Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2026 All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ =========================================================================== USGenNet Data Repository Notice: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization. Non-commercial organizations desiring to use this material must obtain the consent of the transcriber prior to use. Individuals desiring to use this material in their own research may do so. ============================================================================= Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. ============================================================================= Detroit Free Press Wednesday, 1 May, 1907 SAILOR OF EARLY DAYS CLEARS FOR LAST PORT Capt. GEORGE H. COTTRELL, 90 Years Old, Who Led a Rugged, Temperate Life, Dies of Apoplexy at Marine City Home; His Grandfather the First Settler in St. Clair County; E. W. COTTRELL, of Detroit, a Son. CAPT. GEORGE H. COTTRELL, 90 years old, is dead at Marine City. He was known all over the lakes, although he had not sailed a boat for nearly forty years. His life was like clockwork; he was temperate and surefooted and until very recently he enjoyed excellent health and the possession of all his faculties. He was a sailor in the old days and knew all the hardships but his constitution was rugged and his nerve steady. A stroke of apoplexy brought death. Surviving relatives are: a son, E. W. COTTRELL, of Detroit; a daughter, MRS. JOSEPHINE ROBINSON, with whom he made his home; two nephews in Detroit, CAPT. J. W. WESTCOTT and C. W. WESTCOTT, United States supervising inspector of steamboats. CAPT. COTTRELL was the third in a direct line bearing the name GEORGE. His grandfather, a survivor of the Mohawk valley massacre who was held in captivity by the Indians for some time, was the first settler of St. Clair county and gives his name to the township of Cottrellville. CAPT. COTTRELL was born in 1816, began his life as a sailor in 1836 when he shipped on the schooner William H. Harrison, which loaded the first wheat taken to Chicago in bags, when the windy city was a cluster of a dozen houses. Eleven years later he became master of the Franklin Moore, of the WARD line of steamers. Later he was on the Columbia. In 1855 he was with the steamer Sam Ward,which was pulled out of the Soo river and drawn overland around the St. Mary's rapids to Lake Superior, to engage in northern trade. Other boats of which he had charge were the Champion, Eagle and Forest Queen. His last service on the lakes was for the United States government on a survey boat, in the survey and lighthouse department. It is said that in all his career on the lakes he never had an accident worthy of the name. It may have been good fortune to some extent but his friends rather incline to the belief that it was due to the captain's cool head and temperate habits. In 1839 he married Miss SUBMIT WARD, daughter of ZALE WARD, a pioneer of Marine City, then called New Port. It was a long happy union, broken by the death of MRS. COT- TRELL about three years ago. There were five children, J. P. COTTRELL, former inspector of hulls who is dead; GEORGE, who died at the age of eleven; MRS. MARYETTE BELL, who died several years ago; MRS. JOSEPHINE ROBIN- SON and E. W. COTTRELL. Since the captain gave up sailing he had lived happily on an 80-acre farm, part of which is within the limits of Marine City, the residence being on Belle River avenue. The funeral, conducted by the Marine City Masonic order, will be from the residence, Thursday afternoon at 1:30 o'clock, burial at Marine City. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Bay City Tribune Wednesday, 1 May, 1907 VETERAN LAKE CAPTAIN DEAD GEORGE H. COTTRELL Passes Away at Marine City at Age of 90. Marine City, Mich. - April 30. - CAPT. GEORGE H. COTTELL, one of the pioneer captains on the great lakes, died at his home here today, aged 90 years, after an illness of one week. CAPT. COTTRELL began sailing the lakes in 1836 and was captain in the formerly well known WARD line of steamers for many years. He was a brother-in-law of CAPT. EBER WARD. His last sailing experience was in the govern- ment service as master of the government's light house department boats. ===============================================================================