Three generations of Robertsons commanded carferries

April 19, 2026

Capt. Bernard Robertson, seated fourth from left, poses with the crew of the SS Badger on March 16, 1953, a week before the vessel’s maiden voyage. Rose Hawley Archives, Mason County Historical Society.

Masters of the PM Steamers

By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief

Passengers who rode the SS Badger in the mid-1950s might have been surprised to learn the ship was sometimes steered by a little girl.

Audrey Robertson was the daughter of Capt. Bernard “Bunny” Robertson (1906-1992). An only child born later in the captain’s life, Audrey spent many summer days aboard the boat. Thanks to a trusty wheelsman, Don Miller, she often took a turn at the wheel.

Audrey Robertson Boals holds a photo taken of herself, her father and her mother during the Badger’s maiden voyage, March 21, 1953. Photo by Rob Alway, MCP.

Audrey (now Audrey Robertson Boals) remembered the first time the wheelsman gave her the opportunity.

“He let me sit up on the big stool and said, ‘If your wake’s straight, you can keep going.’

“My father was a mild-tempered man. But when he got upset, his nostrils would start flaring. I’ll never forget when he walked onto the pilothouse from his quarters. His nostrils started flaring. The wheelsman looked at my dad and said, ‘I got this, Capt. She’s doing a great job.’ My dad turned around and walked out. He never spoke of it again, but from that day forward, I got to steer the Badger.”

Though she was never an official member of the crew, Audrey was essentially the fourth generation of Robertsons to stand in the pilothouse of a Lake Michigan carferry. Her family’s legacy dates back even earlier, when her great-grandfather served as a lighthouse keeper.

The Badger and its first master

Capt. Bernard “Bunny” Robertson at the helm of the Badger. Photo collection of Audrey Robertson Boals.

By the time his daughter stood at the wheel, Bernard Robertson was already one of the most experienced captains sailing out of Ludington, the port that for decades served as the eastern anchor of the Pere Marquette Railway carferry fleet.

Born Aug. 6, 1906, in Frankfort, Bernard was the son of Mable (Sutherland) Robertson (1881-1936) and Capt. Charles E. Robertson (1880-1944). At age 36, he married Florence Elizabeth Curott (1903-2004) of Ludington on her 40th birthday, Jan. 16, 1943. A daughter, Charlene, was born in 1944 but died in infancy. Audrey was born in 1946.

Bernard graduated from Ludington High School in 1924, where he played football and basketball. He was junior class president, a member of the debating team, editor-in-chief of the 1924 “Oriole” yearbook, president of the Athletic Association and a participant in the class play.

Bernard’s profile in the 1924 Ludington High School “Oriole” yearbook. Ancestry.com.

It was in high school that he received the nickname “Bunny” from his mother.

“He was really short as a kid, and then in high school he sprung up to 6-foot-2,” Audrey said.

After high school, Bernard attended the University of Michigan.

“My dad was extremely smart in math,” Audrey said. “He was a mathematical whiz.”

After earning his degree, Bernard returned to Ludington.

“I really don’t think he cared about teaching, so he started as a deckhand on the ferries and worked his way up.”

Pere Marquette 21. Ernest Beimer photo collection, Rose Hawley Archives, Mason County Historical Society.

Bernard earned his captain’s papers in 1942, a year before his marriage, and moved steadily through the ranks, commanding Pere Marquette 18 (II) in 1947, Pere Marquette 21 in 1948 and City of Flint 32 from 1949 to 1952.

In 1947, the Pere Marquette Railway was absorbed by the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad. Four years later, the railroad would order the construction of two new ferries, the largest ever built. They would be named the Spartan and the Badger.

In 1953, Bernard was selected to command the Badger, becoming its first master and remaining in that position until his retirement in 1969.

The Spartan and the Badger represented the culmination of decades of carferry design. At 410 feet long, capable of carrying 32 railcars or 150 automobiles and operating at about 18 mph, they were both industrial workhorses and passenger vessels.

The second ship named the Pere Marquette 18. Rose Hawley Archives, Mason County Historical Society.

Operating out of Ludington, the ferry system ran multiple daily crossings, moving up to 15,000 tons of freight per day.

Bernard was known for discipline and consistency. He was not outwardly self-congratulatory, but he commanded respect from his crews and confidence from those who sailed under him.

“I didn’t realize the responsibility that captains have,” Audrey said. “They’re huge.”

Over the course of his career, Bernard logged an estimated 18,500 crossings and about 2.5 million miles on Lake Michigan.

A new SS Badger. Ernest Beimer photo collection, Rose Hawley Archives, Mason County Historical Society.

Despite those numbers, he viewed the work without fanfare. He treated it, according to historical accounts, like going to the office. His true passion was fishing on the Pere Marquette River — with his daughter.

“I spent my youth on the Badger and on the PM River,” Audrey said. “The highlight of my days was when my dad would come home from the boat and take me fishing. He had several favorite fishing spots, and it would be a family affair. We would often go upriver almost to Scottville. Dad would have his Coleman stove, and we all wore these big hats to protect us from the sun. My mom’s sister and her family would often come, and I got to play with my cousins.”

Bernard Robertson died on Feb. 11, 1992 in East Grand Rapids. He and Florence are buried at Lakeview Cemetery in Ludington.

Grave of Bernard and Florence Robertson at Lakeview Cemeter in Ludington. Photo by Rob Alway, MCP.

The Pere Marquette system

Pere Marquete Railway Custer train depot. Rose Hawley Archives. Mason County HIstorical Society.

The Pere Marquette Railway carferry operation was one of the most important rail-marine systems in North America. It allowed entire railcars to be ferried across Lake Michigan, avoiding congestion in Chicago and linking eastern rail networks with the Midwest.

From Ludington, ferries operated year-round, requiring captains to navigate not only open water but also heavy ice and severe weather.

By the early 20th century, vessels such as City of Saginaw 31, City of Flint 32 and City of Midland 41 represented increasingly sophisticated engineering, including larger capacities and improved propulsion systems.

The system demanded precision. Schedules, cargo handling and vessel control all had to operate in coordination. Within that structure, captains were central figures, responsible for safety, efficiency and continuity.

The Robertson family would help define that role across multiple generations.

Charles Robertson and the fleet

Capt. Charles Robertson in command of the City of Midland 41. Rose Hawley Archives, Mason County Historical Society.

Bernard Robertson’s father, Capt. Charles E. Robertson (1880-1944), was one of the most prominent figures in the Pere Marquette fleet during its peak years.

Charles was born Aug. 8, 1880, in Glen Haven, the son of Capt. Henry Fowler Robertson (1852-1929) and Emma Jane (Payment) Robertson (1860-1933). On Dec. 15, 1903, he married Mable Sutherland (1881-1936). In addition to Bernard, they also had a daughter, Elaine (1904-2000).

From Charles Robertson’s continious discharge book. Robertson Collection, Mason County Historical Society.

Charles rose through the ranks of the industry, including serving as second mate on Manistique Marquette and Northern 1 (known as the Manistique), under the command of his uncle, Capt. William Pryer Robertson (1854-1923).

The Manistique was built for the Manistique Marquette and Northern Railroad in 1903 and initially operated between Northport and Manistique. Following the company’s bankruptcy, also in 1903, the vessel came under control of the Pere Marquette Railway. In 1904, the vessel began operating out of Ludington, continuing runs to Manistique. This service lasted two years before it returned to Northport.

Manistique Marquette Northern No. 1

Charles was on duty when the Manistique had a serious accident Jan. 5, 1908. According to author George Hilton in his book “The Great Lakes Car Ferries,” the ship was working in ice off the Manistique breakwater when two plates stove in at its boiler room. It barely made it back into the harbor, where it subsequently sank at the dock of the Chicago Lumber Co. A Jan. 10, 1908, article in the Manitowoc (Wis.) Daily Herald stated the ship had struck a rock.

According to a Nov. 22, 1929, article in the Ludington Daily News, the ship later turned over in its slip. Charles was asleep when the incident happened but was awakened and able to leave the vessel before it capsized.

After the Northport-to-Manistique route ended in 1908, the ferry was purchased by the Grand Trunk Milwaukee Car Ferry Co., based in Grand Haven. It was renamed Milwaukee and foundered Oct. 22, 1929, with all hands — estimated at 43 to 56 — lost.

Read more about the ship here.

It is likely that Capt. William Robertson commanded the Manistique during its tenure with the MMNRR and PMRR, since his next recorded assignment was in 1908 (see his story below). Following his duty on the Manistique, Charles became first mate of the PMRR’s Pere Marquette 3. He then became master of several Ann Arbor Railroad ferries, operating out of Frankfort between 1909 and 1917.

SS City of Flint

In 1917, the Robertson family moved from Frankfort to Ludington. In 1920, they moved into their newly built home at 206 N. Lewis St.

He later rejoined the Pere Marquette Railway fleet, commanding Pere Marquette 21 beginning in 1924, followed by City of Saginaw 31 and City of Flint 32.

Though he was master of the City of Flint in November 1940, Charles was off duty during one of the worst storms in Great Lakes history, which struck Nov. 11, Armistice Day. Relief Capt. Jens Levang was in command when the Flint went aground just outside the Ludington channel. The storm ultimately sank three ships and killed 64 sailors between Ludington and Little Point Sable, but the Flint suffered only minor damage. Read more about the Armistice Day Storm here.

SS City of Midland entering Ludington channel.

In 1941, Charles took command of the new City of Midland 41, one of the largest and most advanced carferries on the Great Lakes.

At the same time, he served as commodore of the fleet, overseeing operations during a critical period that included the economic recovery of the 1930s and the wartime demands of World War II.

When the City of Midland entered service, it represented a turning point in Great Lakes rail carferry design — larger, faster and engineered with a level of mechanical innovation not previously seen on the lakes.

Built by Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co. as hull No. 311, the ship measured 389.2 feet in length, with a 58.2-foot beam and 20.5-foot depth. At 3,968 gross tons, it was the largest carferry on the Great Lakes at the time of its launch, designed to meet rapidly increasing freight and automobile demand following the Great Depression.

Charles was known for his seamanship, particularly in heavy weather, and for maintaining high safety standards in a demanding profession.

He died Sept. 10, 1944, at age 64, leaving behind a reputation as one of the most skilled captains on the Great Lakes. He and Mable are buried at Lakeview Cemetery in Ludington.

Grave of Capt. Charles Robertson at Lakeview Cemetery in Ludington. Photo by Rob Alway, MCP.

Henry Robertson and the foundation

The family’s maritime roots extended back another generation to Capt. Henry Fowler Robertson (1852-1929).

Henry was born June 21, 1852, in Hammond, New York, the son of Eleaza Cody Robertson (1817-1901) and Olive (Phillips) Robertson (1825-1886). Among his occupations, Eleaza worked for a time as a lighthouse keeper.

On Dec. 18, 1877, Henry married Emma Jane Payment (1860-1933) in Kasson Township, Leelanau County, near Glen Lake. They had five children: Henry Arthur (1879-1969), Charles E. (1880-1944), Hattie (born 1882), Olive (1886-1913) and Marlee Lucile (1896-1965).

Henry spent most of his life on the Great Lakes, holding both captain’s and engineer’s papers.

For a time, Henry owned and operated the steamer John D. Dewar, a 72-foot-long package freighter built in 1885 in Ludington. The vessel was originally owned by Duncan Dewar of Ludington. It was designed to carry both passengers and freight and served coastal communities along eastern Lake Michigan, operating primarily between Frankfort and Manistee, with regular stops at smaller ports including Arcadia, Onekama, Pierport and other shoreline settlements.

From the late 19th century into the early 1900s, the John D. Dewar maintained frequent service along this route, effectively acting as a marine transit line for Benzie and Manistee counties. By the early 20th century, its operations shifted, including a period running between Ludington and Pentwater.

Its final owner was J.E. Murphy of Chicago.

In September 1921, the Dewar was under tow by the tug Silver Spray No. 116676, heading to Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, from Chicago for repairs and a rebuild when it sprang a leak and sank behind the breakwater at Milwaukee. Its engine and boiler were salvaged, and the hull was destroyed.

In 1920, Henry is listed in the U.S. Census as a fish tug owner.

At the time of his death, June 3, 1929, at age 77, Henry was serving as president of the State Savings Bank of Frankfort.

William Robertson and the early carferry era

SS Chief Wawatam. Rob Alway collection.

Henry’s brother, Capt. William Pryor Robertson, helped shape the early development of railroad carferries on the Great Lakes.

He commanded vessels such as Manistique Marquette and Northern No. 1, mentioned previously in this story.

In 1909, he was selected to command the newly built passenger steamer United States, described at the time as one of the finest vessels on the Great Lakes.

The United States was built by Manitowoc Dry Dock Co. in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. It was 193 feet long and 41 feet wide and was originally owned by the Indiana Transportation Co. It was sold to the Crosby Transportation Co. in 1916.

Later in his career, he became master of the Chief Wawatam, which operated on the Straits of Mackinac between Mackinaw City and St. Ignace.

The 338-foot-long ship was built in 1911 by the Toledo Shipbuilding Co. in Toledo, Ohio (Hull No. 119). The vessel’s propulsion system was notable for its triple-screw configuration, featuring one propeller forward and two aft, driven by three triple-expansion steam engines rated at a combined 4,500 horsepower. The engines, with cylinder dimensions of 21 inches, 22 inches and 52 inches and a 40-inch stroke, were supplied by six Scotch boilers measuring 13 feet 6 inches by 12 feet, built by the American Ship Building Co. in Lorain, Ohio.

Designed to carry railroad traffic across the Straits, the ferry was equipped with four tracks and could handle up to 26 railcars per trip. For more than 70 years, it served as a critical connector in the region’s rail network.

The Chief Wawatam ended its carferry service in 1984, as rail traffic across the Straits declined in the decades following the opening of the Mackinac Bridge in 1957. After retirement, the vessel was laid up and later converted into a barge in 2009, marking the end of its long career as one of the Great Lakes’ most distinctive and historically significant rail ferries. One of its engines is on display at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum in Manitowoc.

William remained in command of the Wawatam until his death aboard the vessel Nov. 5, 1923.

The Curott connection

Capt. William J. Curott

The Robertson maritime legacy intersected with another seafaring family through Bernard Robertson’s marriage to Florence Curott.

Florence’s brothers, Capt. William “Bill” John Curott and Capt. Eugene Alphonso Curott, followed maritime careers, though not on the Great Lakes.

Their parents, William Frank Curott (1863-1938) and Elizabeth “Lizzie” Mero (1864-1944) Curott, lived in Summit Township. William was a printer who worked initially in Grand Rapids and later at the Muskegon Chronicle.

Bill Curott was born Dec. 28, 1886, and spent 45 years at sea, including 34 as a captain, commanding vessels for the Moore-McCormack Line in international trade.

SS Independence Hall

Eugene Curott, born June 21, 1899, also rose to command and was serving as master of the SS Independence Hall during World War II. In March 1942, while sailing in convoy to Murmansk, the vessel broke apart in the North Atlantic during severe conditions.

Curott and several officers were lost when the forward section separated and drifted away, one of many casualties among merchant mariners supporting the Allied war effort.

Bill played an influential role in his little sister’s life. Florence, who had joined the nunnery, moved to New Orleans near her brother. Audrey said that her uncle may have influenced Florence to adjust her lifestyle, ultimately bringing her back to Ludington where she became a music teacher at Ludington Area Schools and married Bunny Robertson.

Family histories needed

Editor’s Note: This is the eighth article in the “Masters of the PM Steamers” series. First, I am very grateful to the information for this article provided by Audrey Robertson Boals. Her pride and appreciation of her family’s role in the carferry is extraordinary.

I am seeking historical artifacts and stories from people whose family members worked as ship captains or in Ludington’s maritime industry. While this project focuses on the Ludington carferry fleet, I am also interested in items related to anyone from Mason County who worked on the Great Lakes or oceans.

This series has three goals:

To share Ludington’s rich maritime history with readers of the Mason County Press.
To publish a book on the topic.
To create an interactive kiosk exhibit at the Port of Ludington Maritime Museum for historical research.

I am looking for artifacts such as photographs, written documents, or digitized materials. Items will be placed in the Mason County Historical Society archives, and donors will receive documentation of their contribution.

If you have items or stories to share, please email editor@mediagroup31.com or call/text 231-757-3202.

Note: I am also interested in collections related to the Mason County railroad industry.