John H. Gilbert collection

Collection

Identifier: GLMS-0108

Staff Only

Collection Overview

Abstract

The collection contains captain logs and account books for the tugboat TOURIST for 1921-1939, including business affairs, ports of arrivals, passenger lists, crew lists, cargo lists and prices, maintenance entries, cash accounts, newspaper clippings and a 1952 end log entry of the transfer of the TOURIST to Standard Towing Corp. An account book for the tugboat SCHNODEN begins on September 15, 1921 and continues to November 26, 1921.

Dates

Creation: 1875-1952
Creation: Majority of material found within 1921-1939

Extent

1 Cubic Feet (2 legal manuscript boxes)

Creator

Gilbert, John H. (Person)

Scope and Contents

This collection contains material compiled by John Gilbert during his career as a tugboat captain on Lake Erie. The collection contains mostly captain logs and account books for the tugboat TOURIST for 1921-1939. Records highlight business affairs, ports of arrivals, passenger lists, crew lists, cargo lists and prices, maintenance entries, cash accounts, newspaper clippings and a 1952 end log entry of the transfer of the TOURIST to Standard Towing Corp. in New York, NY. An account book for the tugboat SCHNODEN begins on September 15, 1921 and continues to November 26, 1921.

The engine room logs documents engine maintenance and includes newspaper clippings, Ontario's Welland Ship Canal's 1932 rules and regulations, and a personal diary account of the TOURIST being immobilized by ice in Lake Erie for four days in late December, 1929.

Two Account books, spanning the years 1875 - 1893, are cash accounts kept by George William Gilbert, John Gilbert's father.

Biographical Sketch

John H. Gilbert was born in Ohio on August 30, 1875. He was the oldest son of eight children born to George William Gilbert from England and Anna F. Gilbert from Indiana. He owned and operated the tug boat, TOURIST, for twenty years. In his later years, John Gilbert worked as a marine engineer on the Erie Canal. He was a life member of the Freemason Lodge in Sandusky, Ohio (Science Lodge No. 50, F and AM) and a member of Sandusky's Calvary Episcopal Church. John H. Gilbert never married and retired at the age of 64 due to a heart attack. On September 18, 1964, he passed away at the age of 89.

Conditions Governing Access

No known access restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

Researchers using this collection assume full responsibility for conforming to the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright, and are responsible for securing permissions necessary for publication or reproduction.

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The John H. Gilbert collection was donated with George Kelley's diary to the Historical Collections of the Great Lakes by Kenneth Dickson of Toledo, Ohio on November 23, 1999.