William Phillipie

William Phillipie, who was born at Buffalo, N. Y., December 14, 1866, is a son of George W. and Elizabeth (Hennessey) Phillipie. His mother is a native of Ireland, and his father (a sketch of whom appears elsewhere), an old-time tried engineer on the lakes, was also born at Buffalo.

Our subject attended Public School No. 33, in the city of his birth, and at the age of fourteen started work as a brass finisher, at which trade he was employed for about eight months. He then entered the King Iron Works, where he was employed about four years learning the machinist's trade. In 1885 he commenced steamboating as oiler on the Syracuse, which position he retained during all of that and about half of the next season, when he received his first issue of papers as second engineer of the Badger State, finishing the season on her. The seasons of 1887-88 he was second engineer of the A. P. Wright, and the following one, 1889, of the Philadelphia. He was chief of the Wissahickon in 1890, and for the season of 1891 second of the Philadelphia one trip, and the Northern Light three trips, when he was appointed chief of the Northern King, finishing that season and all of the next on her.

In 1893-94-95 he remained ashore, working in the Lehigh Valley machine shops, but returned to the lakes in 1896 as second of the Gladstone, remaining on her until July 28, when she was laid up at Cleveland. Mr. Phillipie returned to Buffalo and shipped as second assistant of that fine passenger boat, the North Land, remaining on her until the close of her season in September, when he went on the George Stone as her second, laying her up on the 12th of December. Mr. Phillipie has eleven issues of license, and for the season of 1897-98 was engaged as chief on the Sevona.

In January, 1892, Mr. Phillipie was married at Buffalo, to Miss Bridget Glenn, of that city, and they have one child, Alice. They reside at No. 111 Smith street, Buffalo. Socially he is a member of the Marine Engineers Beneficial Association, Local Harbor No. 1, Branch No. 98, C. M. B. A.

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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.