Captain Andrew Peters

The great number of vessels and the diversity of rig and name on which Capt. Andy Peters has sailed in the various capacities of master, mate, wheelsman and seaman will make this biography interesting to all the older sailor men. The Captain was born at Cape Vincent, N. Y., in 1839, and in 1864 was married to Miss Sarah Shares, of Clayton, same State. Ten years previously, in 1854, he commenced his experience as seaman on the sloop Gull, Captain Fuller, this being followed by service on other vessels in the order named. In 1855 he was appointed master of the sloop Odd Fellow, boating cordwood for the use of steameres trading down the St. Lawrence river, and plying to Ogdensburg and alternate ports in Canada with mowing machines and other agricultural implements. He was also master of the Sloop Anna Frances this season. In 1856-57 he was mate of the schooner Northerner, Captain Desbrough, which ran between Oswego and Ogdensburg and down the St. Lawrence, trading at ports on both sides. In 1857 he was seaman on the schooner Flying Cloud, of Clayton, with Captain Bowland, which boat went ashore October 18, in a northwest gale on Presque Isle; she was taken off and went into dry dock at Detroit, at which port she was subsequently loaded with flour and wheat for Ogdensburg; in 1859 she traded between Chicago and Ogdensburg.

In 1860 Mr. Peters became seaman on the schooner Stephen A. Douglas, Captain Turner, and the Ostrich. In 1861 he was seaman on the schooner Willard, Capt. John Tyler; 1862-63, second mate of the schooner Montezuma, Capt. J. Millen; 1864, seaman of the Clayton Bell; 1865, mate under Captain Panford, of the schooner Reindeer; 1866-67, mate of the Mediator, Captain Carry; 1868, mate of the schooner Brooklyn, Captain Tracey; 1869, second mate of the schooner Frank D. Barker, Capt. William Reese, 1870, mate of the schooner Monticello, Captain P. Ryan; 1872, master of the schooner Tom Martin; 1873, mate of the schooner Montcalm; 1874, mate of the schooner Mont Blanc; 1876, mate of the steamers Maine, Capt. Ira Bishop, and Lowell, Captain Berow, and second mate of the schooner Marie Scott, Captain Carter, for one trip to Oswego. Thence returning home he shipped as wheelsman on the propeller City of Toledo, Captain Knapp; in 1877 he was mate of the City of Concord. Capt. H. Brown, owned by Chamberlin. The boats of this line were tied up part of the season, and Captain Peters shipped as second mate on the steamer St. Albans, Captain Knapp. In 1878 he became mate of the steamer City of Concord. Captain Rolow, which traded most of the winter between Chicago and Ludington, making seven trips in January. In 1879 he was mate of the schooner Mont Blanc; 1880, second mate of the schooner Negaunee, Captain Mulholland, one trip; second mate of the steamer Superior, Captain Stone, and mate of the schooner Pelican, Capt. P. Donohue, three trips, being second mate the balance of the steamer City of New York, Capt. John Connors, 1881, mate of the schooner Pelican two trips, then on the schooner Queen City the balance of the season; during the winter he was employed in the Radcliffe shipyard.

In 1882 the Captain served as mate of the Queen City and the steamer Keystone; in 1883 he was mate two trips on the schooner Robert Rhodes, Captain Green, and for the balance of the season was engaged in the Radcliffe shipyard. In 1884 he was second mate on the steamer J.S. Fay, Captain Holmes; 1885, second mate of the steamer E.B. Hale, Captain Holmes, two trips, and second mate of the steamer Graves, Capt. Dick Millen, which was lost on the North Manitoulin, but Captain Peters was not aboard. In 1886 he was mate on the schooner Ishpeming part of the season and of the schooner Guiding Star, Capt. Billy Griffin, to the close of navigation; in 1887 he helped to fit out the Monterey in the spring and worked in the Radcliffe shipyard; in 1888 he was second mate of the Iron Cliff one trip and with Capt. Sid Millen on the Iron Chief three trips; in 1889 he was watchman on the steamer, Joliet, Capt. E.H. Millen, part of the season; 1890, mate of the Andrew J. Smith and J.H. Averill; 1891, watchman on the steamer Henry Chisholm part of the season and returned home sick. He worked in Grover's sail loft during the winter, and in the spring became mate of the steamer St. Louis, Capt. W.S. Carloss. In 1893 he was second mate of the Fedora, Captain Fick, laid her up at Erie July 4, fitted her out again and made two trips. In 1894; he was wheelsman in the steamer Colonial, Captain Stover, till August. In 1895 he shipped in the Quito, but did not sail, and later he shipped in the steamer Michael Groh, Capt. Vick Bonah, towing the Atwater, which was lost on the Manitoulin during the heavy gale on Lake Huron where the Africa and all hands were lost. The Michael Groh blew a soft plug out, and they were forced to pull the fire on her, making for Cheboygan. She was loaded with cedar posts for Detroit, but while on the St. Clair river, en route, her steam-chest burst, and she was towed to her destination. In 1896 Captain Peters became second mate on the Robert Wallace, transferring to the Alcona, Capt. George F. Brock, where is now keeping ship.

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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.