An Illustrated History of the State of Washington, by Rev. H.K. Hines, D.D., The
Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, IL. 1893

CAPTAIN J.W. McALLEP was born in Lubec; Maine, November 22, 1838. His father,
John McAllep, native of the high-lands of Scotland, emigrated to America about
1820 and located in Maine, where he engaged in ship-building and was
subsequently married to Miss Mary J. Smith, native of Maine and of English
descent. Our subject was reared in Lubec to the age of sixteen years, when he
shipped before the mast upon the bark "Lucy Ring," Captain Belcher T. Thurlow in
command. The bark was loaded at St. Johns, New Brunswick, with box shooks for
Cuba, thence proceeded with a cargo of sugar to Bristol, England, and then with
railroad iron to Savannah, Georgia, a voyage of seven months. Young McAllep then
returned home and attended school during the winter, but with the spring of 1856
he again sailed the seas, on the bark "Philena," Captain J.S. Winslow, Portland,
Maine. He continued at sea, paying particular attention to the study of
navigation, and arose rapidly in the line of his profession, becoming first mate
at the age of eighteen years, sailing upon the Atlantic between European and
American ports. Becoming desirous of visiting the Pacific coast, in June, 1862,
he shipped from New York, before the mast upon the ship "Ocean Express," Captain
H.H. Watson. They were barely out of port before Captain Watson discovered the
qualifications of young McAllep, and promoted him to the position of boatswain,
and subsequently to that of third and then second mate. The ship was disabled in
a storm off Cape Horn and returned to Rio Janeiro for repairs. There Mr. McAllep
left and became second mate on the brig "Josephine," also bound for San
Francisco. Continuing their voyage via the straits of Magellan they made port at
Valparaiso, and there our subject was made mate and continued in that capacity
until they arrived in San Francisco, February 17, 1863. He then made one voyage
to Nicolafski on the Amoor river, Russian Possessions, and upon returning in
October, 1863, was put in charge as captain of the bark "Ork," owned by A.M.
Simpson, a prominent lumber dealer of the coast and sailing between Coos bay,
San Francisco and coast ports. Captain McAllep then continued with Mr. Simpson
for nearly fifteen years, in varied capacities. He was concerned, at different
times, in the operation of both steamboats and sailing vessels. In 1874 he
assumed command of the famous new ship, "Western Star," which was built by Mr.
Simpson, at Coos bay, Oregon. This vessel was, in its time, one of the fastest
ships afloat, making a voyage to Europe, in 1875, in 104 days and returning from
Liverpool in 110 days. Leaving Astoria, Oregon, in January, 1876, the boat made
the voyage to Queenstown in 101 days. October 1, 1877, Captain McAllep left the
"Western Star" and assumed charge of Mr. Simpson's fleet of vessels with
headquarters at San Francisco, his official title being Port Captain, owing to
the fact that he superintended operations from port and not on the sea. He
continued in this position until 1878, until he took charge of the steamer
"Empire," a freight and passenger boat, running between San Francisco and Puget
Sound ports. He operated the boat for four years, after which he moved to the
Sound country and located at Port Townsend. He was there appointed to represent
the full board of San Francisco underwriters for the Puget Sound district, the
duties being to survey the cargoes of lumber to see that vessels were in a
proper condition and properly loaded. As transportation from point to point was
necessary he built the steam launch "Underwriter," to facilitate business, and
continued in that position for three years, simultaneously conducting a general
shipping and commission business. In 1886, Captain McAllep returned to San
Francisco, and made one trip for Spreckels to the Sandwich islands, then took
charge of the ship "Detroit" and operated between San Francisco and Puget Sound
up to 1889. He then made one voyage to Melbourne and Sydney, Australia,
continuing with the ship until May, 1890, when he came to Seattle for permanent
residence, and, in January, 1891, was put in charge of the fire boat
"Snoqualmie," a part of the equipment of the fire department of Seattle. This
boat has a capacity of 350-horse power, her pumps throwing 7,000 gallons of
water per minute, with facilities for fourteen separate streams of water. Ten
men are connected with the boat, besides one horse and hose wagon, with an
equipment of 2,800 feet of hose. The boilers are held continuously under eighty
pounds of pressure, and are always ready to start at a moment's notice. The
Captain was married at San Francisco, in December, 1868, to Miss Theresa C.
Cammann, of New York city. They have three children: Weston C., Helen A. and
George H. Socially, Captain McAllep affiliates with the F. & A. M., I.O.O.F. and
encampment, the K. of H. and A.U.U.W.

Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in January 2004 by Jeffrey L. Elmer

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Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Washington Biographies
Project. Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the
individual featured in the biographies.