Captain G.H. Pleasance

Captain G.H. Pleasance, now retired, is proud of his record of active service on the lakes, during which he never lost a man, touched bottom or met with accident. The Captain's first sailing experience was obtained in 1851 on the side-wheel steamer Buckeye State, which later in the season took fire and was scuttled in Buffalo harbor, and he was engaged in the side-wheel steamer Queen City to the close of navigation. In 1852 he was second mate of the side-wheeler Alabama, and the following season shipped in the same capacity on the side-wheeler Crescent City, which was one of the largest vessels on the lakes at that time. He remained on her six years, and in 1859 he shipped as mate of the Western Metropolis, serving on her two seasons. During 1861 and 1862 he was master of the well-known steamer City of Buffalo, a magnificent side-wheeler, 340 feet long, with a capacity of 2,200 tons, which was used in the Cleveland and Buffalo trade. Toward the close of the year 1862 the machinery of the City of Buffalo was purchased by the government to be placed in a navy vessel, and the hull was fitted with a screw propeller. During the season of 1863 Captain Pleasance sailed the Forest Queen, and the year following he was master of the Lady Franklin. This service closed his career on the lakes, as in that year he retired from sailing, settling in Cleveland.

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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.