Papers Concerning Early Navigation on the Great Lakes

Excerpt from Papers Concerning Early Navigation on the Great Lakes

He was born in the year 1800, but of the place of his birth I am not informed. Nor do I know anything concerning his childhood. But in isi5 he was a hand on board the schooner Black Snake, of about twenty-five tons burthen, under Captain James Wilkeson, an uncle. In 1817, when only seventeen years Of age, he was promoted to the command of the Black Snake. The next year, 1818, he became captain of the schooner Pilot, making trips between Maumee river and Buffalo. From this time he was in command of various sailing vessels (among them the Eagle of ninety tons burthen, which will be often mentioned in these until 1835. Meanwhile, he had (soon, indeed, after the war of 1812 Â I5) made Perrysburg, Ohio, his home, and he maintained his resi dence there during the remainder of his life. In 1835, he took command of the steamboat Commodore Perry, Of which he was captain and part owner for ten years.