Walter Charles Goddard

Walter Charles Goddard, at present chief engineer of the Chamber of Commerce building, of Detroit, Mich., was a sailor for many years, following that calling both at sea and on the Great Lakes. He was born February 19, 1840, in Nottingham, England, and remained in his native country until nearly thirty years of age. His first experience on board ship was gained in the British navy, to which he belonged in all for twelve years, and in which he served his time as a mechanical engineer. During the years of his apprenticeship he sailed on the Heron, Inflexible and Thunder, and he was subsequently engaged as second engineer for three years on the boats of the Mediterranean squadron. While in the navy Mr. Goddard made several trips to India, and after leaving the service he spent two years more at sea before coming to the Great Lakes, during which time he was employed by the White Star line as second engineer on the old Republic, the Germanic and the Brittanic, and as first engineer on the Coptic. While on these boats he crossed the ocean between Liverpool and New York sixty-one times. Afterward he sailed on the Nestorian, of the Allan line, between Liverpool, England, and Montreal, Canada. After coming to the lakes Mr. Goddard did not sail very long, making one trip on the Celtic, of the Merchants line, from Montreal to Chicago, and filling a berth on the Cheboygan for one season. He also served for a short time on one or two other boats, and since then has been employed on shore. He has been in the electrical and mechanical engineering business in Detroit for ten years. For six years he was with the Woodward Storage Battery Electrical Company, as general superintendent, and he then fitted out the George C. Baker, a submarine boat, with which he made several experimental trips. Leaving the Baker he engaged with the Citizens Street Railroad Company, of Detroit, continuing with them two years, and since April 1, 1896, he has been chief engineer of the Chamber of Commerce Building.

Mr. Goddard was married in October 1886, to Mrs. Hudson, nee Watkins, and to this union has been born one son, Walter Henry, who is now in school. Mr. Goddard is well known in electrical and mechanical engineering circles, in which he has high standing. He is a Royal Arch Mason, belonging to the Peninsula Chapter No. 116, and is also a member of Palestine Lodge No. 357, Detroit, 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.