Jacob C. Jansen

Jacob C. Jansen, son of August and Anna (Ebberling) Jansen, was born in Denmark, November 16, 1866, and at the age of twelve years shipped as a boy on the German vessel Shipwarf, from Hamburg to Australia and the East Indies, on which he remained four years and eight months. His next experience was as able seaman aboard an English brig from Newcastle, for six months. The following year and a half he spent on the barks Samanco and Mohican, the latter a Boston vessel, on which he remained four months, and which brought him to New York. There he shipped on the Eva Nell to the West Indies, and afterward on the Martinecki to same place, and also Mexico, then on the Henry Norwel to Mobile, his service on these coasters covering a period of about two years.

In 1887 Mr. Jansen went to Chicago, where he began his lake career, shipping before the mast on the E. P. Beals, and remaining on her all that season. The following one, 1888, he was on the Sunrise, Charles P. Minch, E. P. Rice, and City of Cheboygan; in 1889 he was watchman on the Cayuga, and wheelsman of the Saranac for the seasons of 1890-91. In 1892 he was promoted to the position of second mate on the Harry Packer, and for 1893-94 was on the Tacoma in a like capacity. For the season of 1895, and first half of 1896, he was mate on the Tuscarora, finishing that season on the Seneca, to which he was transferred. Mr. Jansen, like most saltwater men on the lakes, is ambitious and persevering, and, wishing to become more familiar with the waters of lake Superior, accepted the berth of second mate on the A. D. Thompson for the season of 1897, severing his connection with the Lehigh line, with which he had been for nine consecutive seasons, in order to obtain the experience which he desires. He is a member of Local Harbor No. 41, Masters and Pilots Association; also on Niagara Lodge No. 25, I. O. O. F.

On December 8, 1897, Mr. Jansen was united in marriage with Miss C. M. Cotter, of Burlington, Canada. They reside at No. 311 Fulton Street, Buffalo, New York.

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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.