P.B. McCabe
P.B. McCabe has the reputation among the captains of being one of the best natured engineers on the lakes. He knows his business thoroughly, and there is no clashing with the other end of the boat. It is said that he and the late Captain Hackett worked together longer than any other two men on the lakes. They went on the same boat in 1868, and were together every season after that until Captain Hackett died in 1894.
Mr. McCabe was born in Yonkers, N.Y., a son of Michael and Mary (McCoy) McCabe. He thoroughly learned the machinist's trade in Yonkers, so that when he came west in 1864 he at once secured a position as engineer for the tug firm of Hubbard & Bronson, of Chicago, and spent the next five years on their tugs Brothers, Success and Constitution. Then he spent one season on the tug Prindiville, owned by Ballentine, Moore & Co. The next season the large tug Torrent came out new, and Mr. McCabe took charge of her engines and remained on her six years doing towing for Alger, Smith & Co. Then he was transferred to the tug Vulcan, owned by the same company, and ran her engines for seven years, or until the Manistique was launched, when he superintended the placing of her engines and ran her for two years. In 1884, the company brought out the Schoolcraft and Mr. McCabe was called upon to see that her engine and machinery were properly place, after which he had charge of her engine room for four years. Then in 1888 the company brought out the Volunteer, and Mr. McCabe was selected to superintend the placing of her engine and machinery. He has run her ever since, and will probably continue to do so until the company brings out another new boat, all of which speaks highly for his ability and attention to his business. Mr. McCabe has saved some money and has it well invested in property in Detroit, to which place he moved in the latter sixties.
On January 10, 1870, he was married to Mary J. Curtis. He has four sons, Francis, Owen, Burnard and Thomas, and two daughters, Mary and Ursula. He is a member of the M.E.B.A., C.M.B.A. and C.K. & L. of A.
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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.
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