Oscar M. Beach
Oscar M. Beach, who for a number of years was connected with marine service in various capacities, is one of Cleveland's native sons, his birth having occurred in that city in the year 1862. In his youth he served an apprenticeship at the machinist's trade in the King Iron Works, in Buffalo, N. Y., and thoroughly mastered the business in all its details. His first service on the lakes was in 1883, when he accepted a position as assistant engineer. His first appointment as chief engineer was on the propeller John C. Gault, of the Wabash line, plying between Toledo, Ohio and Buffalo, N. Y. He remained on that vessel for five years, and on the expiration of that period was appointed to the position of chief engineer on the Robert Wallace, where he remained until the Vulcan was built, she being owned by the same company.
In the winter of 1891 Mr. Beach entered upon a different field of labor, establishing a machine shop in Fairport, Ohio, and engaging in marine repair work and in dealing in engine supplies. For two years he carried on that enterprise and then returned to the lakes, accepting a position as chief engineer on the steamer Alexander Nimick, which position he filled for two years. From that time until April, 1896, he conducted a meat market in Cleveland, and was connected with other business interests of the city. Since September, 1897, he has been in the United States navy. He enlisted (for three years) as first-class machinist, and was assigned to the torpedo boat Dupont. On July 1, 1898, he was promoted to chief machinist on the torpedo boat Rodgers, where he is at present.
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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.
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