John Caul

John Caul, the chief engineer of the steamer New York, of the Union line, for the seasons of 1896-97-98, is a native of County Wexford, Ireland, and is a son of Andrew and Katherine (Mullen) Caul, both of whom are now deceased, the latter having died when the subject of this sketch was six years of age. The former was a gamekeeper in his country. He was the father of nine children, the two now living, besides our subject being Lawrence, a machinist of Chicago, and Kate, wife of Michael Finn, an owner of Erie canal boats.

John Caul was born March 17, 1855, attended school in his native country, and upon emigrating to America, in about 1870, located in Dutchess county, N. Y., where he worked in mines some four years. His next employment was in the capacity of fireman on the Grand Trunk railway between Buffalo and Sarnia for about two years, at the end of which period he entered the lake service at Buffalo. He began first by firing a season on the steamer Atlantic, his next service being upon the Dean Richmond for five consecutive seasons, the first three as oiler and the last two as second engineer. For the seasons 1881-82-83-84 he was second of the New York, and he then passed a period of four years in Chicago, running a stationary engine for the C. W. Allen Tobacco Manufactory on the corner of Monroe and Canal streets. Mr. Caul now returned to the lake service. For the seasons of 1889-90 he was second engineer of the New York again, for those of 1891-92 of the H.J. Jewett, 1893-94-95 of the Tioga, and as above stated became chief engineer of the New York in 1896, his faithful service being appreciated to such an extent that he was continued in the same berth for the seasons of 1897-98. Mr. Caul is a member of the Marine Engineers Beneficial Association. Mr. Caul has been most successful in his work by continuing in one employ as much as possible.

In 1884 Mr. Caul was married at Buffalo to Miss Annie McGrath, by whom he has one son, Stafford John. They reside at N. 69 Barton 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.