Ernest A. Meeker
Ernest A. Meeker is a young man who began marine life only a few years ago, but whose promotion has been rapid; and judging from the past and present, a successful future is anticipated for him in his chosen line of work. He is the son of Ernest and Frances Louise (Aicher) Meeker, and was born October 23, 1871, at Huron, Ohio, where he has always made his home.
Ernest A. Meeker, Sr., father of our subject, and who spent a great part of his life in farming, was born in Huron, Ohio, August 15, 1849, and came to his death by drowning in Lake Erie, while out in a yacht on a hunting excursion. On December 24, 1870, at the Christ Episcopal Church, of Huron, Ohio, the Rev. Samuel Marks officiating, he was married to Miss Frances Louise Aicher, who was born in Baden, Germany, June 14, 1852. She still survives him and lives at Huron.
Ernest Meeker received a common school education in his native town, and in 1892 went sailing. His first experience was on the steamer Samuel Mather, where he acted as oiler from June 9, 1892, until August 10, 1893, when he accepted the same position on the James B. Colgate, and remained until the boat was laid up, December 20, 1893. On April 15, 1894, he went as oiler on the steamer Centurion, and remained with her until December 9, of the same year. He then obtained papers, and the following April joined the John N. Glidden as first assistant engineer, and remained as such until June 1, 1894. On July 12, 1895, he went as first assistant engineer on the Wellington R. Burt, where he remained until September 9 of that year, after which he went on the Onoko, acting in the same capacity until she was laid up in December of the same year. March 30, 1896, he returned to the Onoko, and spent the entire season as first assistant, remaining on her during the season of 1897 in the same position, and the following winter procured a chief's license which entitled him to act as chief on the steamer John N. Glidden.
Mr. Meeker was married at Sandusky, December 23, 1896, by Rev. Edwin Weary, rector of the Christ Episcopal Church, Huron, Ohio, to Miss Edith Mae Davenport, who was born October 9, 1876, at Clyde, Ohio. Mrs. Meeker is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. B. Davenport, the former of whom is proprietor of the "Lake House" at Sandusky. Mr. Meeker has one sister, Miss Ursa Louise, who was born August 3, 1874, and still resides with her mother at Huron.
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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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