Master in sail & steam : the notable career of one Maine shipmaster : a biography of Captain Frank Hewitt Peterson, 1876-1958

Born in Machiasport, Maine, in 1876, Frank Hewitt Peterson grew up in a family and community shaped by the sea. Over nearly half a century, he rose from a young sailor aboard a small coastal vessel to the command of great multi-masted schooners, then continued his career in steamships, motorships, tankers, liners, and warships.

Drawing on journals, scrapbooks, family memories, and a deep understanding of traditional sailing vessels, this biography follows a remarkable life at sea during an era of sweeping change. Peterson’s experiences include storms, collisions, shipwreck, fire, war, labor unrest, and the daily demands of command, but the account also emphasizes his quiet professionalism, integrity, modesty, and respect for the vessels and people under his care. Rich in the lore of Maine’s coastal schooners and the changing world of maritime work, it offers an intimate portrait of a shipmaster who bridged the age of sail and the age of steam.