Capt. J. E. Williscroft

Capt. John Edwin Williscroft was born on January 6. 1865 in Elderslie Township, Bruce County. Two months later his father went to the Cariboo gold district in British Columbia, where he met his death. Mrs. Williscroft moved to Southampton, and there John Edwin was educated at the Public School until he was fifteen years old, by which time he had also managed to take several trips in schooners and fishing boats. In 1880 he began to sail for a living in the schooner Wanderer, under Capt. John H. Spence, of Southampton, and remained with Capt. Spence for three seasons.

Capt. Williscroft spent two winters of 1885 and 1886 and 1886 and 1887 on the Atlantic seaboard in coasting schooners, seeing the coast from Florida to Boston. On the lakes he was in the schooner M. H. Muir, the schooner George M. Hazard, the schooner City of Sheboygan, the schooner Fred A. Morse, the schooner Pensaukee and others, until the building of the small steambarge Lillie Smith in 1888. He has been in her as master ever since. He was married on June 27, 1892 to Miss Ida May Whitmore, of Buffalo.

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