George M. Wise

George M. Wise, another one of the prominent engineers on the lakes who makes Buffalo his home, is a son of George and Maria (Rogers) Wise, natives of England, and was born at Buffalo December 13, 1845. He attended Public School No. 6, and started work at the age of fifteen, learning the trade of machinist at the Vulcan Iron Works, where he remained about five years. Subsequently he took to steam- boating, which he has followed ever since. His first berth was that of second engineer on the Dictator, which he held for two seasons, and he followed this with four seasons in the same capacity on the Merchant, the next season being promoted to the chief of that boat. The seasons of 1873-74-75-76 he was chief of the Alaska; in 1878 he fitted and brought out new the Leigh, remaining her chief for four consecutive seasons, and leaving her to accept the position of chief engineer of the Buffalo branch of the American Glucose Company, with whom he was engaged for over a year. The season of 1883 again found the fascination of a seafaring life upon him, and he went on the Siberia as her chief for that and the following season. In 1885 he fitted and brought out new the Wiley M. Eagan, running her two seasons, and the following season brought out new the John Pankerton, running her half that season, and for the balance being employed on the E. P. Wilbur. He then went on the Wallula for one season, and the next was back again as chief of the E. P. Wilbur. Since that time he has been chief of the Florida. He has twenty-eight issues of license. Mr. Wise's brother William is chief engineer of the Ogdensburg Transportation Company, and another brother, John, is chief on the China.

Mr. Wise was married, at Buffalo, in July, 1868, to Miss Martha M. Moore, of Canada, by whom he has nine children, four now living, namely: Margaret, wife of George Hallett; Sarah Jane, wife of William Hartz; George R., aged sixteen, and Joseph Burton, aged twelve. The family reside at No. 126 Babcock 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.