John Kennedy

John Kennedy is another one of that popular, though conservative class of marine men who work their way to the front, beginning at the bottom of the ladder of his profession.

He was born at St. John's, Newfoundland, on April 27, 1862, and at the age of sixteen, in 1878, shipped on the schooner Jessie May, a fishing boat, on which he remained two years. He then went on the Resolute, from St. John's to Greenland, on a whaling expedition of five months, and returning shipped on several steamers as able seaman and second mate, coasting around to Brazil and the West Indies. His next berth of any duration was on the vessel J. C. Huntley, on which he remained four years, two of same serving as her mate. After this he was on the brig Dawn, sailing from St. John's to Boston and the West Indies; and from her went onto the Moran, of Boston, as able seaman for six months from Boston to Jamaica and the West Indies in the fruit trade. On her return to Boston, disliking the way the crew was treated, he left and went to New York, where he began his experience on the Great Lakes as lookout on the Lycoming for the season 1889, and wheelsman on her for the seasons of 1890-91. In 1892-93 he was wheelsman on the Japan, and was second mate on her during 1894-95, and for the seasons of 1896-97 was mate of the Juniata, making nine consecutive years in the employ of the Anchor line, on whose boats he has served ever since starting on the lakes.

Mr. Kennedy was married at Buffalo, in December, 1891, to Miss Ellen Ryan, of St. John's, New Foundland, and to them have been born three children; Thomas, Marguerite and Lucy.

He is a member of Local Harbor No. 41, National Pilots Association of Buffalo. The family residence is at 1377 Jefferson street, Buffalo.

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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.