Captain Dan Kelley

Captain Dan Kelley is a typical sailor, having a thorough knowledge of everything pertaining to marine affairs and being possessed of that jovial disposition which is so characteristic of those who direct the course of the craft engaged in our marine commerce. He has sailed the lakes since his eighteenth year and during that time has made a large circle of friends and acquaintances.

Captain Kelley was born in Detroit February 3, 1858, son of Daniel and Julia Kelley, natives of Ireland, both of whom are now deceased. He has always resided in his native place, and commenced sailing out of that port, going first on the Kewaunee, running to Lake Superior, on which boat he spent the season as porter. From her he transferred to the Marine City where he served in the same capacity for two years, and after acting as wheelsman and watchman on the Vulcan, William Cowie and Westford, he came, in 1882, to the new Manistique, where he held the position of mate. He afterward served in the same capacity on the D. W. Powers, Sitka, Marina, C. Tower, Jr., and Kalyuga, and he was finally given command of the Sakie Shepard, which berth he held three seasons. After this he sailed the barge John E. Potts one year and during 1896 commanded the T. D. Stimpson. Throughout his entire experience as master Captain Kelley has had no shipwrecks or accidents of a serious nature. He was on the Vulcan, however, when she rescued the passengers from the burning Marine City, and upon his return to Detroit he received a gold medal and watch from the citizens for services rendered. Captain Kelley was married December 3, 1886 to Miss Olive Osborn, of Detroit.

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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.