not sail much for the reason that he had his shoulder put out of joint on the Ohio early in the season, and was disabled. Later, when his shoulder got better, he ran the Little Daisy, for Beller, on the Detroit river.

Mr. Bennett was married in 1855, at Buffalo, to Miss Harriett Walker, and they have had twelve children, only five of whom are now living: Alva L., J. C., Daniel C., Jr., Edwin and Lillian.

J. C. BENNETT

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

J.C. Bennett is a marine engineer of great promise, for he pays close attention to his business, and has always managed to employ his winters at work in the machine shops until recently, when he became a solicitor for the New York Life Insurance Company as employment for his spare hours. He was born in Buffalo October 28, 1860, his parents being D.C. and Harriet (Walker) Bennett, the former a marine engineer. He has three brothers, Alva L. (who is an engineer), Daniel C., Jr., and Edwin, and one sister, Lillian M. Mr. Bennett's lake career was begun in 1874, as fireman on the tug Mystic, in which position he gave good satisfaction, and continued through 1875 and 1876. In 1877 he was given charge of the engine of the steamyacht Ina, plying between Middle Bass and Put-in-Bay; in 1878 he ran the barge Norma, running from Sandusky to Put-in-Bay island and vicinity, and in 1879 he was second engineer of the barge Colona. In 1880 he took charge of the engine of the side-wheeler R.B. Hayes, and ran her so well that he was retained for 1881. That winter he took charge of a stationary engine ashore, and like the work so well that he kept it through 1882 and 1883. The next season he ran the engine for the little Red Jacket, a local steamer running out of Sandusky, and for the season of 1885 he had charge of the engine of the tug Mystic. In the winter following he assumed management of the heating plant of a Sandusky hotel, and in the spring of 1887 he came to Detroit and took the position of second engineer of the tug Gladiator. He began the season of 1888 as second on the Don M. Dickinson, after a short time being promoted to chief of that boat, and the next season he served as chief of the William A. Moore; during 1890 he ran the engine of the Winslow, all of these boats being in Grummond's line. The seasons of 1891 and 1892 Mr. Bennett put in as chief of the Maggie Duncan, and that of 1893 as chief of the steamer Ionia, since when he has served as chief of the steamer Chauncey Hurlburt to the satisfaction of both owners and masters.

Mr. Bennett was married in 1886, at Sandusky, Ohio, to Miss Celia Bernhardt, and they have one son, named Gordon C. Fraternally Mr. Bennett is a member of the Marine Engineers Beneficial Association and the Red Cross.

JAMES BENNETT

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

James Bennett, chief engineer of the steamer Pabst, was born near Belleville, Ont., in 1862, son of Bernard Bennett, a shoemaker. After leaving school he worked at farming and as a grocery clerk until 1884, when he began sailing as fireman on the steamer W. L. Wetmore. The following season he hired on the steamer Raleigh, and during the next two seasons served on the Manistique and Robert Holland, in turn. For one season following he was oiler on the William H. Woolf, at Milwaukee, engaging for the same length of time as second engineer of that boat. He was second of the Thomas Davidson and the Fred Pabst one season each, in 1892 becoming chief of the Pabst, where he has since been retained. One of the most terrible experiences which Mr. Bennett has had during his sailing career took place in the fall of 1894. The Pabst, while making the passage from the Sault to Milwaukee, lost her rudder in St. Mary's river, but being very anxioius to complete the trip, the captain engaged two tugs to steer the boat and continued on the way. A gale sprang up and both tugs broke loose, and one of them, losing her bitts and tow-posts, was powerless to render further assistance. The other tug remained with the steamer through the night and succeeded in making fast several times, only to be torn away again. The steamer was finally saved, but she had suffered terribly, and needed to be almost rebuilt. Mr. Bennett was married, in 1890, to Miss Annie Mulrooney, of Cleveland. They have one child living, Bernice; one is deceased.

CAPTAIN FRED G. BENSON

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

Captain Fred G. Benson, may with truth be designated as the typical tug master, genial and large hearted, courageous and gentle, of fine physique and great endurance, broad mined and generous to a fault. He is the son of Royal and Emily (Bates) Benson, and was born June 20, 1854. The only other child of the family is Isabella, now the widow of John M. Came. The father was a carpenter and millwright, and carried on business in and about Saginaw, Mich. having removed to that city from Iowa in the year 1864.

It was in Saginaw that Fred G. acquired his education, attending school winters until he reached the age of eighteen years. He was apprenticed to learn the carpenter's trade with Benson & Campbell, his father being the senior member of the firm and remained with that firm four or five years, sailing as occasion offered when his trade was dull, on the Saginaw river and bay, and it was by reason of this experience that he was made wheelsman in 1873 on the steamer John Sherman, formerly a United States revenue cutter and considered the speediest boat on the lakes. Her machinery is now in the steamer Alaska. Capt. John Steward was in command of her at one time, and she was operated by Messrs. Cole & Halt. The next season he shipped as lookout and acting second mate in the same steamer.

In the spring of 1885 Captain Benson joined the steamer Mendota, with Captain Palmer, closing the season in the steamer China, Capt. Charles Christy, as wheelsman. The following season he was appointed second mate in the steamer G.P. Heath, owned and sailed by Capt. R.C. Brittin in the fruit and lumber trade between Chicago and Saugatuck. Captain Benson had his first experience on Lake Superior in the steamer Annie L. Craig, as wheelsman. Capt. William Cunnings sailed the Craig, Michael Chalk was chief engineer, and Thomas Lang mate. In the spring of 1878 he was appointed master of the tug Uncle Sam, operating on the Saginaw and owned by L.D. Russell. The next two seasons he sailed the tug Charles Lee, for W.A. Avery, which had the machinery of the tug Gray. During the season of 1881 he sailed the tug George Hand for Thomas Hubbell, of Saginaw, who had a contract for government work at Sand Beach, engineer Gilbert being in charge. It was in the spring of 1882 that Captain Benson entered the employ of the Tittibewasse Boom Company with whom he remained six years. During that period he sailed the tugs J.P. Logie, Charles Lee, James Hay and Robert Weideman, being master of the latter tug four seasons. He purchased an improved farm of eighty acres near Clio in the winter of 1883-84, upon which he built a spacious modern home, and which his wife manages in a practical business way during his absence on the lakes. In September, after sailing the tug Music, he entered the employ of Capt. B.B. Inman as master of the tug O.W. Cheney, transferring to the Cora B. the next season, and in September taking command of the M.D. Carrington, which he sailed until the fall of 1894. In the spring of 1895 Captain Benson was appointed master of the fine new tug B.B. Inman, of which he is still in command. He designates her as the flower of the fleet. She is one of the most powerful tugs on the lakes, and has the name of being the handiest and most sensitive to her rudder on fresh water. She is handled entirely by steam as regards windlass, stearer and reverse gear. She has a Dean independent air, feed bilge, water and fire pumps, using seventeen steam cylinders and the Howden hot air draft.

In 1893 Captain Benson joined the Ship Masters Association, and carried Pennant No. 860, but has since surrendered it.

In 1877 Capt. Fred G. Benson was wedded to Miss Julia, daughter of Eleazer and Amanda Woolsey, of Saginaw. The children born of this union are: Frances E., now the wife of William McCumsey, of Clio; Roy E., Nellie B. and Fred Albert. When the snow of winter approaches Captain Benson retires to his pleasant home at Clio, the fittings of which are in keeping with the education and refinement of its occupants.

CAPTAIN JOHN G. BETKE

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

Captain John G. Betke, an ocean navigator in the fullest sense of the term, with a skipper's certificate at the age of twenty-two, was born at Cappeln, Schleswig-Holstein, in 1858. He attended the common schools of his native place until fifteen years of age, and then shipped at Flensborg, on the schooner Louisa, as boy, for ten months, after which he sailed on the schooner Lydia as ordinary seaman, remaining one year.

Returning to Flensborg he shipped on the German steamer Quatur as ordinary seaman. The Quatur loaded coal at Cardiff for Port Said, and after discharging, she took on 1,000 pilgrims bound to the shrine of Mecca, on the Red Sea, to worship. The voyage then extended to Hong Kong, China, where part of the cargo was taken aboard, being filled out at Singapore and Bankok with sugar; the steamer then sailed for London. The time passed on this steamer was about one year. He left her on arrival at London, and shipped as able seaman on the bark Hausa out of Hamburg with a general cargo for Hong Kong, where she discharged cargo and loaded rice, going to Bankok for sugar to finish cargo, after which she cleared for London. He then went over to Bremen and shipped on the bark Atlanta, bound for New York with a cargo of merchandise, carrying coal oil back to Bremen, the voyage occupying three months. In 1878 Mr. Betke enlisted in the German navy, and was assigned to the battleship Hansa, then under orders to sail for Valparaiso, to release the merchant steamer Loxus, which had been seized by the Peruvians, they being at war with Chili at the time, and holding that the Loxus was trying to run their blockade with contraband goods. He served in the navy two years, being discharged in 1880. He then returned to the German port of Flensborg, where he attended navigation school, and by close and diligent application to his studies he learned navigation thoroughly in one year and received a skipper's certificate of competency. He then found berth as able seaman on the British ship Glad Tidings, out of Hamburg for Baltimore, the passage occupying two months. Arriving at Baltimore he was appointed mate of the schooner George Washington, in the coasting trade, occupying one year. His next berth was in the schooner George Adams, as mate, out of Bath, Maine, for Galveston, Texas, three months passing while in the schooner, after which he shipped as mate at Galveston on the schooner Whitehead, bound for Boston, remaining on her one year. He then purchased the schooner Lydia, which he sailed one year in the coasting trade between Galveston, Sabine Pass, Corpus Christi, Indianola and ports on Lake Charles, the Brazos river and the Gulf of Mexico. He was then taken down with fever and transferred his command to a skipper named Smith, who lost her at Morgan City bay in the fall of 1885.

On his recovery Captain Betke entered the United States life saving service at Aransas Pass, in the Eighteenth district, as surfman, and took part in all the rescues during the two years he remained. He made a good record as a life saver. In the spring of 1887 he came upon the lakes and shipped out of Toledo, Ohio, before the mast in the schooner Rival, remaining one year, which was followed by one year on the schooner Fayette Brown. He was then appointed mate on the schooner David Wagstaff one season; mate of the George W. Warner one season; mate of the Thomas P. Sheldon one season; mate of the whaleback 105 one season; then master of the barges Walton and Little Jake, ice boats, in the employ of the Forest City Ice Company, plying between Cleveland and Put-in-Bay with ice and general cargoes. He has been with the company six years. Captain Betke is a member of the I. O. O. F.

CAPTAIN JOHN M. BEVERLY

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

Captain John M. Beverly, or, as he is familiarly known, "Local Attraction Jack," was born in 1843, at Frederick, New Brunswick, a son of Francis and Margaret (Lombard) Beverly. His father was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1800, a grandson of Admiral Peter Beverly, of the English navy, and a great-grandson of Post Captain Beverly, to whom the British Government granted a tract of land near Boston, known as the Beverly reservation, before the Revolutionary war. Francis Beverly was the Queen's printer and bookbinder for the British provinces; he died at the age of ninety years, and his wife, who was born in Portland, Maine, in 1811, died in 1892, at the age of eighty-one years.

Captain Beverly attended the penny schools of New Brunswick, and finished his education at the Baptist seminary. He then commenced, at the age of sixteen years, his sailing career, in 1860 shipping on the schooner Gilbert Bentt, plying between the Bay of Fundy and New York City in the plaster trade. In 1861 he sailed in the schooner Abbie Wells, out of Portland, Maine, to the West Indies, remaining on her one year before the mast. In 1862 he was appointed master of the schooner Mary D. Wilson, holding that berth for two years.

On leaving the Wilson, the Captain quit sailing, and went as coast pilot between Boston and all eastern ports on the Atlantic, continuing in that business until 1878, when he opened a store and office as compass adjuster at the Union wharf, Boston. The following year he sold out his business there to Henry Mayo and went to Cleveland, in which city he had an office in the ship-chandlery store of J. W. Grover & Son, and there remained fifteen years and gained much renown. In 1893 he opened a shop at Brooklyn, Ohio, returning to Cleveland, however, in the spring of 1897, and estab-lishing a new shop and office at No. 150 River street. He manufactures all kinds of nautical instruments, and is always ready to go on board vessels and adjust compasses, Captain Beverly is the oldest compass adjuster in the United States, and when he commenced business in that line was the only one. He has been eminently successful in his chosen field, and has done the major part of the work on the new vessels launched on the lakes since his advent in 1879, the result of his science proving satisfactory to both owners and masters. He has worked for the Anchor Steamship Company of Buffalo for the last fifteen years; for the Western and Union Steamboat Companies; has adjusted all the compasses of Bradley fleet for the last twelve years, as well as those of Capt. John Mitchell, since he has been in the vessel business, and has been engaged by other lines as occasion required.

Captain Beverly has a master's license of the first class, which covers the Great Lakes and the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, and is therefore a navigator in the fullest sense of the term, a qualification not possessed by any other compass adjuster in the United States. It is therefore to be presumed that he is well prepared to do satisfactory work. He is a member of the Ship Masters Association and holds Pennant No. 889.

Captain Beverly was wedded to Miss Mary J. Harvey, of Portland, Maine, in 1866, and two daughters, Daisy and Pansy, have been born to this union. The family residence is on a farm near Painesville, Ohio, to which the Captain retires during the winter months.

C. F. BIELMAN

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

The management of the freight and passenger business of the Star-Cole-Red & White Star Lines steamers, is in the hands of C. F. Bielman, under the title of general traffic manager; his duties covering the business of all five steamers operated on the Detroit-Port Huron and Detroit-Toledo routes. As these boats are owned and operated by four corporations under a pooling arrangement, it is evident that the position demands the services of a clever accountant, as well as one versed in the methods of keeping freight and ticket accounts.

Mr. Bielman was born in Detroit in 1859, and was educated in public schools of that city. He began steamboating when twenty years of age, as clerk of the R. J. Gordon, running from Algomac to Port Huron. After one season on this boat, he became clerk of the Evening Star, then owned by the Detroit & Cleveland Steam Navigation Co. When the first steamer, City of Mackinac, came out in 1880, he was transferred to that boat, and was clerk of her for five seasons. Mr. Bielman considers this the most pleasant part of his career on the lakes, as the boat was a fine one, handsomely appointed, and the passenger traffic largely made up of pleasure seekers.

In 1886 he took charge of the freight and passenger business of the pool operating the Detroit and Port Huron boats; but owing to the dissolving of the pool the following season, he went back to the Cleveland line, as purser of the City of Alpena. In July, 1887, with Capt. Darius Cole, he purchased a controlling interest in the Star line, and took his present position of general traffic manager.

Mr. Bielman is also secretary and treasurer of the Stewart Transportation Company, owning and operating the fine freight steamer C.F. Bielman.

FRANK BINGHAM

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

Frank Bingham was born February 24, 1862, at Niagara Falls, and received part of his education in that place and the remainder at Buffalo. His parents, George and Edna (Bell) Bingham, are Americans by birth. Mr. Bingham's first employment was in the boiler works of Dempsey Brothers, at Buffalo, where he remained seven years. In 1886 he became engineer of the steamyacht Eddy, upon which he remained two years, following this with about ten years' service in the same capacity on the following Buffalo tugs: George Fullerton, Lewis Mills, Silver King and John Edwards.

On July 3, 1879, Mr. Bingham was married at Buffalo, to Emma Oldman, and they have the following-named children: Edna Belle, Pearl May, George F. and Gracie G. Mr. Bingham is now employed in the boiler shops of Farrar & Trefts.

A. D. BIRDSALL

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

A. D. Birdsall was born at Franklin, N. Y., in 1863, and received his education at Unadilla, Otsego county, that State. He learned the machinist's trade in the R. K. Teller machine shop at Unadilla, and subsequently worked for the Cleveland Ship Building Company, the Case Agricultural Works at Racine, and with Shepley & Walls, at Binghamton, N. Y. In 1882 Mr. Birdsall began life on the lakes as watchman on the steamer Frank Moffat, of Port Huron, finishing the season as wheelsman. The season of 1883 he was wheelsman of the Milton D. Ward, out of Detroit. He began the season of 1884 as mate of the side-wheel steamer Idlewild, plying between Toledo and Detroit, finishing as mate of the Sigma, a steamyacht owned by Colonel Reynolds, then president of the Wabash railroad. In 1885 Mr. Birdsall shipped as greaser of the Cambria, where he remained throughout the season. He was greaser on the Northern Light for the season of 1886, and was second engineer for the seasons of 1887-88 on the John M. Nichol and Northern King, holding a similar position on the Saginaw Valley until June, 1889, when he went to Detroit to become foreman over the shops and machinery of the Michigan Adamant Plaster Company. Here he remained until April, 1890, at which time he put in a new plant and new works for the above named company at Marquette, and became foreman there, continuing in this employ three and a half years. The winter following he was engaged in the Electric Light Works of that city. His next employment was at Marine City, where he fitted out the steamer New Baltimore, on which he remained as chief engineer for one season. During the early part of 1894 he was second engineer of the steamer Alaska, and chief of the Delaware for the remainder of the season. In 1895 he was chief engineer of the Connecting and Terminal Elevator at Buffalo, and for the season of 1896 he was chief engineer of the steamer Delaware.

Mr. Birdsall was married, at Cleveland, on April 13, 1889, to Miss Nora Van Kuren, of Youngstown, N. Y., and they have two children–Edna Madge and Ada Grace.

W. E. BISHOP

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

W.E. Bishop, manager of the Hamilton Steamboat Company, has risen to his present responsible position by his natural merits as an indefatigable and clever business man of unusually good judgment, and he is an excellent director of men under him. His company owns three fine vessels, the Modjeska, Macassa and Mazeppa, the first two on the run between Hamilton and Toronto, and the Mazeppa plying from Hamilton to the Beach and Burlington. Mr. Bishop was born in 1868 in the city of Brantford, Ont., and was educated in the common and high schools of that place, learning rapidly. He started in life for himself at the age of fourteen years, his first employment being with Messrs. A. Harris & Co., the prominent manufacturers of agricultural implements, with whom he remained for some time intending to learn the business. Not having a strong liking for it, however, he gave it up and went into the freight office of the Grand Trunk railway at Toronto in 1881, occupying a position there for three years, after which he went to Topeka, Kans., and secured lucrative employment in the auditor's department of the Topeka & Santa Fe railway. Returning to Canada, he entered the employ of the Hamilton Steamboat Company, as a clerk under Mr. Fergus Armstrong, who was at that time, in 1889, Toronto manager, and he remained in the Toronto office for three years, at the end of that time accepting a position with W.A. Geddes, wharfinger and vessel owner, of Toronto, as purser on the propeller Ocean, sailing between Montreal and the Upper Lakes in the passenger and freight business. That position Mr. Bishop continued to hold for four years, when he relinquished it to take charge of the Toronto end of the Hamilton Steamboat Company's business, Mr. Armstrong having been promoted to the position of general manager for the company at Hamilton. In the year 1896 Mr. Armstrong resigned, and Mr. Bishop was given the general managership with headquarters at Hamilton, in which incumbency he is still retained, as it has always been the policy of the Hamilton Steamboat Company to keep a good man. Mr. Bishop was married in 1889 to Miss Margaret Sin, and three children have been born to them, two sons and one daughter, all bright children who promise to be a credit to their parents. Mr. Bishop's party politics savor of Conservatism, but he is not a bitter Tory, always voting for the good of his country, and in his life he has as often voted Liberal as Conservative. Religiously he is a Presbyterian.

WILLIAM H. BISHOP

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

William H. Bishop is a son of Orris and Sarah (Philps) Bishop, and a brother of Edward Bishop, who was in the Thunder Bay life-saving station for a time and is now lighthouse-keeper at that port. Mr. Bishop was born in Marshalltown, Iowa, March 14, 1863, and attended the public schools in his native place until he reached the age of fifteen years. He then opened his lakefaring life as lineman on the tug E.H. Miller, out of Alpena harbor, on which he remained six years. In the spring of 1883 he entered the employ of the Thunder Bay Boom Company as engineer of the tug Segison, retaining that berth three years, and in 1886 he joined the tug Ralph, as engineer, with Capt. C.W. Richardson, now hull inspector in Chicago. The next spring he went to Detroit and shipped in the river tug Kate Williams, as engineer, for a short time, after which he went to Cleveland and entered the employ of L.P. & J.A. Smith as engineer of the tug Maggie Sanborn. He continued with this firm four years, transferring from one tug to another as occasion required. In the spring of 1891 Mr. Bishop shipped as second engineer on the steamer John W. Moore. The next season he was on the steamer Empire for a time, and after leaving her served as second engineer on the C.J. Kershaw and E.S. Pease until fall, when he shipped on the fish tug, King, at Erie, Penn. In the spring of 1893 he came out as second engineer on the steamer A. Everett, transferred to the Nellie Torrent, and in the fall joined the fishtug Siskiwitt. The next season he was second engineer of the steamer Nahant. In 1895 he served as engineer of the tug S.S. Stone, till August, closing the season on the steamer Horace B. Tuttle. In 1896 he came out as first assistant on the Griffin, transferred from her to the steamer Argonaut, and at the close of lake navigation shipped on the steam canalboat John Lang, and went to the Atlantic coast by way of the Hudson river and the Sound. Returning to the lakes the following season, he fitted out the steamer Pascal P. Pratt, and ran her till June, when he took engineer's berth on the large tug Chauncey Morgan, of the Cleveland Towing Company. Mr. Bishop was married to Miss Emma Horn, of Cleveland, on June 30, 1897. He is a member of the Marine Engineers Beneficial Association.

DAVID A. BLACK

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

The marine life of this gentleman has been marked with no shipwreck or experience of a serious nature. Gradually he has worked his way up the ladder of marine engineering till he has reached the berth of chief engineer of the Maricopa, a position which speaks for itself. All of his active life has been spent in preparation for his trade and its fulfillment, and he is a devoted follower of his chosen calling.

Mr. Black was born in Hamilton, Ontario, the son of David and Isabella (Arnott) Black. In his infancy his parents removed to Flamboro, Ontario, and there he lived until sixteen years old, at which age he went to Dundas, same Province, and entered the machine department of Gartshore's foundry. There he served four years, after which he was employed about two years at the same place and then removed to Goderich, Ontario, and purchased an interest in a foundry there; which venture proved unsuccessful, and he began sailing. He first went on the pleasure yacht Tommy Wright as engineer, and then served in the same capacity on the tug Maytham. He next became second engineer on the Tecumseh, of Chatham, acting as such for two seasons and then for one season as chief. He now moved to Detroit, Mich., becoming a citizen of the United States, and shipping as chief engineer of the steamer Kershaw one season, from which he came to the passenger steamer Saginaw Valley, and remained two seasons. After three years spent in the W. L. Frost he went to the F. W. Wheeler, which was new, for one season, and then in the seasons closely following brought out the steamers Mecosta, Tampa, Pioneer and Selwyn Eddy, all new. For one season following he was with the Detroit, Belle Isle & Windsor Ferry line, on the steamer Promise, from which he transferred to the Minnesota Steamship line on the steamer Marina. Upon this boat he spent the season of 1895, and continued on her until October 20, 1896, when he went on the Maricopa, of the same line, for the balance of the season.

Mr. Black was married to Georgina Pirie, of Guelph, Ontario, and to this union were born: Annie Maud, Alice Mabel, Ada Jacquelin, Hattie Florence, Alex Aitken and George Arnott, all of whom are living at home but Annie Maud, who died at the age of five years. Socially Mr. Black is a member of Detroit Lodge No. 2, F. & A. M., the M. E. B. A., No. 3, and Peninsular Lodge No. 12, A. O. U. W., of Detroit.

WILLIAM A. BLACK

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

William A. Black is one of the family of five children - four boys and one daughter -of John and Mary J. (Carlisle) Black, both of whom were born in the North of Ireland, the former in County Antrim.

John Black, the father, who was a farmer by occupation, died in April, 1897. He immigrated to Canada in 1837, and eventually located near St. Catharines, Ontario, where he still resides. The mother passed from earth about the year 1877. One of their sons, Robert J. Black, has been an engineer on the lakes for about twenty-four years, and is now a partner in a machine shop at St. Catharines. Another son, Edgar E., is a carpenter by trade, and is located at St. Clair, Mich. The other son died in 1894, and the daughter died in 1887.

William A. Black, the subject of this sketch, was born at St. Catharines, Ontario, November 24, 1856. After attending school at his native place, he was apprenticed in the machine shop of C. M. Able, in St. Catharines, where he remained about four years. He was next employed at the Pond Machine Shop, at Lockport, N. Y., and then went to Buffalo and worked, respectively, in the Eagle Iron Works, Bell's Machine Shop, the Buffalo Grape Sugar Works, Howard Iron Works (two years and a half), and the George L. Squire Manufacturing Co. (three years). In 1884, in the month of September, Mr. Black shipped as oiler on the steamer Clarion, on which he remained until the end of the season. The next three seasons he was second engineer of the same steamer with the exception of the last two trips, in the fall of 1887 becoming second engineer of the Winslow. In the spring of 1888 he was made chief engineer of the steamer Conemaugh, of the Anchor line, and has remained in her in that position steadily ever since. During his experiences on the lakes Mr. Black has been in but one accident of consequence. In the month of October, 1891, while the Conemaugh was coming down the Detroit River laden with flour and package on the way to Buffalo, and when abreast of Smith's Coal Dock, she was run into by the steamer New York and sunk near the Canadian shore, but remained sufficiently out of the water to permit the crew to remain on her until she was raised, none of them even getting wet. As usual a lawsuit resulted. Mr. Black has been a member of the Marine Engineers Beneficial Association eleven years, and a Mason since 1882, being a member of Buffalo Chapter No. 71, Council No. 17, Lake Erie Commandery No. 26, and of the Mystic Shrine, Ismailia temple.

Mr. Black was married at Buffalo in February, 1887, to Miss Catherine F. Johnson, by whom he has had three children: Ethel May, Raymond Alfred and Hazel, now (1898) aged respectively seven years, five years, and one year. The family resides at No. 261 Whitney Place, Buffalo, New York.

JAMES B. BLAIR

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

James B. Blair was born August 4, 1861, at Buffalo, N.Y., and in that city he has always made his home. He is a member of a family of eight children born to James C. and Margaret (Foster) Blair, both natives of Scotland. Hugh, the eldest child, was born in Scotland, and died in infancy; John is connected with the Standard Oil Company at Marquette, Mich., at the present time; Lizzie is married to Frank Miller, chief engineer of the steamer Boston; William E. and Frank follow the machinist's trade and reside in Buffalo; Alexander is a physician, residing in Buffalo; and Charles Arthur died in October, 1896, after one season spent on the steamer Clarion, as oiler. James B. Blair attended the public schools until he was fifteen years of age. At that time he entered the printing office of Baker, Jones & Co., working in the press department, and remaining about two and a half years. He then entered a planing-mill owned by Haigh & Blair (the later member of the firm being his brother John) and acted as fireman. After a time he was made engineer, and in that capacity remained until 1883, when he entered the employ of L. S. & M. S. railroad as fireman. In the fall of 1884 he left the railroad and went on the steamer Vanderbilt, as oiler. Upon this boat, however, he remained only one trip, going on the Chicago, of the W. T. line, in the same position, where he finished that season and spent the following one. During 1886 and 1887 he acted as first assistant engineer on the Chicago, and the following year accepted the same position on the Albany, of the W. T. line, where he remained until 1891. At that time he left the lakes, and accepted a position of chief engineer of the City Elevator B, at Buffalo, where he has since remained.

On August 4, 1885, Mr. Blair was married to Miss Lizzie Genner, daughter of John Genner, of Buffalo. To them three children have been born: Jessie C., May 22, 1886; James B., October 27, 1888; and Edward William, April 20, 1891.

Mr. Blair is a member of the Masonic fraternity, of the E. E. B. A. and the L. O. F. at Buffalo, New York.

EDWARD R. BLANCHARD

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

Edward R. Blanchard is well known in Detroit in his connection with the Marine Engineers Beneficial Association, which has no more enthusiastic member or one who has done more for the general interest of the association and the special interest of No. 3, of which he is now treasurer. He became a member twelve years ago and has filled the offices of doorkeeper, chaplain, secretary, vice-president, etc., and for the last four years has been a representative in the national meeting at Washington.

Mr. Blanchard was born in Southampton, England, October 12, 1851, son of Alfred and Frances (Wright) Blanchard, the former of whom was a well-known yacht builder there. His oldest brother, Alfred, Jr., was a yachtsman and was drowned off a yacht near Southampton some years ago. His brother George is the master of a large yacht which has been in the Mediterranean since early in 1896. The other brother, William, is in business in London, England, and is the only one of the family not connected with marine interests. Edward was in the yachting business out of Southampton as a young man, and left his native country for America in 1873, coming direct to Detroit, where he obtained employment as assistant engineer of the tug L.L. Lyon. The season of 1874 he spent as second engineer of the William A. Moore, and in 1875 he held the same position on the William Goodnow. In 1876 he returned to England in hope of benefiting the health of his wife, and he was again connected with English yachts until 1882, when he returned to Detroit; on account of his wife's health, however, he did not go on the lakes until the season of 1883, when he became engineer of the George A. Marsh, the tender for the Detroit river lighthouse during the building of the latter. He held the same position in 1884, and in 1885 he accepted from Hiram Walker & Sons the position of chief engineer of their fine yacht Pastime, giving such excellent satisfaction that he has been retained on her continuously since.

On December 12, 1874, in Detroit, Mr. Blanchard wedded Miss Emma Wright, an English girl, and they have had ten children, of whom three only are now living: Alfred E. (who is on the lakes). Ernest W. and Gertrude. Mr. Blanchard also holds membership with the A.O.U.W. in fraternal connection.

JOSEPH R. BLANCHETTE

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

Joseph R. Blanchette, who has been chief engineer of the Nyanza since the season of 1892, is the second of five sons of William and Catharine (Quilliams) Blanchette. The father was an old-time steamboat engineer, and was lost on the lakes, in 1856, while on the J. W. Brooks, of the old National Transit line. The sons, like their father, all became engineers; and Thomas, the eldest, met with the same fate, being chief engineer of the B. W. Jones, when she was blown up at Port Huron, on the St. Clair River, in May, 1871. John is a locomotive engineer on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railroad, and resides at Aurora, Ill. Nelson is a locomotive engineer on the Flint & Pere Marquette railroad, residing at Saginaw, Mich. Frank, the youngest, is engineer on the Northern Pacific railroad.

Joseph R. Blanchette, the subject of this sketch, was born in Avon, Ohio, in 1845, and obtained his schooling at that place. His first employment was running a drill for the Dean & Eaton Car Co., at Detroit, Mich., and after three years of that work he entered the machine shops of the Kellogg Nut and Bolt Works, remaining there two years. He then started railroading, firing on the Grand Haven & Milwaukee railroad for the three years of 1864-65-66, and in 1867 began his marine life as assistant engineer of the tug Grant, out of Detroit, owned by John Deman. Leaving her after two seasons, he went on the tug Thomas Quayle, of which he was second engineer for the season of 1869, and the succeeding seasons of 1870-71 was chief engineer of the Jay Cook, a passenger boat, of Detroit. In 1872 he returned to railroading, as locomotive engineer of the Flint & Pere Marquette railroad until May, 1874, when he left to accept the position of chief engineer of the John Sherman for that season. During the winter of 1874-75 he engaged in railroading again until March 22, 1875, when he again went on the John Sherman as chief. In 1876-77 he was chief of the George R. Dunlap, and for the four successive seasons, from 1878-81 inclusive, of the Dove, being then transferred to the Arundel, of which he was chief the next nine seasons. It will thus be seen that Mr. Blanchette spent seventeen years in the employ of the Detroit, Bay City and Alpena Mail line of steamers. He entered the service of the McBrier line, of Erie, Penn., in 1891, as chief of the Fedora, and in 1892 went on the Nyanza, belonging to the same line, and was on her five seasons. During his career as engineer Mr. Blanchette has proven himself a careful, reliable and steady navigator, never having been in any steamboat collision or wreck, and since he has had chief's papers has been in the employ of only two lines, one seventeen, the other seven, years.

He is the holder of a number of issues of chief's license, is a member of Local Harbor No. 1, Marine Engineers Beneficial Association, of Buffalo, and is a thirty-second-degree Mason, being a member of Michigan Sovereign Consistory, A. A. S. R., Valley of Detroit, and Blue Lodge No. 129, F. & A. M., of Bay City, Michigan.

Mr. Blanchette was married, December 12, 1876, to Miss Louisa Clark, a daughter of T. L. Clark, an old pioneer of Maumee, Ohio. The family residence is at No. 209 Potomac avenue, Buffalo, New York.

H. J. BLANEYM

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

H.J. Blaney, a well-known and highly respected citizen of Chicago, who spent several years of his early life upon the lakes, and has since had charge of stationary engines, is the present chief engineer of the Stock Exchange building, having held that position since 1894.

Mr. Blaney was born in Canada, in 1843, a son of Daniel and Nelly (Nichol) Blaney, both natives of Glasgow, Scotland, who at an early day emigrated to Canada, where they made their home throughout the remainder of their lives. By trade their father was a weaver. Our subject was reared and educated in Canada, and on leaving home went to Detroit, Mich., but since 1863 has resided in Chicago. In 1861, at Detroit, Mr. Blaney secured the position of engineer on tug boats on the Detroit and St. Clair rivers, and during that year and the year following was in the employ of the Winslow line. In the latter part of the season of 1862 he came to Chicago, and the following year accepted the position of second engineer of the steam propeller Water Witch, which was engaged in passenger trade, and which was lost in the fall of that year in Saginaw Bay, while sailing from Chicago to Sarnia in the interests of the Grand Trunk Line. From 1864 until 1868 he remained ashore as stationary engineer, but in the latter year was made second engineer of the propeller line of the Grand Trunk line, and was on her two seasons. In 1869 he located permanently in Chicago, and during that year and 1870 he was engineer of a dry-goods house; from 1872 until 1882 was chief engineer of a building at the corner of State and Madison streets; was chief engineer of the Ayer building in 1882; from 1884 until 1888 was chief engineer of the Royal Insurance building; for the following four years held a similar position at the Auditorium; and since January, 1894 has been chief engineer of the Stock Exchange.

In 1867, Mr. Blaney was married in Canada, to Miss Margaret McMillan, and to them have been born the following children; Charles J.; Mary Elizabeth; William H.; Frances; George W.; Walter A.; Maud; Mildred; and Lillian. Socially Mr. Blaney was a member of the old M. E. P. A., No. 4; the Home Lodge No. 508. F. & A. M., and also belongs to the Royal League and the Independent Order of Foresters.

C. BLAUVELT

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

C. Blauvelt, who was a prominent marine engineer during the earlier period of steamboating, is still active in the line of his calling: he is a man of fine stature and possesses a good reserve force of vitality. Mr. Blauvelt was born in Tompkins county, N. Y., son of Isaac and Betsey (Swartout) Blauvelt, who removed to Algonac, Mich., in the year 1848, and were considered pioneers of St. Clair county. They were of Holland descent, the grandfather having come to the United States while young and located in New York.

Cornelius Blauvelt attended the public schools until about eighteen years of age. In 1952 he began the life of a lake sailor, shipping as boy with Capt. William Wilds in the steamer Romeo, then plying on the St. Clair Flats, and the following year he went as fireman in the steamer Odd Fellow, commanded by Capt. William Dana. The next position accorded Mr. Blauvelt was that as chief engineer of the lake tug Pilot, which berth he held five consecutive seasons. He was chief engineer of the large tug William B. Castle, with Capt. R. J. Hackett, for nine seasons, and of the lake tug George E. Brockway, with Captain Moffat, five seasons. His next steamer was the Annie Smith, Capt. M. H. Murch, in which he remained two seasons, and for two seasons following he ran the propeller Allegheny as chief engineer. In the fall of 1885, after laying his boat up, he built a gristmill in Algonac to occupy his time during the winter months, and he still operates the mill when he is not sailing. After holding the berth of engineer on various steamers, the names of which are not remembered in order. Mr. Blauvelt shipped as second engineer in the steam passenger monitor Christopher Columbus, with Captain McArthur, and assisted in operating her during the World's Columbian Exposition at Chicago, his son, Robert Blauvelt, being the chief engineer; theirs were responsible positions, as over 1,800,000 passengers were carried without the loss of life, with the exception of one member of the crew who fell overboard and was drowned, although every effort was made to rescue him by Captain McArthur. In the spring of 1895 Mr. Blauvelt fitted out the George W. Farwell, which he engineered two seasons, laying her up at the close of navigation in Marine City. He formerly owned interests in some of the vessel property he had sailed, but has disposed of all.

In 1860 Mr. Blauvelt wedded Miss Lena, daughter of Jacob Sternlar. The children born to this union are George E., who was engineer of the John B. Trevor in 1897; Delos; Henry E., who died in 1895, while first assistant engineer of the Christopher Columbus; Robert S., who was chief engineer for the American Steel Barge Company for a number of years and brought out new many of their large steam monitors, rounding Cape Horn in one of them, he was chief engineer of the passenger steamer Northland in 1895; John W., first assistant engineer of the Northland, and Ralph H., also a marine engineer of good report. The family live in Algonac, Mich. Fraternally Mr. Blauvelt is a Master Mason.

ROBERT S. BLAUVELT

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

Robert S. Blauvelt, one of the most scientific marine engineers navigating on fresh or salt water, has been a resident of Buffalo only a short time. He is the son of Cornelius and Lena (Stomler) Blauvelt, and was born in Algonac, Mich., in 1865. His father, a marine engineer of forty years' experience, is still active in the engineering business at Algonac.

The subject of this sketch attended the public schools of his native town until he was twelve years of age, after which he took a business course at the college of Bryant & Stratton. On completing his school education he occupied his boyhood days, usually passed by lads of his age in play, around the engines and machinery of his fathers' tugs in Algonac, and became so imbued with the desire of following up that branch of industry that he went down to Detroit and entered the employ of Samuel F. Hodge in order that he might learn the machinist's trade under the eyes of a master. After thoroughly learning the trade he went to Oscoda, Mich., and shipped as master of the tug Dave and Mose. In the spring of 1883 he purchased an interest in the tug Allie May, and sailed her, towing between Oscoda and Au Sable. He remained ashore during the early months of 1884, but toward the close of the season shipped as assistant engineer on the tug William B. Castle, and in 1885-86 occupied the same position on the steamer James P. Donaldson. During the winters of these years he worked in the shop of the Frontier Iron Works, and while in this employ they built the machinery of the propeller Oconto, afterward sunk in Niagara river; Mr. Blauvelt ran her for about two months after her machinery was placed in position. In the spring of 1887 he was appointed chief engineer on the steamer Sitka, of the Wilson Transit line, and that winter entered the employ of Christy & DeGraf, a well known firm of Detroit. In 1888, upon the invitation of Capt. Alexander McDougall, he went to Duluth, Minn., as superintending engineer, put the machinery into the first steam monitor Colgate Hoyt, and ran her that season. During the winter months he took charge of the engine department of the American Steel Barge Company's plant in Duluth.

In 1889 Mr. Blauvelt also put the machinery into the monitor J. L. Colby, and took her down to Boston by way of the St. Lawrence river, shooting the rapids, and arriving at that seaport with his boat in good condition. She plied for some time between Boston, Baltimore and New York. In August he was recalled to take charge of the machinery of the monitor C. W. Wetmore, which he took down to Philadelphia and around Cape Horn to Everett, on Puget Sound. The success or failure of this passage was commented on very widely, the knowing ones asserting that she was not seaworthy, and that she would never be heard from again. She left Philadelphia September 19, 1889, making good weather on the passage around the Horn, and good speed until she encountered a terrific storm off the Columbia river, in Oregon, the velocity of the wind being reported by the officers of the weather bureau to be 103 miles per hour. Here the monitor lost her rudder plates, but rode out the storm while in a helpless condition. The steamer Zambesa, passing, gave them a line and towed the boat to Astoria, at the mouth of the Columbia river, where the rudder was repaired. She then proceeded on her way to Everett, arriving there December 6, 1889.

On March 7, 1890, he left the Wetmore and returned to West Superior, to which city the American Steel Barge Company's plant had been removed, and again took charge of the engine department as superintending engineer. During the time he held this office he put the machinery into the monitors Pathfinder, Pillsbury, Washburn, Thomas Wilson, James B. Colgate, Samuel Mather, E. B. Bartlett, A. D. Thompson and Christopher Columbus, and brought them out on trial trips.

In 1893-94 our subject remained on the Christopher Columbus, taking her to Chicago, and engineering her in the passenger and excursion business during the World's fair, for which purpose she had been admirably constructed. She also plied between Chicago and Milwaukee. In the fall of 1894 he tendered his resignation to the Steel Barge Comany, and returned to the Pacific coast to place the electric plant and machinery in the steamer City of Everett, which he ran in the passenger and freight business in connection with the Panama Railroad Company. He remained on her through the season of 1895, plying between San Francisco and Panama. In the spring of 1896 Mr. Blauvelt removed to Buffalo, and was appointed chief engineer of the steel steamer Centurion, of 3,402 tons burden, owned by the Hopkins Steamship Company. He laid her up in Buffalo harbor at the close of navigation, and during the winter of 1896-97, he was appointed chief engineer of the steamship North Land, of the Northern Steamship Company, and finished the running season. In 1898 he retired from sea life, and accepted a position with the American Sugar Refining Company, of New York. He was fifteen issues of engineer's license, which include license for ocean-going steamers, and three issues of pilot license.

In June, 1895, Mr. Blauvelt was wedded to Miss Minona Lewis, of Springfield, Maine, the ceremony being performed in Seattle, Wash. Two children, Althea Minona and Roberta Victoria, have been born to this union.

HENRY BLOECKER

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

Henry Bloecker, an accomplished machinist and engine builder, and an esteemed citizen and business man of Grand Haven, Mich., has perhaps had the honor of bringing out more marine engines than any engineer on the lakes. This arises from the fact that he has been a popular and enterprising builder of engines for steamboats during the last twenty years, and that he assumed charge of each when the steamer made her maiden trip, and it is but truth to say that all of the engines produced at the shop over which he had jurisdiction gave eminent satisfaction in every respect. His extensive practical know-ledge, added to rare mechanical ingenuity, common sense and remarkable powers of discrimination, all tended to the best results. He is a man of good presence, and has a strong, earnest face, expressing at once shrewdness, intelligence, good humor, kindness and liberality. He was born on September 6, 1845, in Holstein, Germany, and is the son of Marx and Margaret Bloecker, both of whom died in Germany, his father in 1847, and his mother in 1895. He was educated in the public schools of Holstein, where he also learned the machinist's trade, serving an apprenticeship of about four years.

When he reached the age of twenty-two, Henry Bloecker left his home in Germany and came to the United States, going directly to Grand Haven, where he entered the employ of the Ottawa Iron Company as machinists, and worked at his trade in that place and Ferryburg for ten years. By economy and industry he was, in 1877, enabled to start in business on his own account, associating in the business Mr. Bryce, and this was known as the firm of Bryce & Bloecker, they carrying on a general machinist's and engine-building trade until 1881, when the establishment was destroyed by fire. This did not dampen Mr. Bloecker's industrial ardor, however, and he immediately resumed business, after building a new shop, under the firm name of Bryce, Bloecker & Co., this title remaining in force for two years, when Mr. Bryce sold his stock, and the title was changed to Henry Bloecker & Co., the new members of the company being H. B. and Christian Gallmeyer. Business was thus conducted until 1889, when Mr. Bloecker bought out both of his partners and carried on the business alone until March 20, 1895, when he was appointed United States local inspector of boilers for the Grand Haven district, an office which he was eminently qualified to fill, and which he held for some time.

During the time that he carried on the machine shop Mr. Bloecker built and brought out the engines of the steamers Lora, A. R. Colburn, Douglass, George D. Sanford, Jr., Charles McVea, Frank Woods, Joseph C. Suit, R. C. Reid, H. A. Root, Richmond, A. S. Krouse, Saugatuck, Kalamazoo, City of Kalamazoo, Lorain L., McCormick, Myrty M. Ross, S. K. Martin, Tempest, A. D. Hayward, Mark B. Covell, John Pauley, Alice, Columbia, Columbia No. 2, Frank P. Geiken, Thomas W. Frayant, Lou A. Cummings, S. C. Hall, Frances Hinton, Bruce, River Queen, Teora, Anna, M. E. B. A., J. W. Calister, Alice M. Gill, T. W. Scott, Crescent and many others.

Socially, Mr. Bloecker is a Royal Arch Mason, and a member of the Beneficial Order of the Maccabees.

On April 17, 1868, Henry Bloecker was wedded to Miss Mary Glazat, daughter of Herman and Caroline Glazat, of Grand Haven, Mich. The children born to this union are Hugo, Fred, Robert, Paul, Emma, Ernest and Henry. The family homestead is in Grand Haven, Michigan.

CAPTAIN DAVID BLOM

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

Captain David Blom,, a business man of Holland, Mich., was born in that city, on May 2, 1869, son of Capt. Cornelius B. and Jane (Maries) Blom. His father was an owner and master of lake craft for many years, his last command being the schooner Tempest, and David has been conversant with marine matters from boyhood. After acquiring a liberal public-school education he engaged in gill-net fishing on Maratawa Bay and Lake Michigan, eventually selling his boats and nets to carry on business ashore, which he has conducted with good financial success. He has sailed as boy on the steamer City of Holland, as pilot on the Fanny Schreiber and Henry S. Brown, on Black Lake, and on the east shore of Lake Michigan, as master of the steamyacht Minnie S., which he purchased in the spring of 1898. After some practical experience and much study, Captain Blom went to Grand Haven, Mich., and applied to the United States local inspectors for a license to sail his own steamyacht, the Mamie S. He also had aspirations of becoming a master, in order that he might be competent to take practical charge of either or both ends of his charming yacht, and after solving the problems placed before him relative to the mysteries of marine engineering, he at once set to work to delineate the duties and emergencies of the full-fledged captain, all of which he accomplished to the satisfaction of the powers which preside over papers maritime. Thus at one sitting, or, more accurately speaking, without sleeping, Mr. Blom became possessed of both master's and engineer's papers, a notable achievement in the annals of the inspection service.

Captain Blom was married on November 22, 1890, to Miss Eva Kniffen, daughter of Fred and Fannie Kniffen, of Holland, Mich., and one daughter, Jeanette, has been born to this union. Their home is on West Seventh street, Holland. Socially the Captain is a member of the Order of Elks.

CAPTAIN FRANK BLOOM

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

Captain Frank Bloom, master of the Conemaugh, of the Anchor line, is one of the younger men on the lakes, who have of late become more prominent in its navigation. He is the youngest of the seven children of John C. and Nancy (Roberts) Bloom, of Wesleyville, Erie Co., Penn., at which place he was born, January 30, 1859.

Captain Bloom attended the village district school, and farmed until about seventeen years of age, when he set out for the oil fields, expecting, like many others in those days, to make a fortune. After two years' work there, however, he decided that steamboating was more lucrative, and in 1879 entered the service of the Anchor line as lookout on the Annie Young. From this comparatively humble position he has worked himself up to the highest point in marine circles on the lakes, at present serving as master of the Conemaugh, one of the finest steamers at present on the lakes. His record in order of progress is as follows: two years in the Annie Young as lookout and wheelsman; two years as wheelsman in the Alaska, and two more as second mate; second mate of the Lycoming one season; first mate of the Juniata four seasons, and of the Philadelphia one, just prior to the year she sank; he was then master of the Conestoga one season, and of the Conemaugh four, including 1897, thus rounding out a service of eighteen consecutive seasons with this line, with fourteen issues of license, quite an enviable record for a young man. Captain Bloom is a member of Keystone Lodge Royal Arcanum, No. 108, Erie.

In May, 1886, he was married to Miss Mary L. Brandon, of Erie, Penn., and they have three children: Harvey, Frank and Esther Mahala. The family residence is at Wesleyville, Erie Co., Pennsylvania.

CHARLES A. BLOOMER

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

Charles A. Bloomer, formerly president of the Western Elevating Association, is a native of the Empire State, having been born May 15, 1818 at Scipio, Cayuga county, of Quaker heritage. He is a son of John and Tamma (Chamberlain) Bloomer, the former of whom was born in Westchester County, N. Y., and the latter near New Haven, Conn. The Bloomer family on both sides trace their ancestry back to early English colonists of Plymouth Rock. The education of Charles A. Bloomer was received in the common schools, and during his boyhood he lived successively in the counties of Cortland, Seneca and Ontario, to which his parents moved. While yet young he learned the trade of carpenter, millwright and contractor, and in 1852 removed to Rochester in order to establish himself there in the business of millwright. For several years he was thus engaged in the "Flour City," where his skill at his trade led to his recognition as one of the ablest men in that line in the country.

In 1854, through some financial complications, Stephen Whitney, of New York, became virtually the owner of a chain of flouring-mills located at Oswego, Macedon, Rochester and Black Rock, and Mr. Bloomer was placed in charge of the property, with authority to lease, sell or operate, according to his own judgment, and it was while he held this trust that he rebuilt the Frontier Mills at Black Rock. In 1856 he became one of the lessees of the Exchange Mill at Rochester, operating it until 1862, in which year he removed to Buffalo to take charge of the construction of the elevator built that year by William Rankin, Alfred Ely and Ashley Hall. This elevator, after passing through the hands of several different owners, became the property of Greene & Bloomer in 1881, burned down in 1889, and was rebuilt in 1890. Mr. Bloomer became part owner of this elevator, and in 1890 was president of the company that owned the property. In 1885 Mr. Bloomer was chosen president of the Western Elevating Company, retaining the position until 1890, when he was succeeded by George Sowesby. The same year he became a stockholder and president of the Exchange Elevator Company, relations which he still sustains, the office of the company being at No. 66 Board of Trade Building. Mr. Bloomer's elder brother, Dexter C. Bloomer, has been for many years a prominent lawyer of Council Bluffs, Iowa, and another brother owns a fine farm and vineyard on the eastern slope of Seneca lake. Mr. Bloomer is a member of the Merchants Exchange, of the Young Men's Christian Association, of the Buffalo Library Association, of the Republican League and of the Delaware Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church, of which latter he has been a trustee and treasurer many years.

On October 15, 1839, Mr. Bloomer was married, in Newark, Wayne Co., N.Y., to Miss Cornelia Frear, and on October 15, 1889, they celebrated their fiftieth anniversary. Mrs. Bloomer died September 2, 1894. Mr. Bloomer has his home at No. 28 Orton Place, Buffalo, New York.

THOMAS J. BLUETT

Source: History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1 by J.B. Mansfield

Thomas J. Bluett was born in 1854 at Buffalo, N. Y., the only child of Thomas and Elizabeth Bluett, the former of whom was a cartman about the business portion of Buffalo for many years. He attended school in his native city, and began active life in the machine shop of Robert Dempster, where he remained several years, during four of which he was engaged learning his trade. He has also worked in the Erie railway shops, several small shops on Broadway, Buffalo, in the Ruger Cracker Machine Works, and with C. W. Whitman & Co. (formerly Donaldson & Polley), 178 Ohio street, where he was employed seventeen consecutive winters. Mr. Bluett's first experience in the lake service was as fireman on the steamer Starrucca, and he has since served as second engineer, respectively, of the following named steamers: Newburgh, Montana, Lehigh, Northerner, Tower, Fayette Brown, Commodore, John Rugel, Yokima, Albany, Thomas Adams, Robert E. Packer, Nebraska and Fred Mercur. He has also been chief engineer on the William H. Gilcher, Alfred P. Wright, Fred Mercur, Robert A. Packer and H. E. Packer, being on the latter for the season 1896, and transferring from that boat to the China, also as chief. Mr. Bluett has had two narrow escapes from death, and was in one collision, in 1886, when the steamer Lehigh, of the Anchor line, collided with the schooner Van Valkenburg off Thunder Bay light, sunk, and was afterward blown up; she was loaded with coal. He was second engineer of the steamer Albany the second trip before she was lost, and chief of the William H. Gilcher the same season she went down in Lake Michigan. Mr. Bluett is unmarried, and resides at No. 587 West avenue, Buffalo.