Leeds H. Weeks

Leeds H. Weeks was born in Brownhelm, Lorain Co., Ohio, in 1843, son of Lawrence D. Weeks, a pioneer shipbuilder and owner. Captain Weeks commenced sailing at an early age and when he was twenty-one was in command of the schooner Idaho, which was owned by his father. Subsequently he sailed as mate and seaman in a number of vessels, being the master of the scow H.H. Hines, engaged in the lumber trade between Alpena and Cleveland, in 1880. During the next three seasons he was master of the schooners C.P. Minch, W.S. Crosthwaite, Crosby, and B.F. Bruce, respectively. During the winter of 1883 he rebuilt the Oregon in Buffalo, sailing her for two months of the next season. He sailed the Horace B. Tuttle for a time that year, and then went to Trenton, Michigan, to oversee the building of the steamer J.C. Gilchrist. Captain Weeks was in employ of the Gilchrist for many years, being commodore, captain, and in charge of all the building and extensive repairs. After the J.C. Gilchrist was completed, he took her out new and sailed her until the close of that season, 1890. In 1891, Captain Weeks brought out the new steamer W.H. Gilcher, sailed her all that season and until October 12, 1892, when she was lost with all hands in a storm on Lake Michigan. During his long and active connection with the lake marine, Captain Weeks became interested in a number of vessels. At the time of his death he owned shares in the Gilcher, Craig, Minch, Bruce, Oregon and Hiawatha.

In 1868, he was married to Miss Gertrude Lyman, of Sandusky, who was born in Germany and removed to the United States at the age of ten years. Their children were Hattie, who died at the age of five years; Sarah, now Mrs. W.E. Beely, of Vermilion; and Lawrence D., who is chief engineer of the steamer J.C. Lockwood.

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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.