Captain Henry Savage

Captain Henry Savage, a retired lake mariner, well known among the older generation of masters, and quite popular with those of the present day, was born August 1, 1834, in Sutton, Lincolnshire, England, a son of John and Catherine (Harley) Savage. The father came to the United States in 1853, the other members of the family joining him a year later in New York City. On New Year's Day, 1855, they removed to Avon, Lorain Co., Ohio, locating on a farm, where the parents died, the mother passing away in April, 1897, at the advanced age of ninety-three years.

It was in Avon, Ohio, that Henry Savage received his education, working on a farm in the summer months. He began his career as a sailor in the spring of 1856 as cook in the scow Prince of Peace, out of Black River, Capt. Charles Moore being in command. It is said that he did not make a magnificent success as a cook, and we find him three months later before the mast on the schooner R. J. Gibbs, in which he made his first visit to Chicago with Capt. Con Young. The next spring he helped fit out the bark W. S. Pierson, commanded by Capt. Frank Church, but closed the season in the new schooner William H. Craig, launched at Huron, Ohio, that year. In 1858 he shipped before the mast in the schooner Grace Murray, but soon transferred to the schooner William H. Craig, of which he had been appointed mate. That fall, during a lively gale when there was a most appalling loss of life and vessel property, the Craig rode out the storm at anchor off Presque Isle. During the next three years the Captain stopped ashore, working on a farm summers, and each winter he went to New York and studied medicine in the Hygeio Therapeutic College.

In the spring of 1862 Captain Savage returned to the lakes as master of the scow John P. Hale, and while in her went to Ashtabula and raised the sunken schooner Black Rover, which was considered a famous wrecking job for those days. He then sailed in different vessels in various capacities until the spring of 1866, when he shipped with Capt. George Mallory as mate in the schooner A. Buckingham. The next spring he was appointed mate of the schooner Nonpareil, commanded by Capt. John Pomeroy, holding that office two seasons. In 1869 he sailed on the schooner W. S. Lyon with Capt. I. Woodruff. This was followed by two seasons as second mate in the schooner Mocking Bird, in which he made his first trip to Duluth. In 1872 he was appointed mate of the schooner F. L. Danforth, and in 1873 he got his first vessel, the schooner Redwing, to sail. He held that office three years, and then purchased an interest in the schooner G. S. Hazard, which he sailed two seasons. In the spring of 1878 he was again appointed master of the schooner Redwing, holding that command until October, 1882, when he retired and went to Duluth, where he purchased a temperance billiard hall, which he conducted several years. He then went into business on Lake Avenue, Duluth, but his store and fixtures were destroyed by fire in 1896, after which he opened a place on Superior Street, which he now carries on.

Captain Savage married Miss Frances Mallory, and to them were born one daughter, Ella M., now the wife of Rev. E. D. Minch, of New Vienna, Ohio. The Captain makes his home at 602 West Superior Street, Duluth, Minnesota.

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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.