Charles H. Heaton

Charles H. Heaton has been in efficient service on the lakes for many years, and in that time has gained the utmost confidence of his employers and a valuable experience in marine affairs. He was born January 15, 1864, at Put-in-Bay, Ohio, and is the son of Charles H. and Hannah (Arlen) Heaton, the former of whom, a native of New York State, is still living at Pelee Island, Ont., surviving his wife, who died February 3, 1892.

Charles H. Heaton lived in his native place until he was nine years of age, thence removing with his parents to Columbia City, Ind., where he remained for six years. >From this time until he was twenty-one years of age Mr. Heaton was engaged in the fishing business at Put-in-Bay, and, having thus acquired some knowledge of marine work and a great desire for marine life, he shipped on the steamer Nebraska, the following season as wheelsman. Upon reaching Detroit the boat was put in dry dock, and at this place Mr. Heaton fell, receiving such severe injury that is was impossible for him to proceed with the boat. Later in the season he spent a short time on the Smith Moore and Calumet as wheelsman, and in the same capacity served the following season on the H.E. Packer and Otego, transferring thence to the Ohio for one season. The next year he went on the Iron Age as wheelsman, and toward the close of the season became second mate, from this boat going to the I.M. Weston and H.A. Tuttle as mate, and shipping the following year on the George W. Roby and Vulcan as second mate. During the seasons closely following he was on the steamers St. Lawrence, Republic and George F. Williams, and in 1895 he came to the Wawatam to fill the position of mate, which he still holds.

Mr. Heaton was married April 23, 1894, to Miss Lena A. Meddough, of Kingsville, Ont. Their only child is named Marie. Fraternally he is a member of the Masonic Lodge, the A.O.U.W. and the Masters and Pilots Associations, of Cleveland.

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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.