Edmund Fitzgerald came from a Great Lakes Irish family of shipbuilders and sailors
By: The Yank | Published Wednesday, November 10, 2010, 2:30 PM | Updated Friday, September 9, 2011, 9:54 PM
The first click of the day was on a story that turned out to be about the Edmund Fitzgerald, which sank 35 years ago today. I hadn't thought about that tragedy in years. I hadn't even heard the Gordon Lightfoot song, which is a good one.
For whatever reason I wanted to know who was Edmund Fitzgerald, after whom the steamer was named. I found a nice little summary about Fitzgerald and his family's roots on a site called Lake Huron Lore (overlooking the fact that the Edmund Fitzgerald sank on Lake Superior).
Fitzgerald was the head of the insurance company that owned the ship. However, Edmund Fitzgerald came from a family that was closely connected with shipping.
Edmund Fitzgerald {photo} was born in 1895 in Milwaukee, WI. Edmund's great grandparents – William and Juilianna – had immigrated from Ireland in 1837 and settled on a farm in Michigan, along the St. Clair river. Six of William and Julianna's sons were more taken by life on the river and lakes than life on the farm.
Three of those sons moved to Milwaukee in the 1850s and each took up different roles in sailing and shipping. John, Edmund's grandfather, became a shipbuilder. John's son William took over the business in the 1890s. Young Edmund believed he'd also work in shipbuilding, but his father died when he was only 6 years old and life took him in a different direction, although he never lost his love for and interest in shipping and the lakes.
Although Edmund didn't want the freighter named after him, his wife and the board of the insurance company made it happen because they knew what it would mean to a man with such a strong family connection to shipping on the Great Lakes. Edmund declared that the launch of the Edmund Fitzgerald was a great day for all the Fitzgeralds.
Edmund Fitzgerald died in 1986 "still deeply saddened by the wreck of the ship named for him."
A Great lakes phenomenon in the fall is a system known as the three witches as they come screaming and shrieking at you, They are a combination of three great waves which came crashing down on the great bulk carrier Fitzgeralds deck ripping off at least some of her hatch keepers allowing water to enter her forward hatches the next great trough she entered her nose kissed bottom and she broke in half sinking instantly. Ironically if she had stayed high instead of heading into the relatively shallow waters of white fish bay she may have rode out the storm...The Great lakes take no prisoners.
Towngate | Nov 11, 2010, 09:27 PM EST
I have always been haunted by this amazing musical account of this tragic loss. Bless 'em all!
VDDService | Nov 11, 2010, 04:24 PM EST
What came first, Christy Moore's "I wish I was back in Derry" or Gordon Lightfoot's "The wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald"?? Same Tune exactly!!
The first click of the day was on a story that turned out to be about the Edmund Fitzgerald, which sank 35 years ago today. I hadn't thought about that tragedy in years. I hadn't even heard the Gordon Lightfoot song, which is a good one. 
Although Edmund didn't want the freighter named after him, his wife and the board of the insurance company made it happen because they knew what it would mean to a man with such a strong family connection to shipping on the Great Lakes. Edmund declared that the launch of the Edmund Fitzgerald was a great day for all the Fitzgeralds.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.Dublinjas | Nov 12, 2010, 12:07 AM EST
A Great lakes phenomenon in the fall is a system known as the three witches as they come screaming and shrieking at you, They are a combination of three great waves which came crashing down on the great bulk carrier Fitzgeralds deck ripping off at least some of her hatch keepers allowing water to enter her forward hatches the next great trough she entered her nose kissed bottom and she broke in half sinking instantly. Ironically if she had stayed high instead of heading into the relatively shallow waters of white fish bay she may have rode out the storm...The Great lakes take no prisoners.
Towngate | Nov 11, 2010, 09:27 PM EST
I have always been haunted by this amazing musical account of this tragic loss. Bless 'em all!
VDDService | Nov 11, 2010, 04:24 PM EST
What came first, Christy Moore's "I wish I was back in Derry" or Gordon Lightfoot's "The wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald"?? Same Tune exactly!!