The Sailing Adventures of Captain Frank M. Tiernan (1857 – 1932)

Above left: 2111 S. Winchester St. has been torn down. It would have been at the northwest corner (shown by arrow) adjoining Bay Street. The next year, 1888, he moved to 127 (pre-1930 address number) Bay Street, however, there is no corresponding 1930 address number (when Milwaukee renumbered and re-named its city streets) so it, too, has been torn down and its exact location on Bay Street is therefore unknown. Photo and graphic by author.

His Ships and Sailing Adventures While Living at 2111 S. Winchester St.

His ship(s) are unknown, but he was likely a captain since he was before moving here, though that is unknown. His sailing adventures are unknown without knowing the ship(s). This also applies to the next year, 1888, when he moved to his second Bay View home at 127 (old – before 1930 changes) Bay Street. His residence for 1889 is unknown.

His Third Home in Bay View (1890-97)

442 East Lincoln Avenue

His Ships and Sailing Adventures While Living at 442 E. Lincoln Ave.

Above left: The steamship Wisconsin, 1893-94; Sailing adventures while captain: on 18 January 1893, stuck in the ice two miles off the coast of Muskegon, Michigan. Some impatient passengers left the ship and walked ashore on the ice and snow. 34 On 20 January 1893, stuck in ice and then released, 20 miles from Milwaukee. 35 On 06 February 1893, was prevented from leaving port in Grand Haven for Milwaukee due to ice outside the channel on the lake. When the ice apparently began to clear, Captain Tiernan decided to give it a try but just six miles out from Grand Haven the Wisconsin got stuck in the ice and remained stuck for a week. Newspaper reports said, “The Wisconsin is in exactly the same position as her sister boat, the Michigan, which sank eight years ago. Should the wind rise and force the ice into the shore, the boat will be a total wreck.” 36 On 17 February 1893, stuck in ice after passing North Point, just off of Milwaukee harbor and a tugboat that went to rescue also became stuck in ice. 37 On 23 February 1893, stuck in ice again off the coast of Grand Haven. 38 On 28 February 1893, had to turn back after leaving port in Grand Haven due to strong winds that “carried the drifting fields of ice along at a rapid rate making it perilous for any boats to attempt to leave port.” Carried aboard as cargo – and thus deliver delayed due to the wind and ice – was “twenty-one carloads of furniture for the Hotel Pfister” in time for the hotel’s grand opening on 01 May 1893. 39 During the summer of 1893, used for Sunday and 4th of July holiday (with a musical band aboard for passenger entertainment) excursion trips to Racine and Port Washington. 40 Photo courtesy the Edward J. Dowling Collection, University of Detroit-Mercy; the Alpena County George N. Fletcher Public Library, Thunder Bay Research Collection.

Above center: the steamship Roanoke, winter 1993-94; Sailing adventures aboard as first mate: on 12 February 1894, took 24 hours to cross Lake Michigan from Milwaukee to Grand Haven, Michigan, and was reported as “feared lost” and “grave fears expressed in Milwaukee” by newspapers. Winds reached 70 miles per hour in a “blinding snowstorm,” the ship at times barely making 1 mph forward advance in the wind and waves. Several crew members were almost washed overboard several times, and passengers were “badly frightened.” When the ship arrived in Grand Haven it was completely covered in ice, reported in the news as, “(with) The deck, sides, and cabins (all) covered with tons of ice, the Roanoke presents a weird and beautiful site with the sun beating down upon her this morning.” 41 Photo courtesy the Edward J. Dowling Collection, University of Detroit-Mercy; the Alpena County George N. Fletcher Public Library, Thunder Bay Research Collection.

Above right: the steamship Flint and Pere Marquette No. 2, 1895; Sailing adventures aboard as first mate: none reported. Photo courtesy of the Alpena County George N. Fletcher Public Library, Thunder Bay Research Collection.

Above: the Milwaukee Fire Department Fireboat James Foley (operated by Engine Co. 17), 1896-97: Sailing adventures while crewman: none reported. Photo courtesy of the Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Bowling Green State University.

His Fourth Home in Bay View (1898-1903)

538 East Linus Street

His Ships and Sailing Adventures While Living at 538 E. Linus St.

Above: the Milwaukee Fire Department Fireboat Cataract (operated by Engine Co. 17), 1898-1903: Sailing adventures while captain: none reported. Photo courtesy of the Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Bowling Green State University.

His Fifth Home in Bay View (1904-12)

2219 South Mound Street

His Ships and Sailing Adventures While Living at 2219 S. Mound St.

Above left: the Milwaukee Fire Department fireboat Cataract (operated by Engine Co. 15), 1904-08; Sailing adventures as captain: none reported. Photo courtesy of the Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Bowling Green State University.

Above center: the fireboat No. 23, 1909; Sailing adventures as captain: none reported. Photo source: https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Fireboats_of_Milwaukee/

Above right: the fireboat James Foley (operated by Engine Co. 17), 1910-12; Sailing adventures as captain: none reported.

Photo courtesy of the Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Bowling Green State University.

His Sixth Home in Bay View (1913-32)

2249 South Mound Street

His Ships and Sailing Adventures While Living at 2249 S. Mound St.

Above: the Milwaukee Fire Department Fireboat James Foley (operated by Engine Co. 17), 1913-24 (when he retired): Sailing adventures while captain: none reported. Photo courtesy of the Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Bowling Green State University.

His Ships and Sailing Adventures Before Bay View

Above left: the steamship Ira H. Owen, 1879; Sailing adventures aboard as first mate: see discussion regarding altercation with crewman discussed earlier in text. Photo courtesy the William MacDonald Collection, Dossin Great Lakes Museum, Detroit; the Alpena County George N. Fletcher Public Library, Thunder Bay Research Collection.

Above right: the steamship Business, 1881-82; Sailing adventures while captain: none reported. Photo courtesy Kenneth Thro, the Alpena County George N. Fletcher Public Library, Thunder Bay Research Collection.