Early Memories of Saugatuck, Michigan : 1830-1930
Author: Heath, May Francis
Publisher: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Grand Rapids, Mich: 1930

CHARLES McVEA

The occupation of farmer and sea captain are rather unusual as a combination but such was the life work of Capt. Charles McVea, who was born the fourth son of James and Mary (Warnock) McVea, at County Down, Ireland, and came with his parents to America in 1852.

At an early age Charles showed a desire to become a sailor and he sailed on the lakes the greater part of his life, owning two vessels named the Mary McVea, and the E. J. McVea also owned an interest in the steamboats Douglas, Charles McVea, and Severns. He was known as a most skillful sailor in lake navigation.

In 1868 he bought a large tract of land in Ganges and built a most commodious home, barns and other buildings all of which were model in their way —- and while he continued to sail on the lakes, he still supervised the clearing and improving of his one hundred eighty acres. He sailed on Lakes Superior, Michigan and Erie.

In 1861 he was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Warnock, of Jersey City, N. J., and theirs was a happy life together until in 1894, Mr. McVea was taken by death at the age of sixty years. This was a blow for the mother and the five sons and five daughters of the McVea family, as the husband and father had been a man kindly and wise and was dearly loved by his family who were William, James, Charles (deceased), John and Samuel and Mary, Mrs. John Hatch of Chicago, Elizabeth, Esther, Rachel and Anna, Mrs. Harry Leggett, one of the highly esteemed families in the country. Though the parents are dead the children live on the beautiful homestead.