Captain Eliot Winslow: March 10, 1909 - July 24, 2006

My great uncle, Eliot Winslow, passed away last week at the age of 97. I was in Quebec at our family's cottage for a holiday and so was able to go with Mom and Roy and my aunt to his funeral on July 28th. It was a beautiful service - with more than 300 people in attendance. As Eliot was a member of the US Coast Guard, my aunt Marjorie (my grandfather's sister) and her son David were given an American flag by the Coast Guard. Below is his obituary and a little bit about a recent children's book in which Eliot makes an appearance:

Charles E. Winslow

07/26/2006 SOUTHPORT —Charles Eliot Winslow, 97, died Monday, July 24, 2006 at his home in Southport after a brief illness.

Born in Boston on March 10, 1909, the son of Charles and Alice Maude Graham Winslow, he came to Southport as a baby. It was a great disappointment to him that he wasn't born here so he couldn't claim to be a native Mainer, but few people ever doubted that he was one.

After completing Roxbury Latin School, he attended Dartmouth College, graduating in 1931.

In 1939, he joined the Navy as a seaman, second class. In 1942, he was commissioned an ensign and transferred to the Coast Guard. He was assigned to the USS Argo. As her commanding officer, he was awarded the Legion of Merit for rescuing 23 of 30 survivors after the USS St. Augustine collided with a merchant marine tanker off the New Jersey coast in January 1944. Most of the crew was lost.

In 1945, Lt. Winslow and the USS Argo crew captured the crew of a German submarine off the coast of New Hampshire, and escorted the enemy ship to Portsmouth. Among those on board was Maj. Gen. Ulrich Kessler of the German Luftwaffe and three other high ranking officers.

At the end of the war, he moved permanently to Southport Island. In 1946, he named his first sightseeing boat the Argo, after the Coast Guard ship. His Argo tours became known for his clever way with words, his dry humor and facts (or fiction) about the communities surrounding the Boothbay waters. For 33 years he entertained hundreds of tourists. He also performed in plays at the Boothbay Playhouse.

When he married Marjorie Moore of Montreal in February 1961, he added a hostess to the crew of Argo, by that time a vessel that could carry many more passengers. Their son joined the crew in December that year.

He concurrently piloted oil tankers through the Sheepscot River to Wiscasset. Winslow Marine began in 1955. The first of his tugs, the Alice Winslow, was purchased in 1965. The company has grown to a major operation offering ship assist, bunkering, barge rental and coastal towing.
















Bath Iron Works is a long-time customer of his. Winslow tugs are in attendance during launchings, sea trials and overhauls. Winslow Marine now operates seven tugs and 10 barges, serving customers along the northeastern coast.

In 1972, the Winslows bought Robinson's Wharf. Customers can watch boats unload their catch while eating fresh seafood; they carry away memories of the "real" Maine fishing world.

He entertained many groups his stories, appeared on national television with Tim Sample and used his talent for local fund raisers.

The Winslows have been major supporters of many local organizations including St. Andrews Hospital, the Student Aid Fund, the YMCA and the Southport Methodist Church

He was predeceased by an older brother, Gordon B. "Red" Winslow.

Surviving are his wife of 45 years of Southport; one son, David Winslow of Falmouth; two nieces; and good friend and caregiver, Chris Carswell Maurer of East Boothbay.

A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. on Friday in the Mary Louise Tandy Cowan field house at the Boothbay Region YMCA with the Rev. Kit Sherrill officiating.

The family requests no flowers. Contributions may be made to the Boothbay Region Student Aid Fund, P.O. Box 293, Boothbay Harbor ME 04538; Lincoln County Animal Shelter, P.O. Box 7, Edgecomb ME 04556; or the charity of one's choice.

The Littlest Tugboat
Sarah Sherman McGrail loves to write about local history. She's written and published several books about the history of her native Southport Island and neighboring Boothbay Harbor. So it figured her first children's book would have a good dose of history too. McGrail says she was inspired to write "The Littlest Tugboat" by her neighbor, Capt. Eliot Winslow, 96, who runs a fleet of tugboats. The story is about a small tugboat who wants to do the same work as his bigger brothers, who help guide ships up and down the Kennebec River at Bath Iron Works. The book includes a glossary of tugboat terminology. McGrail, who still lives in Southport, published the book through her own company, Cozy Harbor Press.