Captain John Doherty

Captain John Doherty, master of the steamer Japan. As master of this passenger steamship, plying between Buffalo and Duluth, the subject of this notice is well and widely known in marine circles. He was born in Woolwich, England, in 1856, and until he was ten years of age resided with his parents on the Isle of Guernsey, where he attended school. At that time the family came to the United States, settling in Boston. Mass., where young Doherty completed his school life. Until he was fourteen years of age our subject sailed as cabin boy on coasting schooners, and then shipped for two years in the Lady Gordon, of England, also as cabin boy. For three years he was lookout and wheelsman on coasting vessels, also with the Anchor line of steamers, and in 1875 became wheelsman for that line. In 1880 he became second mate on the Alaska, holding that position four years, and for three years thereafter was first mate of the same vessel. In 1886 he was made mate of the steamer Conestoga, and in 1887-88 he served in that capacity on the Clarion, of the Anchor line. In 1889 he became captain of the Alaska, and sailed her as such for three years, when he brought out the new steamer Schuylkill, the first "straight-back" steamer built, which he sailed for three years. In 1896 he was made captain of the Steel steamer Japan, carrying passengers between Buffalo and Duluth, and is still master of that magnificent boat.

Captain Doherty was married, in 1884, to Miss Teresa Jordan, of Buffalo, and they have three sons and two daughters. He resides with his family at No. 204 Vermont street, Buffalo, New York.

Return to Home Port

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.