Captain Robert “Bob” Dow Foote was born at Wellington County, Ontario on May 1, 1851 to James and Catherine (Ferguson) Foote.
On February 4, 1886 he married Catherine McQueen who was born at Fergus, Ontario and at the time of their marriage they were both in their 40’s – this was the first marriage for both of them. No children were born to this union.
Robert died October 15, 1923 at Fergus, Ontario and is buried with his wife and Catharine who died on April 30, 1925. They are buried at Belsyde Cemetery, Fergus, Wellington County, Ontario.
An excerpt from Today and Yesterday on the Great Lakes - Off Watch written by Anna G. Woods in 1957 - pages 123 and 124. This book is a work of fiction based on true facts.
“When Captain Lauchie Morrison was building the cribbing of Silver Islet Mine a freckle-faced lad was standing on the wharf at Owen Sound surveying the tall spars and riggings of the ships I the harbor. He final got up enough courage to ask an officer, with shining buttons.
“Could you use a cabin boy, sir?”
“Ay, ay, go aboard, lad,” answered the officer and Robert Dow Foote, ten a wholesome lad of seventeen years, literally slipped into his career at that moment.
This career carried him from the brigantine Queen of the North all the way to the biggest fastest passenger vessels on the Great Lakes and eventually, as his integrity was recognized by his superiors, to Commodore of the Northern Navigation Company. He was a short, stocky man with quiet ways, a gentle voice, a sincerity of manner and had an intimate listening quality that made him the confidante of many.
Lovingly known as “Captain Bob” to his many friends he was the idol of all the navigators who called him the “Fog King.” This name resulted from his ability to maintain schedules on the hazardous Port Arthur, Duluth run where the combination of fog and forest fires smoke would often cut visibility to less than a foot. During these runs his ship never lost a minute despite the fact there were none of the navigational aids which are now deemed so imperative. Besides his navigational ability Captain R. D. Foote was also a wonderful seaman for it was he who brought the Hamonic through the terrible storm of November 9th, 1913. For four days he never left the bridge and afterwards the passengers, realizing that they were safe only because of his seamanship and devotion to duty, presented him with an engraved silver tea service.
After retirement he continued as relief captain for a few years. Then the dock-side in Sarnia missed him for he returned to his birthplace of Fergus, Ontario, an inland community, where he was never happy as he missed the low tuneful warning of passing ships.
“Yon Folks, Hughie,” he confided to my father, “they don’t know one end of a steamboat from the other and it’s a great pity. All they talk about is turnips and hogs.”
His last resting place is Belsyde Cemetery, Fergus.
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