Captain E. Johnson

Captain E. Johnson, master and owner of the vessel E. M. Stanton, was born in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, in 1856, and is a son of Peter and Anna (Jergens) Johnson, also natives of that Province. The father was a seafaring man, sailing for many years on salt water, and after coming to Chicago, in 1859, he engaged in sailing on the Great Lakes, being master of the Robert Campbell and other vessels. In 1876 he purchased the E. M. Stanton, which his son now owns and commands. He was truly a self-made man, having commenced at the very bottom in the marine life, and worked his way steadily upward until he became master and owner of vessel property. His death occurred in Chicago in 1880, and in that city his widow is still living. His son George is now mate of the E. M. Stanton.

Captain Johnson was reared and educated in Chicago, on the North side of the city, and began life for himself as cash boy in the store of Field & Leiter, where he was employed during the years 1870 and 1871, and with this exception his entire business career has been spent upon the lakes. In 1872, at the age of sixteen years, he began sailing before the mast out of Chicago; later spent two seasons in the same capacity on the Robert Campbell; and was then before the mast on the E. M. Stanton until he became mate of her in 1876. In 1880 he was appointed her master and has successfully sailed her since that time. The Stanton is a two-mast schooner, tonnage 144 net, and was built in Detroit, Mich., in 1866, by Detroit parties, and has been in commission continuously since. She is engaged in heavy freighting of all kinds, and has sailed out of Chicago since 1873. This vessel is now owned by our subject, who became financially interested in the same in 1880, and has since sailed her with good success.

He is one of the best know marine men of Chicago, and owns a fine property at No. 463 Racine Avenue, where he makes his home. Socially, he is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen.

In 1884, in Chicago, Captain Johnson was married to Miss Lena Johnson, a native of Kenosha, Wis., a daughter of A. B. Johnson, and honored citizen and well-known business man of that city. Two children have been born of this union: Carrie and Kenneth.

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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.