Charles E. Smith

Charles E. Smith was born in Buffalo, N.Y., August 25, 1863, and attended the public schools of his native city until fifteen years of age. He commenced his career on the lakes as a ferry boy, sculling his boat across Buffalo Creek, and in 1882 he shipped on the steamer Edward Fisk, finishing the season on the tug Annie P. Dorr as fireman. The following season he went on the tug Bryant, transferring to the Lorenzo Dimmick, Alpha and J.E. Williams in the order named.

In 1884 Mr. Smith took charge of the machinery in the Evans elevator, and in 1885-86 he was engineer of the Watson elevator. In the spring of 1887 he shipped as chief engineer of the tug Alpha, remaining on her three seasons. In 1890-91 he engineered the tug Medina, and in 1892 he took out pilot's papers and sailed the tug Ingraham. In 1894-95 he was engineer of the tug Cheney, and in 1896 of the tug Tam O'Shanter; for the season of 1897 he remained on shore, and for the season of 1898 he was engineer of the O.W. Cheney, of Maytham's line. He has fourteen issues of engineer's license, and five of pilot. On one occasion, while with Capt. John R. Glover, he ran out on a tug with Joseph Morris and Osman Rollo, as fireman, at great risk of life, and took a crew off a barge in distress, which was at anchor three miles off Gravelly Bay, Port Colborne; the act was greatly to the credit of all on board, as no other tug cared to venture the rescue, so violent was the sea running. Mr. Smith is a member of the I.O.O.F., the Knights of Pythias, Selkirk Lodge No. 295, of Buffalo, and of the Harbor Tug Pilots Association of Buffalo.

On April 6, 1887, Mr. Smith was united in marriage with Miss Agnes Thompson, of Stamford, Ontario. Their children are Charles E., David T., and Pearl A. The family residence is at No. 215 Mackinaw Street, Buffalo, 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.