Cumberland County, Maine - Captain William W. Snowman
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Biography
Captain William W. Snowman
Biographical Review
Cumberland County, Maine
Boston
Biographical Review Publishing Company
1896
Page 409-410


Captain William W. Snowman, senior captain of the line of the Portland Steamship
Company and master of the elegant new steamer "Bay State" since she went into
commission, was born at Penobscot, Me., September 21, 1830, son of Captain
Thomas and Sarah (White) Snowman.

Captain Thomas Snowman was likewise a native of Penobscot, and was a seafaring
man, being engaged in the coasting trade during his active life, sailing first
from Castine, then from Newburyport, and later from Portland. He was interested
in the politics of his day, and voted the Whig ticket. He died in Portland about
1856. His wife died in 1894. She was a member of the Baptist church. They reared
four sons and two daughters, namely: John, who resides in Portland; Thomas, of
Everett, Mass.; Merrill P. (deceased); Hannah, wife of William Snowman, of
Portland; Abbie (deceased), who married Henry M. Holmes, of Wilton, Me.; and
William W., whose name heads this article.

William W. Snowman was four years old when his parents removed to Newburyport;
and there he received his education, graduating from the high school at the age
of sixteen. He was associated with his father in the coasting trade for three
years, and when twenty-one years of age was, master of a coastingvessel himself.
He was engaged in coasting for twelve years, sailing chiefly between New England
ports and never going south of Norfolk, Va.; and the last three years of his
connection with sailing-vessels he was master of a packet between Boston and
Portland. In 1865 he entered the service of the Portland Steamship Company as
pilot, a position for which he was well qualified, knowing every turn and shoal
of the New England coast. His first trip as pilot was on the "Forest City." He
was soon appointed Captain; and he has had charge, at different times, of every
boat of the line except the "Tremont," among them being the "Portland," which is
one of the largest side-wheelers this side of Fall River. When the "Bay State"
was added to the line, Captain Snowman was made master of that beautiful
steamer.

He is the oldest Captain in point of service in the employ of the Steamship
Company, and during these thirty years has been off duty only six weeks, two
weeks for a vacation and four weeks when he was ill. He averages six passages a
week between Boston and Portland, and in the summer time often makes seven. His
trips are usually made after dark ; and, as fogs and storms are frequent, the
responsibility of safely conducting the vessel is very great. Only an
experienced pilot can understand what it is to bring a steamer into Boston
Harbor in a fog, to steer clear of the passing vessels, and to keep in the
narrow channel, which can be followed only by reckoning. At such times Captain
Snowman is always in the pilot-house, following every calculation and ready for
any emergency. Decisions are made on the instant, and once made cannot be
revoked. He has never had a serious accident to account for, and his long record
has been a remarkably clear one.

When he was twenty-five years old, Captain Snowman was united in marriage with
Miss Henrietta Purbeck, of Salem, Mass., who died twenty years ago: He has one
daughter, Alice, who resides in Boston; and with her he has made his home for
the past six years, his residence prior to that time having been in Portland.

Captain Snowman is a member of Ancient Brothers Lodge, Independent Order of Odd
Fellows, although he has had time to attend but six meetings in twenty years;
and he is also a member of the Masters' and Pilots' Association of Boston. A
faithful follower of the sea, he has but two or three times in all his life been
more than ten miles inland from the shore, a day's trip to the White Mountains
marking the extent of his acquaintance with alpine scenery. He is a good reader
and a fine conversationalist, having a rare fund of anecdote and illustration;
and he handles a jack-knife with the expertness of a true Yankee, finer tools
also, as specimens of his skill in wood-carving attest. He has a large circle of
friends and acquaintances.