George E. Cunningham

George E. Cunningham was born September 29, 1852, at Hamilton Ontario, the son of Patrick and Elizabeth (Schunk) Cunningham, natives of Scotland and Germany, who died in 1855 and 1856, respectively. He lived at his native place only a short time, however, removing to Toronto, where he remained until he was about six years of age, and upon leaving that city he lived for several years on a farm near Chatham, Ontario. He then entered a sawmill at Ridgetown and learned the engineer's trade, continuing to work here for four years, during the summer. He was next employed in Park's machine shop, in Chatham, for a time, after which he entered a sawmill at Thamesville and spent three years as engineer. He then filled the same position in a woolen mill at Weston, Ontario, one year, at the end of that time coming to Marine City and shipping in the steamer Mary as second engineer. Upon leaving this boat he served in the Ballantine one season, and later was given the position of chief engineer on the Sakie Shepard, also spending three seasons on the yacht Lelia, owned by Grosse Point Navigation Company, during the winters he was employed in the Fulton Iron Works. Mr. Cunningham was engaged the next two seasons on the Lewis Pahlow, one on the John Owen, and one on the Seattle; returning to the Duluth Lumber Company he served another two years on the Lewis Pahlow, and then came to the yacht Rosalee B., owned by White & Walker, of Detroit. Mr. Cunningham is well acquainted with all departments of his work and has held several responsible positions to the satisfaction of his employers, by whom he is recognized as a first-class man in his line.

In 1883 Mr. Cunningham was married to Miss Florence Robertson, of Marine City, the daughter of Capt. William H. Robertson, a well-known vessel master. Mr. and Mrs. Cunningham have two children: Rosa R. and Edward A., who are attending school at the present time.

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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.