CAPTAIN THOMAS H. STAFFORD is master of the steamer Avon, navigating the St. Mary's river, and one of the senior lake men in the Soo and vicinity.

He was born in this city, then a mere village, April 9, 1842. His father, William Stafford, has been a resident here since 1837, and was for many years engaged in the butcher business. He is a native of England, is seventy- nine years of age, and is retired from active life. His wife was Jane Pickett, and she, too, has passed her three-score and ten years. Their family numbered four, namely: Captain Thomas H.; Mary, now Mrs. Ruby, Mandan, North Dakota; Alice, married and living in Helena, Montana; and Samuel, Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan.

Captain Stafford went sailing at the age of sixteen years aboard the steamer Manhattan, plying between Cleveland and Lake Superior, as deck hand and watch. He was in her the latter part of that season and three months of the next, finishing the second season with the George W. Ford, carrying merchandise and copper; was before the mast. The next year he was wheeling for the steamer Illinois between the same points. He ran into Chicago from Buffalo the next season as wheelman on the propeller Hunter.

In the (ail of that year, 1861, he enlisted at Buffalo in Company B, Twenty-sixth New York Volunteers, and went with his command to Alexandria, Virginia, where they remained that winter. In the spring they moved out from Acquia creek and back up the Shenandoah valley and met the Rebels at Fort Royal. Passing on through that campaign, he was captured at Rappahannock river, and sent to Libby prison and later to Belle Isle. He was paroled in six weeks, was transferred to Annapolis. Maryland, to parole camp, and January 22 joined his regiment at Frederick City, Maryland. From there he was in the battles of Antietam, South Mountain, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsvillc, and was discharged in May, 1864. He was mustered out at Utica, New York, then went back to Buffalo, and went aboard the Hunter, in his previous position. That fall he drove team for the Government, between Camp Nelson and Knoxville, but re- turned in the spring to the lakes, going aboard the propeller Mineral Pack, at the wheel, plying between Cleveland and Superior. He finished that season in the city of Cleveland, in and out of Cleveland and Detroit, as man at the wheel. He was second mate of a vessel between Cleveland and Dunkirk, wheeled on the Evergreen City, and was second mate of the Ironsides; the year 1866-7-8 was mate of the same, moving to Buffalo in 1867. In 1868 he was also mate of the Winona and in 1869 had the same position on propeller Tioga, out of Buffalo and Toledo and Detroit, being on the Fountain City as second mate the last two months of that year. In the spring of 1870 he went as second mate of the propeller Buffalo, in the lumber trade; in 1872 as second mate of the Indiana, and also in 1873-4, completing the season of 1874 aboard the Annie Young, as mate; in 1875 was second mate of the Java, and in the following year became her mate; and in 1878 was mate on the Arctic. After that he was on a barge until the Niagara came out. and then for three seasons he was mate of the Niagara. For seven seasons he was mate with Captain Miller, after which he was with Captain Thome on the St. Louis, and next mate on the Avon. Next we find him at Chicago, where he became mate of the Gould. Soon after this he moved to Sault Sainte Marie, and since then his service has been as mate on the St. Mary, mate on the City of Traverse, master of the tug Mystic, on Martin Wade, and finally became master of the steamer Avon. This last position he has occupied since 1891. Thus it is seen that his life on the water has covered a period of thirty-six years, with the exception of the three years he spent in the army.

Captain Stafford was married January 9, 1865, to Sophia Leeper, a daughter of John Leeper of Philadelphia. Pennsylvania, but of German birth. Mrs. Stafford was born in the Quaker City, and was married at the age of eighteen. He was appointed a deputy United States Revenue Inspector during the first adrninislration of President Harrison, and is an efficient officer in that service. The Captain and his wife have no children. He is a member of the G. A. R. and Masters' Association.

Memorial Record of the Northern Peninsula 1895