Erik Heyl

Erik Heyl (1887–1973) was an American maritime historian and illustrator. He is best known as the author of Early American Steamers, a six-volume work that incorporates illustrations, technical details and service histories of almost 800 steamboats and steamships built mainly in the United States between 1807 and 1870.

Heyl was prominent in a number of American marine historical societies, particularly those related to the history of the Great Lakes. He also gave several exhibitions of his work as a marine illustrator during his lifetime. He was named Great Lakes Historian of the Year in 1972.

Life and career Erik Heyl—birth name Johann Erik Philip Heyl —was born on August 4, 1887, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Jacob and Louise (née Schandein) Heyl. Erik was the only child of the union, as his mother died a few months after his birth, but shortly thereafter, Jacob married his late wife's younger sister Clare, and Erik thereby subsequently acquired a number of step-siblings. Erik's maternal grandfather was Emil Schandein, vice-president of the Pabst Brewing Company and a principal shareholder in the firm. In 1906, an out-of-court settlement following a contest of the will of Emil's widow resulted in Erik and an aunt and uncle each receiving a share of the Schandein estate, Erik's being $500,000 , which was to be held in trust.

Heyl was educated at Milwaukee Academy and later the University of Berlin. stock and bond salesman and secretary with the ambulance service, before starting his own business as a stamp dealer. He was a frequent contributor to Inland Seas, the journal of the Great Lakes Historical Society, and to Steamboat Bill of Facts and The Detroit Marine Historian, respectively the journals of the Steamship Historical Society of America and the Marine Historical Society of Detroit.

A total of about 800 steamboats and steamships built in the United States between 1807 and 1872 are covered in the work, with the emphasis heavily on Great Lakes and East Coast vessels. The data section is followed by a service history of the vessel covering the most significant events in its career.

The majority of entries include an ink-and-watercolor illustration of the ship by Heyl; From the third volume on, the images are considerably larger at in height, allowing for greater detail, while the width is a consistent ; reproduction is in grayscale.

Early American Steamers has become a standard reference work and is included in bibliographies of many academic books in the field. Professor of History René de la Pedraja of Canisius College, New York, has described it as "the essential source" for 19th-century American steam vessels built before 1880.

Personal details

Heyl married Alice Emily Spragge (born 1893) in Buffalo, New York, on October 8, 1912. The couple had one daughter, Barbara Alice (1918–2003). Heyl's second marriage was to Elizabeth Solvieg Ralph, and a daughter, Kristen.

Erik Heyl died on July 15, 1973, at the Millard Fillmore Hospital, Buffalo, following several weeks of illness; he was 85 years of age. His widow Elizabeth, who later remarried, is also interred there.

Notable works

467 pages. 284 pages. OCLC 1626009 354 pages. OCLC 1626009 346 pages. OCLC 1626009 304 pages. OCLC 1626009 339 pages. OCLC 1626009

Footnotes