Douglass H. Stewart

Douglass H. Stewart, who for several years was the efficient marine reporter at Detroit, Mich., and of whom it has often been said, with truth, that no boat ever went too fast for him on the river, was born at Harsons Island, St. Clair River, August 14, 1862. He obtained his education at the common schools of the island, and at the age of sixteen years went sailing as lookout on the steamer Empire State, after a year's service on her changing to the steamer James Davidson, upon which he remained four years - in the capacity of lookout one year and as wheelsman three years. He now went to Detroit and applied to Captain Coyne, local inspector, for papers as pilot, but after the required examination they were withheld because of color blindness. Mr. Stewart then became marine reporter at Detroit River, being located in the office with Capt. J.W. Westcott, and while thus engaged he was also agent to the Marine Record, of Cleveland, Ohio, and the Cleveland Leader and Plain Dealer, and the Detroit Free Press and Tribune, and as correspondent for the Marine Record, Chicago Inter Ocean and many other morning papers in different cities upon the lake shores. Besides attending to these occupations he delivered messages changing the destination of vessels carrying cargoes to lower lake ports. In the fall of 1886 he entered the employ of the Globe Iron Works Company, as machinist, and remained with them three years. In 1890 he was appointed captain of the Superior street viaduct, at Cleveland, Ohio, under the Mayor Rose administration, holding that position two years to the satisfaction of all concerned. In 1893 he started in the electric business with J. S. Moses, and in April, 1895, in company with C.H. Estinghouse and E.L. Warner, became a member of the corporation known as the Electric Supplies & Construction Co., with which he has since been connected.

Mr. Stewart is a Chapter Mason, being a member of Bigelow Lodge; of the U.O.A.W., and of the I.O.O.F., at present serving as deputy grand master of the Odd Fellows of the district of Cleveland; he also belongs to the encampment and uniform rank. On August 25, 1886, he was married to Julia E. Guest, of Cleveland, Ohio, and they have one child, Earl. D. Stewart.

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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.