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Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott
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History of the Great Lakes
Illustrated, In Two Volumes, Vol. II
Chicago, J. H. Beers & Co., 1899

           [228-229]

                  CAPTAIN PATRICK DONAHUE (deceased was in his lifetime
               able to relate many odd experiences that befell him during
               his long career on the Great Lakes, but probably one of the
               most unique of all was the voyage he made across the ocean
               in the year 1859, when he gained his first view of salt
               water while master of the vessel on which he traveled.
               Another circumstance that adds interest to this incident was
               the fact that only one man on board the ship had been per-
               mitted to gaze upon the sea before the vessel pushed her
               nose out over the broad Atlantic. This man was the mate. The
               vessel was the schooner Valeria, and the cargo consisted of
               staves, walnut lumber, white wood, hickory and other Ameri-
               can woods. The reason for the unusual trip was a dull
               season in lake shipping, and several fresh water vessels
               made similar trips that year as an experiment. The cargo was
               offered for sale in Liverpool, but buyers were scarce for a
               time, as the Englishmen who were in the lumber business at
               that port did not like the manner in which the American
               timber was cut. It was finally sold, however, and the
               Valeria brought back a cargo of cutlery and soda ash direct
               to Cleveland, the goods being consigned to GEORGE H.
               WORTHINGTON, a prominent merchant.
                  CAPTAIN DONAHUE was born May 14, 1825, in Canada, and
               came to the United States at the age of thirteen years. His
               sailing career began a year previous, when he became cook of
               the schooner Rob Roy; before the season closed she drifted
               on the beach at Saguenay river, Canada, and went to pieces,
               and the cook's salary remained forever unpaid. Then he
               shipped in the schooner Elizabeth, sailing on her before
               he removed to the United States. The first vessel of which
               he was master was the brig Concord. Other vessels he com-
               manded were the schooners William, Watts Sherman and the
               brig William Treat, George Worthington, the schooner Corres-
               pondent, the schooner S. Robinson and the schooner William
               G. Grant. He was part owner of the last named vessel and
               after sailing her for eight seasons he rebuilt her at a cost
               of $10,000. Then he purchased the schooner A. W. Lucky,
               which he sailed for seven years. The schooner Charles Wall,
               the four-master Richard Winslow and the schooner Pelican
               were the last vessels with which he was connected, and in
               the year 1892 he retired to private life.
                  While on the Pelican, CAPTAIN DONAHUE started with a
               cargo of ore from Two Harbors, on Lake Superior, for
               Cleveland. A terrific gale so disabled the schooner that it
               was feared they would never reach land. Inspired by the
               Captain's unflinching courage the men renewed their efforts,
               and the vessel found shelter on Caribou island. For a week
               the vessel and crew were given up for lost, but were dis-
               covered by chance and taken to Cleveland. This experience
               was too much for the aged Captain, and from that time his
               health began to fail. On October 3, 1897, he was stricken
               with paralysis, and on December 18, following, passed to the
               unknown shore.
                  On January 14, 1850, the Captain was married to MISS JANE
               FITCH, of Cleveland, and they had eight children, of whom
               JAMES, WILLIAM and MRS. NELLIE SWAYER are dead, - JAMES
               dying in infancy, NELLIE at the age of forty years, and
               WILLIAM at the age of twenty-seven years; the others are
               MRS. JENNIE FENNEY, CHARLES, EDWARD, DAISY and JOHN. CHARLES
               is captain of the tug Chamberlain, and JOHN is engineer of
               the steamer Ranney.

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