Captain Richard Neville, Jr.

Captain Richard Neville, Jr., is perhaps the youngest steamboat master on the lakes. He was born in 1875, in Cleveland, Ohio, son of Captain Richard and Agnes (Lowe) Neville, and, as will be seen, this young steamboat captain's sailor blood is inherent, as his father is master of the steamer John W. Moore and an old-time mariner, and his mother's brothers, Capts. John and James Lowe, are both steamboat masters of high repute.

Richard Neville attended the Cleveland public schools the allotted time, and in 1890 commenced his career on the lakes as lookout on the steamer Samuel Mather. From that date up to the present time his advancement has been rapid, as he showed an especial fitness for his chosen profession. In the spring of 1891 he shipped with his father on the steamer John W. Moore, as watchman, and the following season as wheelsman on the same boat. In 1893 he was appointed second mate, holding that berth three seasons, and in the spring of 1896 he was advanced to the position of mate of the steamer Australasia, with Capt. Robert Pringle, the Australasia was destroyed by fire on the 17th of October, that year, and now lies in Whitefish Bay, about seven miles from shore, a total wreck. The Captain and crew escaped in the yawlboat. Young Neville finished that season as mate of the City of Glasgow, laying up the steamer at Milwaukee. In the spring of 1897 he secured his license as steamboat master and was appointed to the steamer Joseph S. Fay, which he has since sailed successfully. Captain Neville makes his home with his parents at No.35 West Clinton street, Cleveland, Ohio.

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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.