Peter A. Wilson

Peter A. Wilson is the son of James and Jessie (Lithgo) Wilson, and the youngest son in a family of eight children, seven sons and one daughter. The parents were both born in Scotland.

Mr. Wilson was born January 29, 1866, in Welland county, Canada, in which section he obtained his schooling. When about twelve years of age he removed with his parents to Armstrong county, Penn., where he began his first practical work in a flourmill in that vicinity, being so occupied for about a year. In 1881, at the early age of fifteen, he commenced to learn the machinist's trade at the Dubois Iron Works, in Clearfield county, Penn., where he served the necessary apprenticeship of three years, and worked as a journeyman for two years, when he went to Erie, Penn., where he worked in some of the leading shops until the spring of 1893, when he took to steamboating. He shipped as oiler on the Schuylkill, belonging to the Anchor line, which position he held part of that season, and then went on the Philadelphia, being on her when she was wrecked off Point aux Barques, November 7, 1893, after which he entered the Anchor line machine shops, remaining until the spring of 1984, when he went as oiler on the Codorus, and on the 17th of September was promoted to the position of second engineer, which berth he held for some time, including the season of 1897.

In 1890, Mr. Wilson was married to Miss Sarah Goodill, of Erie, Penn., and they have one son. Socially, he is an Odd Fellow, being a member of the Philallelia Lodge No. 299, of Erie, and is also a member of the Woodmen of the World. The family reside at No. 223 Peach street, Erie, Pennsylvania.

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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.