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Sharla1

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#1
Oct 15, 2009
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I found this info on ancestry.ca about one of my ancestors.

Not sure how true it is though.

John Grant Martin-1856-1937
Census lists him as a "Coal Merchant." family lore states that he owned a Great Lakes Coal ship that sank unknown where or when?


Does anyone know of any coal ships on the great lakes that possibly sunk during that time frame?

If it is true he obviously survived the sinking.
 
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scotto

scotto

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#2
Feb 15, 2004
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Sharla1 said:
I found this info on ancestry.ca about one of my ancestors.

Not sure how true it is though.

John Grant Martin-1856-1937
Census lists him as a "Coal Merchant." family lore states that he owned a Great Lakes Coal ship that sank unknown where or when?


Does anyone know of any coal ships on the great lakes that possibly sunk during that time frame?

If it is true he obviously survived the sinking.
Click to expand...
Needle in a haystack, many coal ships sank during that period. No name of the vessel?
 
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Drogo

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Feb 8, 2005
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My great great grandfather Capt. Wm. Hall ran barrel staves to what is now Rochester and returned with coal. He was running from 1851 to 1872. Your John Martin probably didn't own a ship until at least 20 yrs of age which puts that mid 1870s. Before that there are alot of ships lists and I tried a basic search on him as an owner but nothing came up. Tried a search on historical newspapers of the Great Lakes Shipping and nothing came up on owner or coal ship sinking. If you wanted to go page for page you could look up the Lloyds records that are online after the time he was of at least a reasonable age to own a ship. It's really easy with the ship name but only one owner is listed as "owner" on the register. I think this is how is goes. A ship has 64 shares. If you own 64 shares you are the sole owner of the ship. If you own 32 shares there are two registered owners. If you own 16 shares there are 4 registered owners.

I knew my ancestor had schooners so it was alittle limited but at the time you are talking about it might likely have been a steamer. They used to use them to pull derelict sailing ships tied together in a line so they could haul alot more freight per trip.

You might try contacting the Marine Museum at Kingston. http://marmuseum.ca

Ask if they have anything on record of his name.

Also go to Walter Lewis' site http://www.maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca/
and use the contact button to write him but don't tell him I sent you. LOL I abuse the dear man enough myself. He is very helpful if he has something.
 
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Sharla1

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#5
Oct 15, 2009
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Thanks for that interesting info Drogo. :)

I kind of had that feeling it's a tall tale of him having a ship. But you never know. :)
 
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Drogo

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#6
Feb 8, 2005
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Well if the census says he was a coal merchant that indicates he probably owned a business. If you had a coal business you had to get it to the area as we don't have coal in the area. Very likely a true story.
 
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Sharla1

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#7
Oct 15, 2009
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I just looked more closely at the census on John and found this info:

1885-age 29 married and occupation at the time was a farmer.

1891-age-35 coal merchant

1901-age 45 coal merchant

1911 age 55 workers agent
 
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Sharla1

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#8
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#8
Here is a pic of him. No idea how old he is in the pic. Get a load of his clothing. My sister has the orginal tinplate negative of this pic.

This is the pic that the beautiful Drogo cleaned up for me of my great grandfather. I love these old pics. :)

 
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Drogo

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#9
Feb 8, 2005
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Sharla
I went through the 55 pages in the 1890 Lloyds Register of Canadian Great Lake Vessels. No Martin showed up as owner. I did notice that in this later year (I was interested in the early ones) there are alot of Company names as owners. If you knew the name of the company it might help. Also there were lots of "et al" meaning one name "and all the others". So he might not have been listed as primary owner.

I cleaned up the picture. Nice to have the original of the tin type and one you can frame. That is certainly a photographer studio setup. But great picture!
 
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Sharla1

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#10
Oct 15, 2009
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#10
Thanks Drogo. You're a sweetie. It looks great. I kind of figured it was taken at a photo studio. Especially if we have the tinplate negative.

He was possibly in his late 20s in the pic?

And it sure sounds like he was part owner and the name is listed with someone else like you mentioned. All the info I know is posted above.
 
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