Here is an interesting Brines cousin on Edwards brother Johns side of the family.... James P. Brines was veteran ship captain on the Great Lakes. James was born 18 March 1847 in Rochester, New York the son of Demmon Brines Sr (1808-1855) and Louisa Osborne-Brines (1807-1858). His father was a farm laborer in Richmond, Ontario County, New York. His great-grandfather was Edward Brine, Patriot of the American Revolution. James became a sailor when he was 17 but lived in Algonac, Michigan most of his life while working on ships on the Greak Lakes. He worked his way up from sailor to officer during the period Mark Twain called the guilded age, a period of great economic growth. In 1890 a newspaper report described Brines as the first mate on the maiden voyage of the ship Charles H. Bradley (pictured) a wooden bulk cargo steamer, loaded with 704,000 feet of lumber headed across Lake Superior from Oscoda, Michigan to Tonawanda, New York (near Buffalo). The 218 foot steam fired cargo ship cost $80,000 and had an elegant officers quarters, dining room and bathrooms described as finished in black birch, two colors. Brines even had a 19th century spring mattress to sleep on. He was described as a master and pilot of steam and motor vessels when he was licensed at Port Huron, St. Clair County, New York. James was indeed a Great Lakes captain, great-grandson Robert Osborn Brines said. I believe that he started on tug boats that towed sailing ships through the Detroit river. Within 7 years he got his own ship. In 1897 he was listed as the captain of the John C. Pringle freighter. He finished his career with the Wyandotte Chemical Co self-unloaders Huron and Alpena, Robert said. He retired and spent the last 15 years of his life living in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan with is son Osborne. He died 15 Nov 1934 in Algonac, St. Clair Co., Michigan. He is buried in his home town at Oaklawn Cemetery, Algonac, St. Clair County, Michigan. Source: U.S. Census Records, James Brines firstmate-Bay City Times Aug 17, 1890, List of Officers of Merchant Steam, Motor and Sail Vessels Licensed during by United States Steamboat Inspection Service 1914 p181, Interview great-grandson Robert Osborn Brines, findagrave photo of grave site courtesy: Bob Fournier. Obituary James Brines -Escanaba Daily Press November 17, 1934, the Saint Marys Falls canal: exercises at the semi-centennial celebration by Charles Moore, John Hedges Goff 1905, wrecksite.eu
Posted on: Mon, 07 Jul 2014 13:31:49 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015