Captain Henry Carter

Captain Henry Carter is known to be one of the best sailors out of the port of Cleveland, and no wind, squall or gale can come from any quarter but it will find the sails of his vessel properly trimmed to receive it. He was born in Buffalo, N.Y., in 1841, a son of Henry and Caroline (Reynolds) Carter, and in 1846 removed with his parents to Painesville, Ohio, where he attended school until he reached the age of twelve years. After the death of his mother he went to live with his uncle in Lockport, N.Y., where he again went to school. Becoming tired of thus entertaining his mind, he ran away to Buffalo, where he shipped on the topsail scow Noble Grand, with Capt. Joel Bartholomew, and went out on the lakes. At the close of the season the good captain took him home with him to a farm nine miles from Painesville, and made him feel as a member of his own family, and he remained with him three years in the same relations, the captain sending him to school each winter until young Carter had received quite a liberal education. During this time he sailed on the new scow Granville and the schooner Nonpareil. In 1858 he shipped on the brig Lucy A. Blossom, and following this service engaged before the mast on the barque Great West, the schooners Tartar, Wild Rover, Eveline Bates and numerous others.

In the spring of 1861 Captain Carter shipped on the schooner Middlesex as second mate, and on his return to Painesville in the fall enlisted in Hoffman's Battalion of Infantry, composed of four companies, and which was sent down to the Army of the Potomac, and did as much marching as a full regiment. In 1863 this battalion was consolidated with the One Hundred and Twenty-eighth O.V.I. Captain Carter participated in all of the engagements in which his command joined, and served until the expiration of his term of enlistment, receiving his discharge on January 17, 1865. On his return to the lakes he fitted out the Marion Dixon, and went as mate of her. In the spring of 1866 he shipped as mate of the schooner Mary Collins and he has since served as follows: 1867, mate of the schooner Edwin Harmon, remaining five years; 1872, second mate of the schooner H. J. Webb, with Captain Frinter; 1873, mate of the Sophia Minch; 1874, mate of the schooner Helena; 1875, master of the schooner Charles Hinckley, remaining three years; 1878, master of the schooner H.P. Baldwin; 1879-80, master of the schooner Montana; 1881, master of the schooner Colonel Cook; 1882, master of the schooner Selkirk, which was frozen in at Marquette and had to remain there all winter; 1883, mate of the steamer Egyptian; 1884, mate of the steamer Fayette Brown; 1885, mate of the big iron steamer Onoko; finishing the season on the new steamer Republic; 1886-87, mate of the steamer A. Everett; 1888, mate of the steamer John N. Glidden; 1889, mate of the steamer Siberia; 1890, mate of the R. R. Rhodes; 1891, mate of the A. Everett; 1892, mate of the R. R. Rhodes; 1893, mate of the John N. Glidden; 1894, mate of the A. Everett; 1895, mate of the Idaho. In 1896 he engaged as mate of the Tampa, and went home sick after making two trips on her; on his recovery he went as second mate of the steel steamer Roman, but was compelled to again leave his boat on account of sickness, and after one month at the Marine Hospital he was sent to the Soldiers' Home at Sandusky, where he was cured.

Captain Carter has been a life-saver in his long career on the lakes. While on the Granville he rescued the crew of five men and the captain's wife of the schooner Sunshine when she capsized; the captain and his three children were drowned. Captain Carter is a member of Memorial Post, G. A. R., and a charter member of the American Association of Masters & Pilots.

On March 11, 1866, the Captain wedded Miss Sarah Babcock, of Fairport, Ohio, and one daughter, Elina, has been born to this union. Mrs. Carter is a sister of Frank Babcock, who is keeper of the life-saving station at Fairport, Ohio, and Joseph Babcock, who has charge of the lighthouse at that point.

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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.