Edward Zealand Jr.

As far back as ancestry can clearly be traced the family of whom the subject is a descendant have been sailors. His father, whose name he bears, was on a man-of-war with Nelson.

The family of Edward Zealand, Sr., consisted of five sons, all of whom sailed at times. Thomas Zealand sailed for the greater part of his life, except the year of 1849, which he spent in California. John was on the water all his life, and Henry is now captain of the Mariska, and William commanded the Lake Michigan during the season of 1898.

Edward, Jr., received a common-school education at Hamilton, Ontario, the place of his birth, and during the summer of his seventh year he went on the lakes as cook's assistant, and thus began a marine life, to which he devoted his entire time. When he was still young he passed rapidly through the steps of advancement, and was early in command of small boats, which were owned by his father.

Edward Zealand is married to Miss Jane Gibson, a Canadian woman of Scotch descent, who is still living at her home in Canada. She is a sister of the Hon. J. M. Gibson, who was formerly Provincial Secretary of Canada, and is now the Commissioner of Crown Lands. They have had five children: Edward G., who was on the lakes for several years, and is now the deputy sheriff of Hamilton, Ont.; William O., captain of the Modjeska; Mary G., married to W. J. Wright, an attorney at Brockville, Ont.; John J., who is in the hardware business at Sault Ste. Marie; and Edith, who still remains at home, unmarried.

Captain Zealand met his death in November, 1880, on Lake Ontario, while on the steamer Zealand, which was lost in a storm with all hands.

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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.