The following is taken from Links To The Past website, and the info for that website was pulled from "History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 2 by J.B. Mansfield Published Chicago: J.H. Beers & Co. 1899":

GEORGE B. MILNE

Forty years or more have been spent by George Bannerman Milne, chief engineer of the J.H. Devereux, in the commercial marine of the Great Lakes. He was born in Glenburnie, New York, his mother being in that city on a visit, in 1838. His father was Alexander Milne, a Scotch engineer who came to America a short time after the year 1830 to become chief engineer of the Royal Mail line, and who resided at that time, in Canada. George B. Milne spent his early days in school, afterward becoming time-keeper in the Dry Dock Engine Works of Montreal, which were owned by the firm Milne & Milne, his uncle, John A. Milne, being one of the proprietors. He spent eight years at various times in this establishment, becoming a skillful machinist and engineer. He commenced sailing in 1856, that year placing the engines in the new steamer Tinto, and running them for three months afterward. After the Tinto burned, which occurred while she was on her way up Lake Ontario, seventeen lives being lost at the time, he returned to Oswego where he made his headquarters for some time, and became engineer of the steamer Cincinnati, whose name was afterward changed to the City of Hamilton. He spent five years in this vessel, after which he was engineer successively of the steamers Avon, which later had the Tinto's engines, and the Jacques Cartier. After being with the Cartier for two seasons, he accepted a contract with the firm of Gilbert & Bartley, engine builders, to the lake St. John to place a pair of engines in the steamer Metabetchouen. He remained with this boat two seasons. Her name was later changed to The Pioneer. In 1861 he assumed charge of the engine room of the steamer Nicolet, being made master after he had been in her two months. He spent two years in Vermont and the East as contractor, building docks, piers, etc., and one steamer, after which he went to Quebec and commanded successively the steamers Conqueror No. 1, James G. Ross, Progress and M. Stevenson. For a time he was engineer of the St. Lawrence Steam Navigation Company, which operated thirty-eight vessels. He changed from one vessel to another very often, as his duties required, and thus saw service on nearly all the fleet. Then he went to Oswego again and took the steamer Flora, leaving her at the close of the season, and sailing as chief in the steamer Samuel Marshall for the two seasons following. In 1892 and 1893 he had charge of the engine room of the Viking, and in 1894 he was chief in the Elfin-Mere and the Arundel successively. During a part of the season of 1895 he was in the employ of the Detroit Ferry Company, in the steamer Fortune, being in the steamer Chisholm the remainder of the year. He was chief engineer of the Devereux during the season of 1896 and 1897. In 1868 Mr. Milne was married to Miss Margaret D. McBean, of Athol Mills, Prescott county, Ontario. Their children are McBean, a Baptist clergyman in Detroit; George M., a marine engineer; Mortimer, Annie, Charles, Russell, Christina, Lorne, William and Inez. A daughter, Addie, is deceased.

  TINTO
  Other names   :  none
  Official no.     :  Canadian
  Type at loss    :  propeller, wood
  Build info       :  1856, Sorel, PQ
  Specs               :  approx 135x25, 400 t..
  Date of loss    :  1856, Jul 17
  Place of loss   :  between Snake Island and Nine Mile Point
  Lake                :  Ontario
  Type of loss    :  fire
  Loss of life      :  18 [including  most of the passengers]
  Carrying         :  ? (probably misc. freight)
  Detail              :  
  Bound Montreal for lake Erie,  she caught fire and burned to a total loss 
  only two miles from the beach. All of the women and children on the boat 
  and most of the crew lowered her lifeboat while the vessel was still 
  running ahead, and all were drowned when the boat immediately capsized. 
  The survivors went into the water and were picked up by a boat from shore 
  and the schooner MARY ADELAIDE. The hulk drifted to Cedar Island, where 
  it burned out. She was a $35,000 loss. A newspaper stated that she had 
  no good lifeboat aboard, and it later turned out that her skipper had 
  sold 2 of her 3 lifeboats just prior to thew fateful trip. Her machinery 
  was later recovered and installed in the prop AVON(qv). Out of Sorel, 
  Que. Master: Capt. Patrick Campbell(d).
  Sources            :  csv(s2),nsp,mmgl,hgl,rp,rnc,ctw,tol,air
http://greatlakeshistory.homestead.com/files/sources.htm