Surfmen of Erie

In the middle of the nineteenth century, the Federal Government entered the “life-saving” business, establishing a system to assist victims of shipwrecks in American waters. In 1850, the Treasury Department purchased dozens of 27-foot-long, iron-hulled surfboats to be dispersed amongst a handful of locations throughout the American coast and interior. Sixteen of these boats were sent to Lake Erie - one of which made its way to Presque Isle.

The objective of this early service was extremely limited - provide boats and volunteers to aid mariners and passengers in distress. In Erie, several rescues were made with assistance from the men of USS Michigan and Revenue Cutter Commodore Perry. Understandably, the Federal Government realized the limitations placed on this service. There was an obvious need for full-time, trained crews and manned stations. This came to fruition in 1871 with the authorization of the U.S. Life-Saving Service.

The Treasury Department authorized funding for a station to be constructed on Presque Isle in 1874. The following year, construction commenced with the station opening for operation on October 6, 1876. The station has remained in use since 1876, taking various forms. Today, US Coast Guard Station Erie calls this place home, protecting “800 square miles along the shore of Lake Erie to the international border.”

This exhibit explores the history of Station Erie/Presque Isle by means of the “Freeburg Collection” - a selection of photographs and archival documents donated by the descendants of Anders Hjalmar Friberg (Andrew Freeburg).

Donors: Wesley & Marjorie Freeburg, formerly of Albion, Pennsylvania

Activity ID: FN2006.8

An additional thank you to Commander Timothy Dring, USNR (Ret.) for his wealth of knowledge.

Andrew (left) with the original Brig Niagara & in seated position at USLSS Erie/Presque Isle

Born on October 8, 1884 in Erie, Pennsylvania,” Andrew” Freeburg was a surfman assigned to US Life-Saving Station Erie, Pennsylvania from 1904-1915. In 1913, Andrew signed on as part of the Paasch Brothers crew that raised the Flagship Niagara. Most winters he spent at Jekyll Island, Georgia where he ran a bicycle shop for the convenience of the members of the Jekyll Island Club along with fellow Surfman Dick Allen.

In 1915, at the suggestion of Capt. Hansen, Freeburg was transferred to command the Lorain, OH Station where he served as head surfman (known as “captain”) from 1915-17 when he retired from the Coast Guard. NB: the USLHS was amalgamated into the US Coast Guard in 1915.

While at the Lorain Station he met Florence Carver. In 1917 he went into business with his brother Charles and his brother-in-law Peter Moline. On Jan 1, 1919, he married Florence, they lived in Erie (216 Parade St., later between 4th-5th & Cascade) until moving to Millcreek where he resided until his death in 1952. When the family gathered stories flew about life at the station. During Prohibition, he worked as a Federal Revenue Agent and was a Presque Isle Park Policeman, c.1939-42.

When the station first opened on October 6, 1876, it was very much a “bare bones” structure with amenities at a minimum and emphasis placed on the operational use. There were two stories and a lookout platform fixed atop of the roof. At the time of construction, this lookout was an open-air pathway stretching 5’x5’ in length.

On the second floor was the crew’s berthing area, an 18’x17’ dormitory, a storage room, as well as a living space and office for the station’s “Keeper” or “Captain”. Lastly, the first floor was the boathouse, with another storage area measuring in at 19’x30’ in size and a dining area. Both the “kitchen” and restroom were located in another building on the property.

Throughout the station’s existence, there have been a variety of enhancements done on the property. In 1898, the station received a new, detached boathouse with a launch ramp. Additionally, the lookout tower was enclosed.

In the 1930s, Erie received another batch of improvements when the Coast Guard station received entirely new buildings on the property courtesy of Roosevelt-era WPA funding.

Last, but not least, the 1980s ushered in major updates to the Coast Guard station, new buildings and boathouse, an enlarged basin to commence rescue and other operations from, and updated rescue boats.

In the past few years, the remaining structures dating to the old station were removed from the property.

Six surfmen of Erie Station, in blue uniforms, posing in front of the “Mortar Apparatus” building of the Erie Station. Identifications: #1. Otto Benson (?) #2. Unknown #3. Unknown #4. Station Captain Johnson #5. W.A. Booth (?) #6 unknown. Mounted on card, 4 7/8” x 6 7/8”.

Thanks to help from a friend of the Erie Maritime Museum Commander Timothy Dring, USNR (Ret.), we have surfman listings from 1897, 1899, 1901, and 1905.

• 1897: Keeper Andrew Jansen; Surfmen: Neils Rasmussen (joined the crew in 1892; later transferred to Station Fairport as Keeper), Howard Burroughs, Hans Hansen, Charles Anderson, Louis Larson, Charles Brinck, Frank Claus, and Henry Allen

• 1899: Keeper Andrew Jansen; Surfmen: Charles Anderson, Howard Burroughs, Hans Hansen, Hugh Harrity, Louis Larson, Charles Brinck, and Henry Allen

• 1901: Keeper Andrew Jansen; Surfmen: Charles Anderson, Hans Hansen, Louis Larson, Charles Brinck, Merton Stevens, and Jay Fuller

• 1905: Keeper Andrew Jansen; Surfmen: Charles Anderson (later promoted to Keeper at Station Ashtabula), Hans Hansen (later promoted to Keeper at Station Cleveland), Hugh Harrity (later promoted to Keeper at Station Buffalo), Louis Larson, Charles Brinck, Merton Stevens, Jay Fuller, and Nicholas Leonard

*Station Keepers include Clark Jones who served from 1876-77, William Clark served from 1877-91 (killed by accidental drowning), and Andrew Jansen served from 1891 until the formation of the US Coast Guard in 1915. The first USCG-era keeper was Lester D. Seymour who served from 1915-29.

“Soldiers of the Surf”

Each Life-Saving District was under the supervision of a District Superintendent. Amongst their many responsibilities was to appoint keepers or station “captains”. Each Keeper was tasked with recruiting and training their crew. Keepers often rose through the ranks of the Life-Saving Service or came out of other maritime trades. Many keepers were transferred from other stations, as was the case for Anders Freeburg.

Up to 1889, the Life-Saving service did not have a standardized uniform. Following the establishment of a “dress-type” uniform, Surfmen began to outfit themselves in these outfits (as seen above). It should be noted that Surfmen had to pay out of pocket for their uniforms.

Salaries were extremely low, considering the arduous tasks expected of these souls. For a surfman, pay rested around $65 a month (in years prior, pay was set to $40 per month). With that, there was no real means of saving for the future. If a member of the Service was killed or disabled, the member or their family was entitled to merely two years of their salary.

Life as a Surfmen was regimented. Where the primary task was dedicated to standing “watch”, station crews devoted the majority of their time to preparing for emergencies. The weekly schedule was designed to follow a pattern - one which rarely changed. This was no different at Station Erie/Presque Isle. Each Sunday was considered a day off for most of the station, unless a surfman was assigned to stand up the watch.

As Station Erie was considered “isolated”, the Surfmen conducting patrols carried a patrol clock. At the furthest point of the patrol was a tin box containing a key that was used to punch the patrol clock - thereby showing that the patrol was completed.

Monday was dedicated to training with gear used to conduct rescues from the beach - setting up the breeches buoy and firing the Lyle Gun. In addition to this, the station’s crew would inspect the station’s watercraft, ensuring that they were in good working condition.

On Tuesday the station would conduct boat drills. The station’s boats were launched, the crew would man the oars for, at a minimum, 30 minutes. In warm and calm conditions, the Captain would signal for a capsize drill (see below). The crew would overturn their boat and roll it back into its upright position. This was the most dangerous drill a station could do, for obvious reasons. There are many instances of station personnel perishing when attempting a self-righting drill.

On Wednesday, the Surfmen would undergo signal training. Station crews were trained in the art of signaling by a variety of means including signal flares, numerical flags, and wig-wag.

Thursday was, again, beach apparatus (breeches buoy/Lyle gun) training.

Fridays were allocated for training in the art of “restoring the apparently drowned” - i.e. artificial resuscitation. According to the U.S. Life-Saving Service Heritage Association’s website, “In 1894, twelve years after it had first been introduced in the Life Saving Service, the technique had been applied to 118 victims of apparent drowning; 60 of these survived.”

Lastly, Saturday was scheduled for station maintenance and housekeeping in each of the station’s buildings and grounds.

Erie USLSS Motor Life Boat crew doing righting demonstration in channel, station in background.

Erie USLSS Motor Life Boat, ¾ port stern view, motor-sailing, crew in oilskins.