John C. Joll

John C. Joll is closely connected with marine life, although he has never been a sailor, and he is well known by all marine men, having been a ship carpenter all his life, and for many years connected with the lake trade.

Mr. Joll was born in Calstock, England, April 5, 1846, and at that place learned his trade with an uncle, the owner of a shipyard and dry dock. Here he served a seven years' apprenticeship, and then went to Devonport, where he was employed in the government yards three years. The following season he was employed by the Fountain Dry Dock Company, of London. In 1871 he came to America and settled in Cleveland, Ohio, where he was employed in the shipyards of Quayle & Martin for one year. He then went to the La Frenier Ship Building Company, as contractor, and remained one year. While there he was in charge of the carpenter work on the S.H. Foster, Cormorant and Holly. He next entered the employ of the Stephens & Presley Dry Dock Co., and in 1881 became foreman of the carpenters in the dry dock. From here he went to the Globe Iron Works, and there worked on the Northern Queen, Northland, North West and North Light, also all of the Menominee Transit line. In 1896 he came to the Cleveland Dry Dock Co., as dry dock foreman. About July 1, 1898, the three dry docks in Cleveland were consolidated into one company known as the Ship Owners Dry Dock Company, and our subject became foreman of the two upper docks, and the yard of this company, Capt. W.W. Brown being manager.

On September 23, 1873, Mr. Joll was married to Miss Elizabeth Pepper, who died June 17, 1876. On August 3, 1880, he married Miss Emma Lane, who died March 14, 1984, and on September 19, 1896, he wedded Miss Louise Harris. He is the father of two children: Mamie and Philip. The daughter is married to Robert Dracket and resides in Cleveland, Philip is learning the machinist's trade at present.

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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.