Edward J. Gorie

Edward J. Gorie was born in Cleveland, Ohio, June 4, 1858, and received his early education in St. Mary's school, which he attended until he was twelve years of age, after that going to work in Pollock's bakery and attending night school in the meantime.

In 1870 Mr. Gorie commenced his marine life, firing on the tugs Shoo Fly, Maggie Sanburn and Old Jack. In 1877 he took out his first papers and engineered the tugs Shoo Fly and Maggie Sanburn, being transferred thence to the night boats, L. P. Smith, James Amadeus, Fannie Tuttle and Peter Smith. The following season he shipped as engineer on the tug Old Jack, following this with a trip to Milwaukee as second engineer on the tug H. M. Martin, remaining but a short time at that port. After a brief stay in Cleveland he went to Chicago and shipped on the tug Union, and was then on the Belle Chase one season, after which he became engineer on the E. P. Ferry, of the V. O. T. Co. For four months following he was engineer of the Viva, from her going to the steam canal boat Welcome, operating on the Illinois canal, with a cargo of flour for Merton Bros. He was also on the steam canal boat Montauk. Then followed service on the tugs F. H. Stanwood and J. H. Hackley. The following season he stopped ashore, afterward working for the Illinois Sand and Gravel Company. He next engineered the tug G. W. Campbell, whose machinery, when burned, went into the tug Admiral. His next berth in Chicago was as engineer on the tug Martin.

In 1890 Mr. Gorie returned to Cleveland and shipped as engineer on the tugs Maggie Sanburn and L. P. Smith, closing the season thus. In 1891 he came out on the tug L. P. Smith, and after laying her up went on the winter boat S. S. Stone. In 1892 he shipped on the tug Tempest, where he remained until June, 1893. In 1894 he engineered the tug W. S. Cushing, and completed the season on the Tempest. In 1895 he was on the tug W. D. Cushing till November, finishing the season on the Harris, then he engineered the tug W. D. Cushing during the entire season of 1896, also laying her up. During the season of 1897 he again entered the employ of the V. O. T. Co. on the tug Harris, and in the spring of 1898 served the same company on the tug H. L. Chamberlin, when, on the 26th of August, 1898, while still on this boat, he caught his hand in the engine, lacerating it so badly that it was necessary to put in thirty-one stitches. This laid him by for the rest of the season.

In 1890 Mr. Gorie was united in marriage to Miss Alice Gorie, and they have three children: Myrtle Gertrude, Carl Edward and Esther E.

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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.