Alexander R. Robinson

Alexander R. Robinson, of Conneaut, Ohio, is the son of Alexander and Mary E. (Bensom) Robinson, both natives of New York State. He was born November 5, 1856, at Clayton, Jefferson Co., N. Y., and at that place spent all of his younger life, attending the public schools of Clayton until he was fifteen years of age. He then had a great desire for a marine life, which he gratified by going on the Gen. Burnside as seaman. Here he remained one season, and then went on the schooner Grace Whitney, continuing thus for one and a half seasons, after which he served as her second mate the same length of time. He then served as mate on the schooners Montana, Bigler, Monterey and Henry Folger, transferring the following season to the Prince Alfred as master, and remaining three seasons. After a season spent on the James Couch, he remained on shore for a year, and then took the same boat for four years. Shipping next on the schooner North West, he remained three years on her, after which he took the barges Nos. 27 and 31 for two years. The two seasons following he spent on the A. D. Thompson and the season of 1895 on the V. H. Ketchum, coming in 1896 to the Kaliyuga. The only misfortune which has befallen Captain Robinson was on the Prince Alfred, which was wrecked on Lake Huron, near Collingwood. The boat was soon repaired, however, and put in running order.

Our subject was married January 18, 1876, to Miss Isabella McCrea, of Clayton, N. Y., a sister of John McCrea, who has been a sailor for several years. Their children are Alratha I., Henry R. and Thomas S., all of whom are in school at the present time. Mrs. Robinson is a member of the Ladies of the Maccabees, and Captain Robinson of the Masonic Order, I. O. O. F., and Knights of the Maccabees. His brothers, Thomas J. and Willard J. Robinson, are both sailors, the former having been a master for several years.

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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.