Captain George A. McLeod

Captain George A. McLeod, at the age of fifteen, left home and went to Port Huron, where he has resided ever since. He is one of the most skillful steamboat masters sailing out of that port, and in his long experience as a captain on the Great American Lakes has filled many positions of responsibility and trust. During the last five years he has been the fleet captain for the Jencks Shipbuilding Company, and brings out all their new steam- boats. He is a man of well-defined characteristics, and although he expresses himself forcibly and earnestly, he makes no enemies among those whose friendship is worth the having - a Christian gentleman, a man of conscience and integrity.

Captain McLeod was born in Titusville, Penn., September 5, 1854, and is the son of William and Elizabeth (Ramey) McLeod. His father, who is a railroad contractor, was born in Scotland, and came to the United States when he was about twenty-eight years of age, locating near where Titusville now stands, where he met Miss Ramey, and soon after he had made her his wife, and where their son George, the subject of this sketch, acquired his education. After reaching Port Huron George McLeod in 1869 shipped as a boy on the schooner Adair, remaining all season. The next season's experience was on the brig Preble, being advanced to the grade of seaman the second year he was on the Preble. During the year 1871 he shipped as seaman out of Chicago on several vessels until the fall, when he was made second mate of the schooner Maize. The next season he came out as second mate on the schooner Collingwood, but changed from one vessel to another during the last part of the year. In 1873 he shipped as wheelsman on the river tug U.S. Grant. The three following seasons he shipped as mate on the schooner Halstead, the last half of the season of 1876 as master. The next vessel of which he had command was the schooner Homer, sailing her two seasons.

He then entered the employ of John Demas, of Detroit, as master of the schooner Belle Hanscom, sailing her the next five seasons, and at the same time being manager of the fleet of four vessels and tug Anderson, belonging to the same owner, and operating them as though they were his own vessels; making charters, attending repairs, employing the men and performing all business transactions necessary for their successful management until the close of the season of 1888, when he went to work for Mr. Bradley, of Cleveland, as master of the schooner Fayette Brown. The next season he transferred to the schooner D.P. Rhodes, and sailed her three seasons, or until July, 1892, when he was promoted to the command of the steamer Sarah E. Sheldon. His next steamboat was the Superior, sailing her until the close of the season 1893. It was in the spring of 1893 that Captain McLeod entered the employ of the Jencks Shipbuilding Company, as master of the steamer H.E. Runnells, sailing her two seasons. In the spring of 1895 he brought out new the steamer Linden, built by the company to the order of A.M. Carpenter. He sailed her two seasons, and then took command of the steamer Black Rock, built by the same company, and sailed her two seasons, up to the close of the season 1898. During the winter months Captain McLeod superintended all repair work necessary on these vessels. Captain McLeod was united in marriage to Miss Kate, daughter of Charles Stuart, of Port Huron, December 11, 1880. The children born to them were Elenior [sic], Florence and Georgia. In December, 1890, the wife passed to the better land. Captain McLeod, in January, 1893, led to the alter Miss Theresa, daughter of John Messmore, of Port Dalhousie, Ont., and one daughter, Theresa, has been born to them. The Captain is a member of the Grace Episcopal Church at Port Huron, of the Knights of the Maccabees, and of the Shipmasters Association, carrying Pennant No. 997.

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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.