Captain Joseph Lowes

Captain Joseph Lowes is a man of great force of character, genial and kindhearted in disposition, and wholly competent as a steamboat man. He was born November 7, 1859, at Blenheim, Ont., son of Mathew W. and Catherine (Coulin) Lowes, with whom he removed to the United States in 1878, and located in St. Clair, Mich. He received a public- school education in his native town. After engaging for several years in various occupations ashore, Captain Lowes, in the spring of 1886, shipped on the passenger steamer City of Alpena as deck watch. After two weeks service in that berth he was advanced to the grade of lookout and soon to the position of wheelsman, owing this rapid promotion to the sterling qualities which the officers of his boat discovered in him. In the spring of 1887 he was appointed wheelsman of Mr. Mark's new yacht Mary, holding that berth two years. The following season he shipped as wheelsman on the steamer Oscar T. Flint, of which he was appointed second mate the next season and in the spring of 1892 he was promoted to mate's berth. In the spring of 1893, Captain Lowes was given command of Hon. Mark Hopkins' steamyacht Bonita. His next berth was that of mate on the steamer St. Louis, which was engaged in the pulp wood trade between Bay Mills and Niagara. In the spring of 1895 he was made mate of the steamer Charles A. Street, and on leaving her resumed command of the steamyacht Bonita, sailing her for Mr. Hopkins until August, when she was sold to Gen. Joseph T. Torrence, of Chicago. Captain Lowes, who was retained by the new owner, took the yacht to Racine and gave her a thorough overhauling and repairs, to the extent of $5,000. Unfortunately General Torrence did not long have the pleasure of enjoying his purchase, his death occurring almost four months later. Captain Lowes speaks in high praise of the General's good qualities. He remained in charge of the yacht until the close of the season, when he returned home to St. Clair, Mich. In the spring of 1897 he was appointed master of the steamer Tempest, engaged in the lumber trade between Lake Superior and Lake Erie ports. She has a tow of two consorts and is owned by T.M. Hubbard, of Algonac.

In December, 1889, Captain Lowes was united in marriage with Miss Alice Langell, daughter of Thomas Langell, a boat builder of Marine City, Mich. They reside at St. Clair, Michigan.

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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.