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Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott
for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/
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Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott
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History of the Great Lakes
Illustrated, In Two Volumes, Vol. II
Chicago, J. H. Beers & Co., 1899

        [153-154]

              GEORGE WATERBURY was born in Hullsville, Walpole Co.,
           Ontario, January 31, 1859, his parents being Canadians. His
           father was a ship-builder by trade, and built a number of
           vessels at St. Catharines and Burlington, Ontario. From the
           latter place he moved to Detroit in 1866. and then to Milwaukee,
           Wis., on the propeller Lac la Belle in 1868, after she had been
           raised from the St. Clair river, where she was sunk, and later
           rebuilt at Detroit. On reaching Milwaukee he engaged with the
           Engelmann Transportation Company as general superintendent,
           which position he held for twelve years, or until the line sold
           out, then removing to Dakota.  He remained there a number of
           years, and then went to Pensacola, Fla., where he built a boat
           for himself, naming it the E. W. Menefee.  Finally he removed to
           Memphis, Tenn. where he now resides.
              At the age of fourteen years GEORGE WATERBURY, the subject
           of this sketch, graduated from the public schools of Milwaukee,
           Wis., and, having a liking for the life of the sailor, he ship-
           ped as oiler on the steamer Flora, remaining on her until her
           machinery broke down, after which he learned the machinist's
           trade, serving nearly two years in the shop.  He then went as
           oiler on the steamer J. A. Dix, and remained on her four years,
           the third year being second engineer. In 1879 he was appointed
           chief engineer of the steamer Cormorant, of Cleveland, following
           this with two years on the steamer William A. Barnum, finishing
           the season on the steamer Minneapolis. Both of these vessels now
           lie at the bottom of the Straits of Mackinac. The next year he
           went as engineer on the propeller Oneida, and was in her the
           winter the propeller Michigan was lost on Lake Michigan. He
           remained on the Oneida two seasons, and she was lost on Lake
           Erie by fire some time after he left her. He then served two
           winters on the propeller Roanoke plying between Milwaukee and
           Grand Haven; the Roanoke was burned on Lake Superior four years
           after he left her. He was second engineer in the propeller
           Garden City the last season she was owned by the old Northern
           Transportation Company, a line of fine boats now gone out of
           existence, with but a few relics left to distinguish the larger
           class of boats of those days. The following season he was on the
           propeller Oneida, and in 1887 brought out the steam barge
           Missoula, remaining on her one season. She foundered on Lake
           Michigan in 1895. In 1888 he brought out new the steamer E. P.
           Wilbur, and remained in her until fall, when he went home sick,
           but finished the season on the J. C. Pringle. He then went to
           Caryville, Fla., and assisted his father in the construction of
           the Menefee, which boat he engineered for eighteen months; later
           she foundered at Pensacola. Going north again in 1890, he took
           an appointment in the steamer Australasia, which foundered on
           Lake Michigan, in 1896, on account of fire. He remained in her
           part of the season, finishing with the steamer Philip Minch, and
           continuing in the Minch until June of the following season. He
           then went as engineer of the Marina, and in the summer of 1892
           he brought out the steamer Maritana, in which he remained four
           years.  MR. WATERBURY then went to work for the Cleveland Ship
           Building Company for some time, and later as chief engineer in
           charge of the machinery of the large new building in Cleveland,
           called the American Trust Building. While he has been at one
           time or another engineer of a number of steamers that have been
           burned or lost by collision or foundering — these disasters
           occurred after MR. WATERBURY had severed his connection with
           these vessels. At this writing MR. WATERBURY is chief engineer
           of the steamer Pontiac, owned by the Cleveland-Cliffs Iron
           Company.
              In 1892 he was united in marriage to Miss SUSIE E. GOFF, of
           Columbus, Wis.  MR. WATERBURY is a Knight Templar, and is a
           member of the Royal Arcanum.

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