cargo of merchandise for Jonathan Williamson, of Detroit. In the Fall of
that year a half interest in the Neptune was sold to Richard H. Blinn,
Seth Doan, and Dr. Long. In 1817, she made a trip to Mackinac, for the
American Fur Company, and remained in that trade until the Fall of 1819.

In the Summer of 1818, Major Edwards, Paymaster Smith, and another army
officer came to Mackinac on the Tiger, and engaged Mr. Johnson to take
them to Green Bay, agreeing to pay him three hundred dollars for the trip.
The same vessel, under Johnson's command, took the first load of troops
from Green Bay to Chicago, after the massacre, Major Whistler engaging the
ship for the purpose.

In 1824, Johnson left the Neptune, and in company with Turhooven &
Brothers, built the steamer Enterprise, about two hundred and twenty
tons burden. This was the first steam vessel built in Cleveland, and her
hull was made near the site of the Winslow warehouse. The engine, of
sixty to seventy horse power, was brought from Pittsburgh. Johnson ran
her between Buffalo and Detroit until 1828, when hard times coming on
and business threatening to be unprofitable, he sold his interest in
her, and left the lakes. In company with Goodman and Wilkeson, he built
the Commodore, on the Chagrin river, in the year 1830, and that closed
his ship-building career.

By this time he had accumulated about thirty thousand dollars, a
respectable fortune in those days, with which he invested largely in real
estate, and waited the course of events to make his investments
profitable.

In 1831, he contracted with the Government officers to build the
light-house on Water street. In 1836, he built a light-house at Sandusky.