Niel Andersen

Niel Andersen is the son of John Nelson Andersen, of Denmark, where he was born January 25, 1865. Starting at the age of fourteen as boy on the bark Gentle Lagoon, out of his native town to Rotterdam, he has followed sailing ever since, his experience on salt water being more extensive than on fresh water. His rapid advancement in several cases and his steady employment are sufficient evidence of his proficiency in his chosen calling. After three months service on the Gentle Lagoon, Mr. Andersen was in several barks, among them the American ship Glory of the Sea, Rotterdam to Cardia, as ordinary seaman; on the Paul Revere, trading to San Francisco, as ordinary seaman; the Young American, San Francisco to Liverpool; the Helen Nanjoe, Scotland to Quebec, Canada; the Minnie M. Watts, New York to Wick, Scotland, and on the same boat to New Orleans, securing a load of cotton for Havre, France. Returning to New York he shipped before the mast on the schooner Dredner, New York to Boston, then on the American Eagle, Trenton, to the coast of China, and from there to Norfolk, Va. >From the latter place he proceeded by rail to Buffalo, where he shipped on the Canadian steamer Roanoke, from Port Edward, as deckhand, and after three weeks of such service was promoted to wheelsman, holding that position on her three years, until promoted to second mate's berth. A year later he became first mate, which position he held two years, after which he was in the Fred Pabst a short time, the Hiawatha a half season, and mate on the A.P. Wright and Tioga a half season each. During 1894 he was mate of the Tioga for four months, and the balance of the season served as second mate of the Pillsbury. He was first mate of the Pillsbury the next two seasons, 1895-96, and for 1897 mate of the St. Paul.

In February, 1894, Mr. Anderson[sic] was married to Miss Mary Gicling, of St. Paul's, Ont., and they have one son. Our subject is a member of the St. James Lodge No. 73, F. & A.M., of St. Mary's, Canada. He resides at Tonawanda, Erie Co., New York.

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Volume I

This version of Volume II is based, with permission, on the work of the great volunteers at the Marine Captains Biographies site. To them goes the credit for reorganizing the content into some coherent order. The biographies in the original volume are in essentially random order.

Some of the transcription work was also done by Brendon Baillod, who maintains an excellent guide to Great Lakes Shipwreck Research.