Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-03-15
1917 HIS 741H LAKE SEASON
Captain E. b. Rockwell at 1t
since ID Years of Age.
Father. Merritt Rockwell. Two broth
ers, W. w. and Grant. and Warren
and T.. II. Rockwell Also Cap
taina ON Lake.

! city, will enter this summer upon his 18th
season on Lake Champlain and something
like his 5Oth with the Champlain Trans
portaton company. He celebrated last
month his S7th birthday and claims to be
the oldest captain in point of continuous
service on sea or inland waters in Amer
| lea, If not in the world.
| 1t is long, long story, and the COM
plete and exact facts are hard to unearth.
But it was in 1858 that he entered the en-
| ploy of the Transportation company on
| the Canada, the building of which at
Whitehall he superintendent 1t was a
passenger steamer and one of the biggest
which had ever been launched upon the
lake. He did not remain exclusively with
the company every year after that, how
ever. until several years later
His grandfather was Jabez Rockwell,
who was in Washngton's army during
the retreat from Long Island. and the
family has always lived in the East II
was natural for him to turn to the lake.
His father, Merritt Rockwell. was captain
of the Enterprise. which carried lumber
from Mssisqoui bay to Whitehall; and he
had been familiar with lake traffic for
years. He was only IA years old when he
went aboard the Enterprise as cook. The
Cynthia. schooner running between
Whitehall and st. Johns, belonging 20
Jason c. Pierce & Sons of st. Johns. was
his next boat He captained her for n
while until transferred to the Francis, a
twin boat. The sloop Swallow was his
next craft. He was first hand on her.
which practically amounted to first mate.
Then came the Henry Clay, of which
Grant Rockwell, an older brother. was
captain. William w. Rockwell, father
of T.. r. Rockwell, was captain. by the
way. of the Swallow.
The Lake Boat line took him next. He
became captain of the Columbia. a
freight boat, or sloop-rigged canal
boat, as he calls her. The Clifton OF the
Wilkins & CO. took him next as pilot and
for a year he bore or to"ed freight from
Rouses Point to Whitehall and back
The Canada, on which he had his first
| command in the employ of the Transport
tation COMPANY he was first mate of for
one season.
In 1854 he became captain Of the General
Scott. which was owned by Bartlett Nye
of Champlain, n. Y. one of the biggest
boats on the lake. In 1856 he was made
assistant pilot under Captain Flagg of
the steamer America. a big passenger
boat of the Transportation company's
line. A year or two later he was ap-
pointed first pilot of her Then for II
years he was shifted from one boat to
another of the company's under Captain
Flagg. but with few Interruptions
The Glen Iris. a plain ordinary tow
boat in spite of her pretty name. be-
longing to the Whitehall Transportation
company, was one of the boats he cap
tanned in those days for a time. The
Ethan Allen. freighter of the same
concern. was another. And the James
II. Hooker was third.
:: 4
Captain Flagg put in charge of her Mr..
Rockwell went back to the Champlan
Transportation company as pilot, serving
two years, 1869 and 1870. The Vermont.
the second boat of the name, was his
next boat He was employed on her off
and on from 1870 to 1877. The Adirondack,
however, also saw him again, and the
Canada, too, as pilot.
In 1881 he superintendent the building of
the Reindeer for the Central Vermont
Railroad company and captained her for
four years. In 1856 he built the schooner
Hiram Walker and captained her for some
three years. While the Hiram Walker
was building he brought the Coquette
from Newburgh, n. Y, down the Hudson.
up the Atlantic coast and through the
Gulf of st. Lawrence and the Chamblay
canal to the lake. The Chateaugay,
which went into service in 1883. was his
next steamer. He succeeded William w.
Rockwell as pilot of her, and for IL years
remained on her.
From the Chateaugay he was transfer
red to the Ticonderoga as pilot under
the late Captain w. Warren Rockwell.
brother of T.. r. Rockwell. From her he
was transferred to the Vermont, under
Captain Il. j. Baldwin, on whose death
in November. 1909, he was made captain.
While serving as one of the three
pilots under Captain George Rushlow. who
afterward was general manager of the
Transportation company, the Champlain.
through no fault of Mr.. Rockwell. who
was not on duty at the time. ran upon
the rocks on Steam Mill bay and was
totally wrecked. The so passengers
aboard were gotten ashore by lashing the
gang planks together. 1t was on the
night of July 49, 1875. at 1920 in the morn
ing precisely. says Captain Il. r. Rock
well, and in the vicinity of Split Rock
mountain. Captain Il. r. Rockwell was
then quartermaster.
The only other serious accident during
Mr.. Rockwelrs career was in 1874, when
the Vermont broke her shaft near Shell
burne Earbor, after being buffeted by a
storm for several hours previously. She
drifted near the Four Brothers. in spite
of the anchor. and there the tug. j. G..
Witherbee. and the Adirondack. which
came out of the harbor here, came to her
aid and towed her into Shelburne bay for
repairs
Captain Rockwell .1oes not look as old
as many man years his junior. He was
in town yesterday. saying How do you
do?" to old friends