George H. Anderson

George H. Anderson was born December 1, 1848, in Cleveland, Ohio, where he attended the public schools until 1865. Soon after leaving school he entered the employ of the Globe Iron Works Company to learn the machinist's trade, remaining with them three years, and for one year following he worked at his trade in the shops of the Bourne & Knowles Nut Co. In the spring of 1872, to gratify his desire for the life of a sailor, he shipped as second engineer on the steamer New York, belonging to the Union Steamship line, of Buffalo, and remained on that boat two seasons. In 1874 he transferred to the steamer Jay Gould, in 1875 to the Canisteo, and in 1876 to the B. W. Blanchard. After this experience of five years as marine engineer on the lakes, Mr. Anderson worked at his trade ashore in different shops in Cleveland, fully qualifying himself as a first-class mechanic, on all classes of work. In June, 1888, he again turned to the lakes and shipped as second engineer on the steamer Northern Light, remaining until the close of the season. In the spring of 1889 he sailed as second engineer of the steamer Republic, and in that fall went to work for the Cleveland Spring Company, in whose employ he continued for five years. In the spring of 1895 he came out in the new steamer I. W. Nicholas as second engineer, holding that berth until the close of navigation, where he resumed work with the Cleveland Spring Company for the winter months. The following year he shipped as first assistant engineer on the steamer Chili, on which he served throughout the season. He has fifteen issues of license.

Mr. Anderson is a Knight Templar Mason, belonging to Oriental Commandery, and a member of the Marine Engineers Beneficial Association, of Cleveland. He has one son, George H. Anderson, Jr.

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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.