Edmund J. Carmody

Perhaps nothing better can be said of the gentleman whose name appears at the opening of this sketch, than to quote from the Detroit NEWS-TRIBUNE of March 15, 1896, as follows: "Few young men of twenty-one have had a more eventful career than the 'life saver' of the river front, well known as 'Eddie,' who has been a familiar figure along the docks in the vicinity of the harbor-master's office since 1890."

This notice was prompted by his heroic efforts in rescuing the life of Eugene Davenport, a teamster, of Detroit, who drove into the river, and would otherwise have drowned. This was the first instance wherein Mr. Carmody acted alone; but on numerous occasions his timely efforts in life-saving have rendered his name very popular among marine men on Detroit harbor. He came to the harbor-master's office in 1890, and there also did a work which has won him a name of importance and one which will be known to later generations. Previous to 1890 the books at the office had been kept with little system, and were not always accurate. He began a complete record of all drownings, suicides, shipwrecks and disasters, and when possible noted the cause and results, so that the books have become an important adjunct to local historical collections, and are greatly prized by the departments.

Mr. Carmody was born July 4, 1874, at Detroit, and at that place has always made his home. There he attended school, and at the age of fifteen years entered the employ of W. H. Elliot & Co., and later the "Michigan Exchange Hotel," were he remained until he began the marine work, entering the harbor-master's office and later the marine post office in 1895, where he has since been engaged.

He is the son of Thomas and Annie (Flyn) Carmody, who are natives of London, England, and Detroit respectively. Mrs. Carmody is still living, having survived her husband, who died September 21, 1895, at Detroit. Edmund J. is the eldest in a family of five children, the others being Charles C., employed in the harbor-master's office, Daisy and John, who are in school, and Raymond, a young lad still at home.

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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.