Captain Alfred H. Senghas

1863 - 1900  (~ 36 years)

• Name	Alfred H. Senghas
  Prefix	Captain
  Born	Dec 1863	New Dundee, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1, 2]
  Gender	Male
  FindAGrave	https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/143237625
  Residence	1900	Marine City, St. Clair, Michigan, United States   [2]
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-216104
  Died	25 Sep 1900	Lake Erie, , Ontario, Canada
  Buried	Woodlawn Cemetery, Marine City, St. Clair, Michigan
  Person ID	I216104	Generations
  Last Modified	7 Nov 2024

  
  

  Father	Dr. Christian Ludwig O. "Lewis" "Louis" Senghas,   b. 12 Apr 1840, Ebingen, , Baden-Württemberg, Germany ,   d. 29 Jun 1889, Marine City, St. Clair, Michigan, United States  (Age 49 years)
  Mother	Ellen Millar,   b. 1837, New Dundee, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 21 Jan 1900, Marine, St. Clair Co., Michigan  (Age 63 years)
  Married	8 Mar 1863	New Dundee, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [3]
  Family ID	F41391	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Agnes E. Gilchrist,   b. Oct 1865, Clinton, Bruce Co., Ontario ,   d. 1957  (Age ~ 91 years)
  Married	7 Mar 1894	, Oxford Co., Ontario, Canada
  Last Modified	12 Nov 2024
  Family ID	F53043	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  DEATH OF CAPTAIN SENGHAS WHOSE WIFE WAS A CLINTON GIRL. From the Woodstock Sentinel- Review we extract the reference to the loss of the steamer John B. Lyon and her commander, Captain Senghas, whose wife is a daughter of D. Gilchrist of Clinton:- A. H. Senghas, the captain of the steamer John B. Lyon, which was wrecked off Conneaut on Lake Erie, in the great storm of Tuesday night, was a Canadian and well known in Woodstock and vicinity. By the foundering of the steamer nine persons are known to have been drowned. Six have been saved. Mrs. Senghas, wife of the captain, who was reported at first to have been saved by clinging to some wreckage, it now transpires was not aboard. She is a sister of Mrs. R. J. Neil of Plattsville. Her maiden name was Gilchrist and her parents still live in Clinton. A DISTINGUISED CAREER Captain Senghas, though he was only 36 years of age, had made an enviable reputation for sailor. He was born in the village of New Dundee, in Waterloo county, for himself as a where his father was a well-known physician. His grandfather is still living at an advanced age, in Germany, after a long and a distinguished career in the medical profession. For years he was physician in the family of the Emperor Frederick. The Captain, whose life has been taken in such a tragic manner, was his only grandchild and the news of his death will come as a severe blow to him. After receiving his education in New Dundee, Captain Senghas removed with his father to Marine City, Michigan. He decided to enter upon the profession followed by his father and grandfather and became a student at a medical college in Detroit. But the fascination of a life on the water proved to strong for him and he abandoned his course and became a sailor. He worked himself up gradually from an inferior position. Seven years ago he was first mate on a steamer which was overtaken by a bad storm near Erie, Penn. After the rest of the crew had decided to abandon the ship he and a deckhand took her safely into Erie. He shortly afterwards was made a captain. Some years later he had another thrilling experience out of which he came with the utmost credit to himself. The St. Lawrence, which he then commanded, went aground in a snowstorm on Lake Huron. He again stayed by his boat after part of his crew had deserted and succeeded in saving its cargo. When the Lyon foundered on Tuesday night he was down in the hold letting some water out. He thus had no chance whatever of escape. Captain Senghas was an interesting man to meet. His father, Dr. Senghas, was drowned some years ago while on a fishing excursion in River St. Clair. He was a very clever physician and will be well remembered by many in this section. Captain Senghas leaves a wife and two children. J. G. Wegenast received a telegram yesterday stating that Mrs. Senghas was completely prostrated by the shock. J. C. Gilchrist, the owner of the steamer J. B. Lyon, has given her up for lost. She had a cargo of iron ore on board. She was valued at $60,000 and was not insured. She was built in 1881, was 1,330 net tonnage, 255 feet long and 38 feet beam. The Clinton News-Record Thu, Sep 27, 1900 Page 4 _____________ "The Lyons was a wooden boat, well seasoned with age, and the story told by one of the survivors is thrilling in the extreme. When the storm overtook the boat the seas crushed her decks as though they were egg shells. The hold rapidly filled with water, and the boat, after breaking in two, went down, taking with her the entire crew. Six of them came to the surface and managed to hold onto pieces of wreekage. Among those that lost their life were Captain Alfred W. Senghas, William C. Tyler and son, George, all of Marine City. Miss Tyler, in her declaration, states that the Lyons was unseaworthy, that the decks were rotten, and that the boat was overloaded. It is claimed that she was but 21 feet deep and was loaded to eighteen feet deep. There was but one life boat on the Lyons and one of the survivors says it was impossible to use that. The navigation laws require that the craft carry two boats, and the further claim is made that there was not the required life saying apparatus on board. The Daily Herald Port Huron, Michigan Friday, October 26, 1900

  
  

• Sources

  [S190] Census - ON, Waterloo, Wilmot - 1871, Div. 1 Page 50. [S1835] Census - U.S. Census Population Schedule, 1900 12th Census, Census Place: Marine Ward 1, Saint Clair, Michigan; Roll: 741; Page: 5B; Enumeration District: 0090; FHL microfilm: 1240741. [S5] Vit - - ON, Waterloo - 1858-1869 Marriage Register. Louis Ch. Senghas, 26, res. New Dundee, b. Wurtenburg, son of John Ch. and Luisa (Ruber), married 8 Mar 1863 Ellen Miller, 21, res. New Dundee, b. New Dundee, daughter of John and Jane (Miller)

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - Dec 1863 - New Dundee, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Married - 7 Mar 1894 - , Oxford Co., Ontario, Canada Residence - 1900 - Marine City, St. Clair, Michigan, United States Died - 25 Sep 1900 - Lake Erie, , Ontario, Canada Buried - - Woodlawn Cemetery, Marine City, St. Clair, Michigan  = Link to Google Earth