Thomas C. Dorey

Thomas C. Dorey, a reliable and experienced engineer sailing out of Manitowoc, Wis., is a descendant of a line of sailors, both branches of the family having followed the lakes. He was born in Cornwall, Canada, January 1, 1861, a son of Leon and Catherine (Smith) Dorey. The father was a St. Lawrence river pilot of considerable note, and was in the employ of Hiram A. Calvin a number of years, during which time he was master of the steamer Hiram A. Calvin, America, Young Traveler, Gildersleeve and numerous other vessels hailing from Garden Island. His uncle, Thomas, is still in Captain Calvin's employ as engineer of the steamer D. D. Calvin, as are also two other uncles, John and James Smith, the former being chief engineer of the Denver, the latter first assistant of the Hiram A. Calvin.

In the spring of 1879, after acquiring a liberal public-school education, Mr. Dorey shipped as fireman in the steamer Hiram A. Calvin. The next spring he fired in the mail steamer Algerian, plying between Hamilton and Montreal, but held that berth only four weeks, and closed the season on the tug Jessie Hall. In 1881 he went to Chicago and shipped in the passenger steamer Sheboygan as fireman, followed by a season in the F. & P. M steamer No. 2. In January, 1883, he received an engineer's license, and was appointed second in the side-wheel passenger steamer Corona, remaining in her three seasons. He then transferred to the steamer Sheboygan as second engineer, holding that berth two seasons. The next year he joined the steamer Muskegon in the same capacity. In 1890, after running the tug Arctic about a month, he was appointed chief engineer of the passenger steamer Muskegon, which office he held seven consecutive years, or until September, 1896. He then assumed charge of the tug Arctic as engineer, and ran her until May 28, 1898, when he was made chief in the side-wheel steamer Chicago. He has been in the employ of the Goodrich Transportation Company fifteen consecutive years, without mishap of a serious nature occurring to the machinery under his charge. He is an honored member of the Marine Engineer's Beneficial Association at Manitowoc, having held the office of vice-president and treasurer of the lodge.

In November, 1885, Mr. Dorey was united in marriage with Miss Margaret, daughter of James and Catherine (Kelley) Barry, of Manitowoc, and the children born to this union are, John Leo, Catherine Naomi, Loretta May, James T. and Charles Earl. The family residence is at No. 505 Chicago street, Manitowoc, Wisconsin.

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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.