Robert Gray

Robert Gray is a native of Scotland, having been born at Lochee, near Dundee, October 24, 1865, the son of Robert Gray, who was also born in Scotland, and has always lived in that country. His mother, Mrs. Margaret (Wright) Gray, died October 27, 1867. Mr. Gray came to America in 1886 and located first in Philadelphia, where he was employed for about three months on a stationary engine. Coming thence to Cleveland, he worked in the Globe Iron Works as machinist for a short time, proceeding next to Chicago, where he followed the same occupation one year. Returning to Cleveland he was again engaged in the Globe Iron Works, this time for a period of three and a half years, at the close of which he began his marine life. On August 1, 1891, he shipped in the Roman as oiler, and in that position remained throughout the season. He spent the winter in Europe, and upon returning to America in the spring resumed his work on the lakes by going as oiler on the Marina, in which boat he remained two seasons; in 1894 acted as second engineer on the Spokane, in 1895 transferring to the Mariposa, with which he is still connected.

Mr. Gray was married January 19, 1894, to Miss Catherine McKichen, a young woman of Scottish birth, and they have one child, Duncan McKichen Gray.

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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.