Joseph H. McLary

Joseph H. McLary, one of Chicago's well-known marine engineers, and now chief engineer for Wilson Brothers, Chicago, was born in Prescott, Canada, in 1858, a son of Henry and Emaline (Payne) McLary, the former born in Ireland of Scotch ancestry, and the latter born in Canada. For some years the father was a resident of Ogdensburg, N. Y., and in April, 1862, enlisted in the Fifteenth New York Regiment and was killed at the second battle of Bull Run. The mother is still living and now makes her home in Prescott, Canada.

The education of our subject was acquired in the schools of Ogdensburg, N. Y., in which place he spend the greater part of his boyhood and youth, and he learned engineering there and at Buffalo and New York city. He commenced sailing early in life and followed it successfully until 1892, when he accepted his present position with Wilson Brothers, of Chicago. In 1876 he sailed out of Ogdensburg as assistant engineer on the vessel George T. Seymour, engaged in the towing business, and after one season spent on her he entered the T. Teft machine shops, of Buffalo, N. Y., where he spent the winter. He commenced the next season as second engineer on the William Gardner, of Ogdensburg, but closed in the same capacity, on the Inter Ocean, which he laid up at the close of navigation. He then worked at taking out engines for the Argonaut, and was chief engineer of her the next season. Going to New York city the following year, he sailed along the coast for two years and eight months, in the interest of the South American trade, and also in the West India trade, and later worked in a machine shop in New York city, doing marine repairs. Coming to Chicago in 1885, he brought out the Rhoda Emily, which was engaged in general lake trade, and as chief engineer he remained on her one season. He then entered the employ of the Escanaba and Lake Michigan Transportation Company, remaining with them for nine years, when he left to go again to New York City, and after a time spent in that city, he returned to Chicago and re-engaged with this same company, with which he was connected until entering upon his present duties on November 25, 1892. He has permanently resided in Chicago since 1887, and his home is now at No. 513 Twenty-eighth street.

Socially, he is identified with the old Marine Engineers Association, the Royal Arcanum, and the Foresters.

In Chicago, Mr. McLary was married, in 1888, to Miss Lizzie Flynn, and to them have been born four children, namely: Joseph H., Jr., Edward Augustus, Mary and Lillie.

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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.