George F. Freitas

George F. Freitas was born in Buffalo, N. Y., in 1868, and attended the public schools of his native city until he was sixteen years of age. His career as a sailor opened on the tug Johnson, on which he served as fireman out of Buffalo harbor. He was employed in the same capacity on the tug Beyeas for two seasons, then joined the tug Hebard for one season. In 1889 he entered the employ of Capt. Thomas Maytham, going on the tug E. C. Maytham, finishing the season as engineer on the James Ash. In the spring of 1890 he was appointed engineer of the tug Kelderhouse, and in 1891 of the tug Cheney, and in 1892 served in like capacity on the S. W. Gee. That season he took out pilot's papers, of which he has four issues.

In the spring of 1893 he acted as engineer on the tug Acme, remaining with her two seasons, and in 1895 was on the tug Excelsior, and in 1896 on the tug Fabian. The company by whom he is employed has the utmost confidence in his ability as a tug man. Mr. Freitas did the winter work of 1896-97 on the tug Acme, and in the spring of 1898 was appointed captain of the tug John Kelderhouse, of the Maytham line, a position he still holds. He is a member of the American Masters and Pilots Association.

In 1889 Mr. Freitas was united in marriage to Miss Emma Knight, of Buffalo and four children have been born to them: John, Maggie, Mary and Alice. The family reside at No. 292 Elk 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.