The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1922-03-16

Of service on this and other boats. He
loves to point out to them the histor-
ical spots he knows so well along the
shores Of his beloved lake. .
With the stride Of man Of so, Cap
tain Rockwell passes from one end OF
his ship to the other and issues orders
lin q voice slow, perhaps, but firm.
The boat never docks without the cap
tain being on hand to oversee the land
ing.
His Simple Greed
At other times he may be found In
the pilot house talking to the two
pilots, his nephews Of the same name,
or reading. He is well posted on
events of the day and spends much Of
his winter in the pleasant company Of
Dickens. Thackeray, Cooper and Park
man. He does not care for the mod
ern novel, although he does read JOS
eph Conrad, Rex Beach and Jack Lon
don. Any tale Of the sea, no matter
who the author, finds welcome in his
hands.
He still can read without glasses;
his eyes are as good as they were that
day back in 1856 when he took out his
first pilots license. His appetite, too,
remains as hearty as ever, and he can
outdo the young purser when the chef
puts before him an especially cooked
dinner.
Captain Rockwell has no idea Of re-
firing until he can no longer attend to
his duties. As all his faculties are
still sound he hopes to stick to his post
for years to come. The lake is his
whole life, as his wife whom he mar
ried in 1856 is dead, as are his two
sons and one of his five daughters.
That is his creed.
II have lived clean life and have
never been down and out. have al
ways made it point to pay 100 cents
on the dollar"
Cabin Boy at 16
Born February Is, 1890, at North
Hero, Captain Rockwell early learned
the seaman's trade, following in the
footsteps Of his father, who was a de-
scendant Of one Of eight brothers who
came to this country from England
and settled near New London, Conn.
Captain Rockwell began his sailors
career when a the age Of 16 he started
TO work as cabin boy on a sloop oper-
ated by his father on Lake Champlain.
For seven years he sailed on different
sloops and schooners up and down
Lake Champlain. through the Cham
plain canal and up the Hudson into the
waters Of Canada.
Then at the age Of % he began his
with the steamboats, Of the
lake as first mate Of the steamer
built in 1853. Three years
later, in 1856, he took out his first
pilots license, and from then on to
the present time he has served contin-
lously as pilot and captain Of Lake
Champlain steamers.
Thirteen steamboats, have known
him either as pilot or captain, and two
schooners were commanded by him in 4
sarly life. He served for a time as
plot of the Vermont II and took up
bis present duties as captain of the
III in 1910.
The Champlain Transportation /
-arpany was formed By the men who 4
lperated the first Vermont. although 4
Is charter was not granted until 1926 4
The company has operated boats con
inuously since 1909. and today is the
,ldest steamboat company in existence
Inder one charter.
Grandfather in Revolution
Captain Rockwell says be has no
hrillers 10 relate. but he can tell Of
10Th FIRE and shipwreck. The FIRE oc-
.urred on the Adirondack when Cap
ain Rockwell was pilot Of the boat,
ut /; was extinguished without dam