Captain William J. Pringle

Captain William J. Pringle, who held the position of mate on the Pontiac for the season of 1898, was born October 13, 1860, at Marine City, Mich. His parents, William H. and Mary (Huntoon) Pringle, are natives of Northumberland, England, and New York State, respectively, and are now residing in California. William H. Pringle is an old sailor, having spent about fifty years of his life on the Great Lakes and some time on salt water.

Ten years after his birth William J. Pringle removed with his parents to Cleveland, Ohio, and at that place has had his residence ever since. The marine life which his father followed early held out its attractions for him; and after he was thirteen years of age he began to sail in the summer season and attended school in the winter. He first went on the D.W. Rust as watchman, and remained six years in that and other minor positions, finally becoming mate. He spent part of a season as mate on the Ohio, and then acted in the same position for a year on the Onoko. During the seasons closely following he was mate on the A. Everett, Fred Kelley, Merrimac, Manhattan and Manchester, coming on the Merrimac as master in 1890 and remaining three seasons. He then sailed the Missoula, and afterward acted as mate on the Henry Johnson and George Spencer one season. The following year he sailed the Superior and Waverly, after which he served as mate on the Colonial and Helena, finally coming to the Pontiac in the position he now holds.

Captain Pringle was married December 29, 1887, to Miss Louise A. Schutthelm, of Cleveland. He is thoroughly experienced in his calling, and is held in high value by his employers and all with whom he is connected in that line.

George Pringle, a brother of our subject, spent about five years of his life on the lakes, but is at present engaged in business in California.

Return to Home Port

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.