Watts, Charles, b. 1867.

Captain Charles A. Watts was born in Nova Scotia in 1867 and received his master's papers in 1888 before turning 21. He died in 1957 at age 90. A local Bay Area newspaper reported that at age 90 in 1957, he was the oldest living mariner. A biography of Captain Watts' maritime career was compiled by SFMNHP's founder and chief curator Karl Kortum in 1995. Capt. Watts reflects on his time on the Cadaretta and the Pacific Queen, ex-Star of Alaska, now Balclutha, in an interview in 1970 with SFMNHP Karl Kortum and Emmett Hoskins. Captain Watts was at one time, master aboard the Pacific Queen, (ex Star of Alaska, now Balclutha) in 1934. Over his lengthy career as master mariner he commanded Cardaretta, Waban, West Nosska, West Hartland, Mark Gray, Ocean Lily, Stacy Clark, John F. Cranden, L.F. Munson, Great Admiral, Patrician, C.D. Bryant, Pactolus, British Yeoman, W.F. Babcock, General Hubbard, Republic, Star of Hollywood, and Mary Dollar.

From the description of Charles A. Watts scrapbook, 1901-1954. (San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park Library). WorldCat record id: 702162857

Captain Charles A. Watts was born in Nova Scotia in 1867 and received his master's papers in 1888 before turning 21. He died in 1957 at age 90. A local Bay Area newspaper reported that at age 90 in 1957, he was the oldest living mariner. A biography of Captain Watts' maritime career was compiled by SFMNHP's founder and chief curator Karl Kortum in 1995. Capt. Watts chats about his time on the Cadaretta and the Pacific Queen, ex Star of Alaska, now Balclutha, in an interview in 1970 with SFMNHP Karl Kortum and Emmett Hoskins. Captain Watts was at one time, master aboard the Pacific Queen, (ex Star of Alaska, now Balclutha) in 1934. This ship log relates to the time during his career, when Watts was master aboard the Cadaretta from November 1918 to May 1919 and the Waban for Admiral Line in late 1919 to early 1920. The Cardaretta left Honolulu on January 31, 1919 and arrived in the Vladivostok harbour on March 2, 1919. Between the Cardaretta and Waban, he commanded the West Nosska and West Hartland. During his career, Watts also commanded the Mark Gray, Ocean Lily, Stacy Clark, John F. Cranden, L.F. Munson, Great Admiral, Patrician, C.D. Bryant, Pactolus, British Yeoman, W.F. Babcock, General Hubbard, Republic, Star of Hollywood, and Mary Dollar.

The Cadaretta, was built 1918 in Portland Oregon by Albina Engine and Machine Works for the San Francisco lumber firm Charles Nelson Company in Portland Oregon. In January 1919 the Cadaretta left Honolulu with a cargo of railroad material for Vladivostok, Russia. The Waban was built in 1919 in Vancouver, Washington.

Honolulu Iron Works Company was originally Honolulu Iron Works and Flour Mill Company, owned by David Weston. Originally a grain mill, the company expanded to produce machinery including agricultural and road equipment, boilers and pipes, gas and diesel engines, complete sugar factories for other plantations in Puerto Rico, Mexico, Cuba, Japan, and the Philippines, for example, and railroad equipment. Located in the Kakaako District, in Honolulu, the company once employed 1,500. Honolulu Iron Works Company in November 1968 merged and became a division of into Ward Foods, Inc. under the name Honiron. Honiron's business started to slide downward sometime in the 1950's when plantations started to fabricate and repair their own machines; by 1973 wanting to cut their losses, Ward Foods divested its interest and Honiron became a part of history.

From the description of Capt. Charles A. Watts ship log, 1919. (San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park Library). WorldCat record id: 700950232