My great-grandfather, John McLaughlin, was an engineer on the lakes around the turn of the century. Starting in 1886 he began keeping a set of daily journals. Those journals continue unbroken through to 1927. So far, I have transcribed and indexed only the first 5 years. (1886 through 1890) John lived in Cheboygan, Michigan, and most of the people mentioned in the diaries lived in the Cheboygan, Mackinaw City, St. Ignace area. However, during the 5 years transcribed, over 80 communities are visited, and over 300 ships are mentioned (most just casually).

This is typical of the kinds of entries made when at home....as with the newspapers of the day...spelling's of names sometimes change...possibly due to my "interpretation" of his handwriting, so variant spellings should be looked for..

1/24/1886 (Sunday)
Got out at 9 o'clock, went to post office, got no mail, posted a letter to mother, and one to Lizzy Sargent for Annie, and paper photo of us to mother, had to get doctor to see baby, went up to church in evening with Annie, got back at ten minutes past eight.

1/25/1886
Went to the bay this morning, roads pretty bad, was on stove pipe and putting a new stove in moulding room and put up the pipe, expanded the flues in heater and started to cork them, came up home, went over town, posted a letter, went to Dr. Perrin, got bottle medicine and box cough trochees, went to see Bob Banitine in Spencer House.

1/26/1886
Went to bay, was working on heater awhile, finished expanding tubes, was working in the mill on flywheel in the afternoon, went to see Robert Banitine before going to lodge, was a little late, lodge was open when I got there, got home at half past ten.

1/27/1886
Went to bay, was working in little mill in snow a while taking out rings out of steam feed, got piece of flywheel up from big mill, fitted the legs on door squeezer, drilled the sides for sidewalk snow plow, went a chipping on some mouldboards, was not over town this evening.

1/28/1886
Went to the bay, was working on mouldboards for side walk snow plow, bending and fitting it, did not get through with it, came up home, went over to see Robert Banitine, found him up and around, from there I went up to Eratt and Co. store, from there home, bought pair of gloves of T.S.S. got one dollar.

1/29/1886
Went to the bay this noon, was working on side walk snow plow all day, was over town, went in to Charles Cook, from there up to post office, from there home, it has been a very fine day, snowed a little in the morning about 11 o'clock.

1/30/1886
Went to the bay, was chipping on two mouldboards in the morn, was fitting on door squeezer a while and was working on side walk snow plow, Will James died last night at 12 o'clock, was over town, got my hair cut, paid C. Moore 15 cents, got my rubbers at Cook's, paid 1.10 for half soling them.

1/31/1886 (Sunday)
Got up at nine o'clock this morning, went over to the post office, got a parcel for Annie, wrote a letter to Min and sent a paper to mother, went to funeral at three o'clock, got back home a little after four, went up to church and I went to Smolk's Livery Stable on the way home and engaged a rig to go to the funeral in the morn.

The following is typical of entries made when he was on a boat....

9/11/1887 (Sunday)
Got up at seven o'clock, had breakfast, got a paper and wrote a letter home, have got it to post, we will take in the town this afternoon I presume, went up town after dinner, was knocking around until five o'clock, came on board, J. W. Brown has been pretty sick all day, I did not go ashore in the evening, went to bed pretty early, it was a nice day and evening, the Magru running excursions all day.

Note in back of diary
Sept 11
Was aboard the tug C. W. Berret of Menominee, she is a fore and aft compound, dry dock engine works with a half trunk air pump, one boiler and a donkey boiler for washing out, with a very nice mar. engineer aboard of her.

9/12/1887
Got up at six o'clock in the morning, after breakfast I went to cleaning up a little, did not do much all day, Brown went ashore and was gone most of the day, he ordered oil pipe for the crosshead and filler, we went ashore after supper, went to theatre, Zitka, it was a snide, not worth going to see, it cost me nothing so it was cheap am? for a while, got aboard at 10:30.

9/13/1887
Got up at 6 o'clock, had breakfast, went to work, put on oil cup on crosshead and cleaned up brass work on engine, chief went ashore at 8:30, has not got back yet, it is now 11:45, went up town after dinner, was out about an hour, got up steam at five, started out to breakwater at seven o'clock, crosshead pin got pop, had to cut her loose twice to get it right, got brass changed around.

9/14/1887
Got up at four o'clock, oiled up and worked water out of cylinder and condenser, started out at 4:30, line lengthened out and going at full speed at 4:50, quite a sea running at 8:30, going to turn in for a while, came on watch at twelve o'clock, came to look around, could see land on each side, we were abreast of Long Point at six thirty o'clock, 65 miles from Buffalo, 110 from Cleveland.

9/15/1887
Came on watch at 12 P.M., could see no lights nor land, it was a very nice morning, not much wind to amount to anything, came in sight of land at 8:30 A.M., had a shave, when I came on watch we were close to land and abeam of wind, got into Cleveland at 6 o'clock, went up town after supper, went to theatre on St. Clair street, got aboard at 11, there was a fire here at 12.

9/16/1887
Got up at six o'clock, had breakfast, wrote a letter home, I am going up town for a while, went out to Cleveland City Forge but could not get in, could not get a pass, went to express office and sent $50.00 by express home, paying 25 cents on same, went to Atlantic, see Messers Simons and Johnson, engineers of said steamer, see big Crusader going up the creek, went to check work in Globe Works and to shipyards and to theatre at night, Fantasina, good play.

Notes in back of diary
Sept 16
Atlantic machine is 41 x 36, we were in the water works, was made acquainted with Mr. Hotey, Chief Engineer of the Water Works here in Cleveland, they seem to be all very nice men to get acquainted with, I was made acquainted with J. M. Bennett.

Sept 16
Find this rather a nice city to be in, easily to get along in there, was quite a fire in town last night, a right abreast of where we were laying at midnight, Me and Mr. Brown was to theatre for a while and down to tug Amy Moiles, she went out a while and had to come back in, too much sea for her at that time, I went down to see her, Mr. Brown went to Ashtabula last night, he is awake now at three o'clock so he did not have a great day, I think I will take in the theatre tonight if nothing happens to prevent it.

9/17/1887
Got up at 6 o'clock this morn, after breakfast we went to the gas house and was taking all over it from one end to the other, we went up to St. Clair street and took the streetcar, went down to the Cleveland City Forge and we were all through there, was made acquainted with Mr. Granger, foreman, and Mr. Coe, part owner and general superintendent, back to boat noon, went up town in the afternoon, bought some paper and lead ink, went to show.

Note in back of diary
Sept 17
Was on board of steamer Kittie M. Forbes and river tug Crusader, the former fore and aft Tompson's and the latter a Steeple Compound, was on board the Kasota, she has a fore and aft compound, was made acquainted with Mr. Boutell, owner of the tug Annie Moiles, Niagra and Music and Pete Smith.

ABRUM, ADAMS, ADMES, ALVERSON, AMEY, AMY, AUDEL

BABITORY, BAGBE, BAKER, BANALDS, BANCOFF, BANITINE, BANNITINE, BAR, BAUVILLE, BLANCHETT, BLANDE, BONIE, BOUCHARD, BOUSANE, BOUTELL, BOYD, BOYINGTON, BRACKETT, BRENNAN, BRINE, BROWN, BUCKELY, BUDD, BUGBEE, BURK, BURNETT, BURNS, BUSORE, BYERS

CALWAY, CAMEL, CARLIN, CARMODY, CASE, CASEY, CAWSON, CHAMBERS, CHEAGS, CHILDS, CLEMENT, CLEMENTS, COB, COE, COLEMAN, CONEIR, COOK, COOPER, COPAW, COSFORD, COSLER, COVAGAN, COWAN, COWEN, CRAIG, CRANE, CRAVEN, CUMMINGS, CUNEY, CURTIS

DALY, DANIELS, DAVIS, DAWSON, DEGOWIN, DEGOWINS, DENSMORE, DEVERS, DEWY, DOD, DOGERS, DOHERTY, DOWLING, DOWNES, DOWNING, DOWNS, DOYLE, DOZER, DRISELTON, DUFANO, DUGAN, DUNSO

EATON, EBERHART, ELIOT, ELIOTT, ELLIOT, ELLIOTT, ELLIS, ELSASSER, ERATT

FASTIER, FESIER, FEXER, FISHER, FITZGERALD, FITZPATRICK, FOGALING, FORSITH, FORSYTH, FRANKLIN, FRI, FROST

GALAGER, GRANGER, GRAVES, GRIEVES,GRUMMOND

HALLIS, HALLOCK, HARINGTON, HARRIS, HARRISON, HATX, HEFFEY, HENDERSON, HESS, HILL, HOBARTH, HODGE, HOLLAND, HOLMES, HOTEY, HOUSE, HUGHS, HUMPHREY, HUNT, HUSTON

JAINORD, JALEY, JAMES, JOHNSON, JONES, JOPLING, JORDAN

KELSO, KINNEIRA, KNIGHT, KNOX, KREDERMAN

LAFOND, LAND, LAPOND, LAPREE, LAPRES, LAROSE, LEGAULT, LEITH, LIGHTHALL, LIMBERT, LIMPET, LISHINANS, LITTLE, LIVINGER, LUCY, LYMAN, LYONS

MALOY, MARTIN, MASH, MASON, MATOON, MCADAMS, MCARTHUR, MCCAFERY, MCCALLUM, MCCANN, MCCLELLAN, MCCLELLEN, MCCORT, MCCRAE, MCDANIELS, MCDONAL, MCDONALD, MCDOUGAL, MCFARLAN, MCFELL, MCFLAY, MCGARN, MCGAW, MCGREGOR, MCGULPIN, MCGURN, MCINTOSH, MCKAY, MCLAUGHLAN, MCLAUGHLIN, MCLELLAN, MCLELLAND, MCLELLEN, MCPECKS, MCRAE, MELLON, MILES, MILL, MINNIE, MOORE, MOSHER, MULCRONE, MULLATH, MURPHEY, MURPHY, MURREY

NEWBURGER, NEWCOMB, NEWEL, NILES, NOONE

O'BRIAN, O'BRIEN, OBRIN, OISER, OSIER, OWEN

PARKER, PAULY, PECK, PEEKS, PEIR, PERREN, PERRIN, PERRINS, PETERSON, PFIAR, PHALL, PHELPS, PHILIPS, PHILLIPS, PINKOUS, PINKUS, POLLOCK, POND, PRITCHARD, PROCTER, PROCTOR, PUSEY, PUSSEY

RABILOIC, RAMLOW, RAMSEY, RAND, RANKIN, RAPIN, REED, REEDFARES, REID, RICH, RIGGS, RIGHT, RILLENHOUSE, ROBERT, ROBERTS, ROBINSON, ROBISON, ROONTY, ROSE, ROSITER, ROSITERS, ROSS, RUST

SARGENT, SCOTT, SHAFER, SHAW, SHEPHARD, SHEPPARD, SHERMAN, SHOEMAKER, SIMON, SIMONS, SISTERS, SMART, SMITH, SMITHS, SMITS, SMOLK, SMYTH, SNELL, SOOD, SOUTHERLAND, SPOONER, STILLWAGON, STYNINGER, SWAIN, SWIFTS

TERRY, THAHAM, THITS, THOMPSON, TIBETS, TISHMAN, TOD, TODD, TRELEAVEN, TRELEVEN, TRUSKET, TRUSKETT, TUTTEL, TUTTLE

VARON, VAUGHAN, VINCENT

WALSH, WARNER, WARRENER, WATSON, WELLS, WELSH, WHEELER, WHIFFEN, WHITNEY, WICKSON, WILCOX, WILDMAN, WILLIAMS, WILSON, WIRTHEMERE, WIXON, WOOD, WOOSTER, WRIGHT

YOUNG

ZORN

Okay.....here is a list of all the Ships mentioned in the diaries...all that I can really promise is that you'll be able to reasonably pinpoint where the boat was on the day mentioned (See the entries above)

A. Mosher, A. P. Nichols, Adamly, Albany, Alberta, Algomah, Alma, Alpena, Amer Mary, Amy Moiles, Annie Moiles, Araxes, Arizona, Arnice, Arnold, Arouns, Arundell, Atlantic, Aurora, Avery

B. Stewart, Balese, Baline, Barbarin, Bares, Bay City, Bay City three, Bay State, Bell Croos, Bennett, Bismark, Bissel, Boston, Bouton, Brady, Brockaway, Brooklyn, Burlington, Burt

C, C West, C. C. Barny, C. W. Berret, C. West, Champion, Charley, Chenango, Cherokee, City of Alpena, City of Cheboygan, City of Cleveland, City of Grand Rapids, City of Mackinac, City of New York, Clait, Colorado, Colwell, Comer, Comodon, Corchrain, Cosgrove, Crolom, Crow, Crusader, Curtiss, Cuyler, Cygnet

D. F. Dobbins, D. D. Calvin, D. W. Powers, Danfort, David Steward, David Vance, Decunic, Delaware, Don M. Dickson, Dormer, Drone, Duncan City, Dunscombe

Egyptian,

Fanny Neal, Favorite, Faxton. Fayette. fire tug. fish tug. Fleetwing. Flora. Fountain City. Frank W. Wheeler,

G. J. Boice, G. M. Gilford, Geo. M. Brady, Geo. S. Colwell, George Steel, Gifford, Gilford, Gillette, Glad Tidings, Gladiator, Grosse Pointe light ship, Grover

Handy Boy, Harlem, Hay, Huron City

Idlewild, Ilwet, Imperial, Iron Boat, Iron King, Iron man, Iron Queen

J. Card, J. W. Wescot, James Gordon, James Hay, Jim Sherrife, John Finey, John McGlidden, John O'Neal, John Wesely, Justice Fields

Kasota, Kate William, Kate Williams, King, Kittie M. Forbes, Knight Templar

Lackawana, Lakawana, Lawrence, Lerancis, Leresse, Levi Rawson, Leviathan, Lilly May, lime barge, little Messenger, log boat, Lottie Cooper, Lowell

Mackinac, Mackinaw City, Magic, Magru, Major Dana, Marinett, Mary, Mary H. Boice, Maud S., Mead, Messenger, Michal Grok, Michigan, Minnie M., Misoc, Missouri, Mockingbird, Music

Naid, Niagra

Oak Leaf, Onoko, Osifrage, Ossifrage, Oswegatic, Oswego, Ottawa

Parana, Parrot, Pendell, Pendill, Penokee, Pensankee, Pensaukee, Pete Smith, Peter Smith, Plymouth, Port Huron, Prone

Remora, River Queen, Roy

S. B. Pomeroy, S.F. Hodge, Saginaw Valley, Salima, Saugatuck, Sea Gull, Seagull, Seramas Palms, Seven Two, Skylark, Soo City, Spokane, St. Ignace, St. Joe, Strohn, Susquehanna, Swallow

Telegraph, Tempest, Toledo, Tom Dowling, Turner, Two

United Empire

W. B. Minter, W.R. Burt, Wanipita, Weshie, West Cousin, Westford Association, Westover, White & Friant, White Shoals lightship, Wilcox, William H. Wolfe, Winslow, Wyandotte

Algonac, Alpena, Ashtabula

Bay City, Bay Mills, Buffalo, Burton

Carsonville, Cedar Creek, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Chicago, Cleveland, Colchester

Detour, Detroit, Duncan

East Saginaw, Epoufette, Erie

Forester, Forestville, Forrester, Frampton St. Malachie, Que., Freedom

Garden River, Gaylord, Grand Beach, Grand Haven, Grand Marais, Grayling, Green Bay

Harrisville

Jackson

Kenosha

Lambton, Lansing, Lapeer, Leland, Lexington, Lorain

Mackinaw City, Madison, Malden, Manistique, Manitowoc, Marine City, Marinette, Marquette, Marshall, Mattoon, Menominee, Midland (Ont.), Millwaukee, Milwaukee, Monroe, Montreal, Ont.

Naubinway, New York, Newberry, Norton Mills

Oscoda

Philadelphia, Point Edwards, Port Austin, Port Hope, Port Huron, Port Washington, Presque Isle

Racine, Rogers City

Saginaw, Sand Beach, Sandusky, Sanilac, Sault Ste. Marie, South Chicago, St. Clair, St. Ignace

Tawas, Tintsh, Toledo

White Rock, Winterhaven, Wyandotte

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