Built at Elizabeth, PA

Steamboat Building in Elizabeth, PA

A Journal of daily activities at the Elizabeth Marine Ways 1898 to 1925 

Built at Elizabeth, PA

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This page is an attempt to list boats built at either Elizabeth or West Elizabeth in chronological order, additions and corrections will be made as discovered including the size of many of the boats will be added.

 

 An early reference to boat building at Elizabeth is found in R. T. Wiley's book " Monongahela: the River And Its Region" page 97 where Mr. Wiley has the following advertisement from Colonel Stephen Bayard posted in the "Pennsylvania Journal" of Philadelphia in 1788 which reads:

"BOATS FOR SALE:  At Elizabeth-Town, on the Monongahela, May now be had.--Kentucky Boats of different dimensions; where also for the future Boats of every construction and size may be had, at as low price as any on these waters. to prevent detention of travelers, so frequently on the river for want of boats, the proprietor has erected a boat-yard on the premises, where timber is plenty, and four of the best Boat Builders from Philadelphia are constantly employed.

Stephen Bayard, Proprietor,   On the Premises."

The book "Steamboats of The Western Rivers" has several interesting comments written including:

" Seagoing sailing ships (building) was carried on at Elizabeth as early as 1788"    Page 67

" Between 1826 and 1836 78 Steamboats with an aggrate tonnage of 13,553 were built at Elizabeth"  page 107

" Samuel Walker Boatyard sent 312 hulls down the River from 1800 to 1857"   Page 109 quoting the Elizabeth Herald June 7, 1900

 

Location:   E  means built at Elizabeth and WE indicates West Elizabeth
Size for many boats is listed and based upon weight in tons

Reference    P is number assigned to this boat by "Ways Packet Boat Directory"     T is number assigned to the boat by "Ways Towboat Directory"
                        L PG indicates information came from  "Lytle List" by William Lytle and PG indicates the page number the boat can be found
                        ACHY indicates information came from  "Allegheny County Hundred Years"  by George Henry Thurston and PG indicates the page number

Additions and Corrections are welcomed, please contact me  jwmohney"at"comcast"dot"net or use the Guestbook on the Home Page

           

Location Boat Name   Type of Boat   Year Built Size-Tons or Dimensions Reference   Misc Info
E PRESIDENT ADAMS   Armed Galley   1798   TribReview 1 May 19, 2002 This Date In History Boat launched from Elizabeth to fight Spanish on Mississippi
E MONONGAHELA FARMER   Schooner   1800 92 ACHY PG 1042   Owned by group of local farmers who sent goods to New York / Philadelphia via New Orleans
E ANN JANE   Brig   1803 450 ACHY PG 104   Fast boat of her day, ran between New York and New Orleans
E BIG BOAT ie A Keelboat   Keelboat   1803 55 feet     Used on Lewis & Clark Expedition - Actual location where built is disputed by Pittsburgh
E WESTERN NAVIGATOR   Packet   1815   RT Wiley   Book "Monongahela The River and It's Region"  Page 126
E DECATUR   Packet   1825 113 L PG 52    
E MARYLAND   Packet   1827 133 L PG 140   Elizabethtown
E STAR   Packet   1827 99 L PG 202   Elizabethtown   Renamed STRANGER 11/2/1830
E NORTH AMERICA   Packet   1828 282 L PG 159   Elizabethtown
E COLUMBUS   Packet   1829 59 L PG 42   Also known as LARK and UNCAS
E JAMES O'HARA   Packet   1829 161 L PG 109   Elizabethtown
E UNCLE SAM   Packet   1829 468 L PG 217    
E CORSAIR   Packet   1830 119 L PG 46   Elizabethtown
E O'CONNELL   Packet   1833 36 L PG 161   Elizabethtown
E TALLAHASSEE   Packet   1839 133 L PG 208    
E ALLEGHENY BELLE   Packet   1842   P0173   Oil City Run    Capt. Hanna
E CHARLESTON   Packet   1843 133 L PG 33    
E LODI   Packet   1843   P3545   Elizabethtown
E HANNIBAL   Packet   1844   P2525    
E J. M. WHITE   Packet   1844   P2866   Built for speed and set many records
E CIRCASSIAN   Packet   1845   P1038   Elizabethtown
E EMILY   Packet   1845   P1805   Elizabethtown
WE JOHN J. HARDIN   Packet   1845 206 L PG 114    
E NEBRASKA   Packet   1845 148 L PG 153   Elizabethtown
WE PEARL   Packet   1845   P4422   Smallest Packet on the Upper Mississippi
E PEYTONA   Packet   1845   P4469   Elizabethtown
E RANGER   Packet   1845 27 L PG 181    
E ROBERT MORRIS   Packet   1845   P4794    
E WIOTA   Packet   1845 219 P5860    
E ARENA   Packet   1846 53 P0321    
E CALIFORNIA   Packet   1846   P0801   Elizabethtown
WE DECLARATION   Packet   1846 229 P1479    
E DEL NORTE   Packet   1846   P1489   Hull only    Ran on the Rio Grande
E DICK FULTON   Towboat   1846 66 T0604   Oil City Run
  DISPATCH   Packet   1846   P1562   Built in Freedom, PA but ran out of Elizabeth
E JULIA   Packet   1846   P3171   Sank on Missouri River
E LADY BYRON   Packet   1846   P3331    
E MAJOR BROWN   Packet   1846 125 L PG 135    
E MARY ANN   Packet   1846   P3787   Ran Allegheny River to Franklin, Pa, had 32 Staterooms
E ONEOTA   Packet   1846 37 L PG 163    
E PIONEER   Packet   1846   P4513   Elizabethtown
E RESORT   Packet   1846 75 L PG 184    
E ROCKAWAY   Packet   1846   P4811    
E ROUGH AND READY   Packet   1846   P4848   Elizabethtown
E SARANAK   Packet   1846   P5041   Elizabethtown
E SOUTH AMERICA   Packet   1846   P5145   Elizabethtown
E ST. HELENA   Packet   1846   P4933    
E SUNBEAM   Packet   1846   P5224   Elizabethtown
E SWAN   Packet   1846   P5252    
E TOM CORWIN   Packet   1846 194 P5414    
E TOUNALEUKA   Packet   1846 169 P5428    
E WAKENDAH   Packet   1846 193 P5679   Sank at Fishing River on the Missouri 1846
E WHIRLWIND   Packet   1846 226 P5762    
E ALLEN GLOVER   Packet   1847 241 P0181   Elizabethtown
E ARROWLINE   Packet   1847 90 P0362    
E BOREAS No. 3   Packet   1847 264 P0683    
E BUENA VISTA   Packet   1847 266 P0731    
E CAMDEN   Packet   1847   P0811   Elizabethtown
E CAROLINE   Packet   1847   P0853    
E CHIEFTAIN   Towboat   1847 55 T0414   Owned by Capt. John Campbell
E CINDERELLA   Packet   1847   P1037   Elizabethtown
E DeWITT CLINTON   Packet   1847   P1528   Elizabethtown
E DOVER   Packet   1847   P1605   Elizabethtown
E DUBUQUE   Packet   1847   P1614   Elizabethtown
E EUREKA   Packet   1847   P1910    
E GENERAL JESSUP   Packet   1847   P2252    
E HIGHLANDER   Packet   1847   P2642    
E ISSAC NEWTON   Packet   1847   P2785    
E JEWESS   Packet   1847   P3016   Elizabethtown   first to adopt fancy exterior railing ornamentation
E LOYALHANNA   Packet   1847   P3612    
E MT. VERNON   Packet   1847   P4050   Elizabethtown
E NORTHERN LIGHT   Packet   1847   P4238   Elizabethtown
E PELICAN   Packet   1847   P4435   Elizabethtown
E ROWENA   Packet   1847   P4852   Elizabethtown
E AARON HART   Packet   1848 261 P0038    
E ALICE   Packet   1848 232 P0148    
E ANDREW FULTON   Packet   1848 180x35x8 P0257   359 Tons
WE BRAZOS   Packet   1848 101 P0704    
E CHIEF JUSTICE MARSHALL   Packet   1848   P1013    
WE DOLPHIN   Packet   1848   P1588    
E GREENWOOD   Packet   1848   P2449   Ran Kanawha River
WE HAIL COLUMBIA   Packet   1848   P2514   Rebuild of RHODE ISLAND
E IVANHOE   Packet   1848   P2804    
E JAMES NELSON   Packet   1848   P2942    
E KIT CARSON   Packet   1848   P3294    
E LAMARTINE   Packet   1848   P3356    
E NEWTON WAGGONER   Packet   1848   P4199    
E PEYTONA   Packet   1848   P4471    
E ROBERT WIGHTMAN   Packet   1848   P4800    
E SAVANNA   Packet   1848   P5045   Elizabethtown
E STAR   Towboat   1848 54 T2332    
E VENZUELA   Packet   1848 328 P5542    
WE VERMONT   Packet   1848 161 P5550   Described as a handsomely furnished boat, runs well, and only 22 inches draft
E VIRGINIA   Packet   1848 60 P5589    
E VISITOR   Packet   1848 141 P5602   Elizabethtown
E W. A. VIOLETT   Packet   1848 162 P5620    
WE WASHINGTON   Packet   1848 102 P5708   Went to Galveston, TX
E WAVE   Towboat   1848 89 T2620    
E WAVE No. 2   Packet   1848 101 P5727   Allegheny River boat with only one deck
WE WAVE No. 2   Towboat   1848 101 T2621   Same boat as above - listed in both books
E WESTERN WORLD   Packet   1848 338 P5755    
E AMAZONIA   Packet   1849 257 P0225    
E ANNA   Packet   1849 156 P0274    
WE EMPIRE STATE   Packet   1849   P1854    
E FASHION No. 2   Packet   1849   P2022    
WE GLAUCUS   Packet   1849   P2339    
E HAMBURG   Packet   1849   P2517    
E HOPE   Packet   1849   P2662   Ran the bayous of Lousiana
E J. L. McLEAN   Packet   1849   P2855    
E JAMES JACKSON   Packet   1849 144 L PG 108    
E JAMES MILLINGA(E)R   Packet   1849   P2938   Owned at one time by brother of Stephen Foster, Capt. Dunning Foster
E LYDIA COLLINS   Packet   1849   P3653    
E MARY   Packet   1849   P3782    
E MARY McKINNEY   Packet   1849   P3829    
E MINNESOTA   Packet   1849   P3950    
WE OSCEOLA   Packet   1849   P4338    
E REVEILLE   Packet   1849   P4740   Originally ran the Allegheny River
E SAN FRANCISCO   Packet   1849   P5024    
E TENNESSEE   Packet   1849 57 P5336    
E THOMAS SCOTT   Packet   1849 50 P5374   Part owner was James Irwin of Elizabeth, PA
E WEST NEWTON   Packet   1849 163 P5742    
E WILLIAM PHILLIPS   Packet   1849 62 P5830    
E CHATTANOOGA   Packet   1850   P0983    
E CHIEF ENGINEER   Packet   1850 67 L PG 35    
WE CLEONA   Packet   1850   P1176   Operated on Red River
E COLONEL FREMONT   Packet   1850   P1222    
WE EXPRESS   Packet   1850   P1943    
E HUNGARIAN   Packet   1850   P2683    
E IRENE   Packet   1850   P2768    
WE KATE FLEMING   Packet   1850   P3224    
WE MAGNOLIA   Packet   1850   P3695    
E PACIFIC   Packet   1850   P4372    
E RETRIEVE   Packet   1850   P4736    
E ROCKWAY No. 2   Packet   1850   P4812    
E UNION   Packet   1850 65 P5511    
WE WASHINGTON   Packet   1850 154 P5709    
WE ALEONIA   Packet   1851 286 P0117    
E C. HAYS   Packet   1851   P0761    
WE CASPIAN   Packet   1851   P0897    
E CLARA   Packet   1851   P1150    
E CLINTON   Packet   1851   P1190    
WE COLBERT   Packet   1851   P1206   Operated on Tennessee River
E ELK   Packet   1851   P1768    
E GEORGIA   Packet   1851   P2318   Ran Alabama River
E JEFFERSON   Packet   1851   P2975    
E MAT JOHNSON   Packet   1851 44 L PG 140    
E MOLLY GRATH   Packet   1851   P4003    
WE RUBY   Packet   1851   P4867    
WE STEPHEN BAYARD   Packet   1851   P5194   March 1864 to March 1865 carried 15,921 passengers from Monongahela, PA
E SUSQUEHANNA   Packet   1851   P5245    
E VENTURE   Packet   1851 125 P5546   Connected with canal boats up Beaver River
E ALABAMA   Packet   1852 213 P0092    
E CITY OF HUNTSVILLE   Packet   1852   P1083    
WE ENVOY   Packet   1852   P1879    
E FANNIE (FANNY)  MALONE   Packet   1852   P1989   Ran Upper Tennessee River
E FULTON   Packet   1852   P2169    
WE GRANITE STATE   Packet   1852   P2432    
E J. JENKINS   Packet   1852   P2900   Ran Apalachicola River, Florida
E NORTH AMERICA   Packet   1852   P4228    
WE ROYAL ARCH   Packet   1852   P4862    
WE ST. CLAIR   Packet   1852   P4918   Seventeen Day round trip from Pitt / St. Louis, a record for the time March 1853
E U. S. MAIL   Packet   1852 196 P5487    
E AUGUSTA   Packet   1853 27 P0388   Operated on Red River
WE GUADELOUPE   Packet   1853   P2469    
E JEAN WEBRE   Packet   1853   P2965   Went to the Bayou
E MARY L. DOUGHERTY   Packet   1853   P3823   Sank on White River in 1854
E MICHIGAN   Packet   1853   P3920    
E OSWICHEE   Packet   1853   P4347   Lost on the Chattahoochee River
WE VIRGINIA   Packet   1853 642 P5590    
E CRESCENT CITY   Towboat   1854 ? T0521   First tow of coal from Pittsburgh to New Orleans
E DAVID LYNCH   Packet   1854   P1466   On both Towboat and Packet lists ??
E DAVID LYNCH   Towboat   1854 94 T0582    
E DELEGATE   Packet   1854   P1493    
E ELLA   Packet   1854   P1772    
E GENERAL LARIMER   Towboat   1854 162 T0901    
E GRAY CLOUD   Packet   1854   P2437   Fought in Civil War as COLONEL KINSMAN For South and then for North as KINSMAN
E JEANETTE   Packet   1854   P2966   Went to Mobile, Ala
E KINSMAN   Packet   1854   P3293   Orginally GRAY CLOUD in Confederate Navy
E OCEAN WAVE   Packet   1854   P4261   Short boat, hard to steer, slow
E WINIFREDE   Towboat   1854 125 T2693   First towboat on the Kanawha River
E AUNT LETTY   Packet   1855 187X36X5 P0392   Double sternwheel
E J. B. CARSON   Packet   1855   P2812   Work started at Shousetown and completed at Elizabeth
E J. W. HAILMAN   Packet   1855   P2895    
E KENTUCKY HOME   Packet   1855   P3271    
E LAURA   Packet   1855   P3370    
E NORTH STAR   Packet   1855   P4232   Ran White River, Ark.
E WILLIAM BAIRD   Packet   1855 286 P5799    
E CORA   Packet   1856   P1308   In Confederate Navy during Civil War
E HARMONICA   Packet   1856   P2533   Lytle's List has this boat as the HARMONIA
E HIAWATHA   Packet   1856   P2625    
E HIBERNIA   Packet   1856   P2630   Two fires, sunk both times
E MORNING STAR   Packet   1856   P4037    
E TOM BRIERLY   Ferry   1856 163 P5412   Operated on Missouri River
E COMET   Packet   1857   P1258   Captains James Boyd and Charles F. Boyd
E DICK FULTON   Packet   1857 66 L PG 55    
E EMMA   Packet   1857   P1811    
E FLORENCE   Packet   1857   P2068    
E J. L. HYATT   Towboat   1857 78 T1262    
E JUDGE McCLURE   Packet   1857   P3166   Ran the Youghiogheny
E KEY WEST   Packet   1857   P3281   One of first boats to arrive at Fort Benson, Montana
E LITTLE DORRIT   Ferry   1857   P3494    
E OCEAN SPRAY   Packet   1857   P4259   S&D Reflector March 1979 for story on this boat
E POLAND   Packet   1857   P4542   In U.S. service during Civil War
E J. S. COSGRAVE   Packet   1858 58 L PG 106    
E LEXINGTON   Packet   1858   P3444   Confederate boat VICTORIA
E NORTHERNER   Packet   1858   P4243   Ekin Yard
E ROBERT WATSON   Packet   1858   P4799   Was part of Confederate Navy
E ROWENA   Packet   1858   P4853    
E VICTORIA   Packet   1858 405 P5568   Captured Confederate Steamer-- U.S.S. ABRAHAM then after Civil War became LEXINGTON
E CHARMER   Packet   1859   P0973    
E PICAYUNE No. 3   Packet   1859   P4489   Became part of Confederate Navy
E PINE BLUFF   Packet   1859   P4506   Ran Arkansas River
E POST BOY   Packet   1859   P4557   In U.S. service during Civil War
E SOUTH BEND   Packet   1859   P5147    
E WEST WIND   Packet   1859 350 P5749   US Service during Civil War
E ALFRED ROBB   Towboat   1860 115x18x4 T0089   During Civil War used the original name then U.S.S. LADY FOOTE Then became ROBB T2168
E CHARLES MILLER   Packet   1860 93 P0959    
E CITIZEN   Packet   1860   P1041   Elizabethtown
E MOHAWK   Packet   1860 100 L PG 147   Sunk as Confederate steamer, Island No. 10 4/7/1862
E SALLIE LIST   Packet   1860   P4983    
E SUNSHINE   Packet   1860   P5234   Burned by "dreaded Rebel Steamboat Burners" 
E TIME   Packet   1860 263 P5396    
E UCHEE   Packet   1860 174 P5489   Confederate Registry 1861
E BILLY HODGSON   Packet   1861 74 L PG 22    
E CURLEW   Packet   1861   P1393   Orginally FLORENCE and became Tinclad CURLEW # 12 during Cwar
E FLORENCE   Packet   1861   P2069   Became Tinclad CURLEW # 12 during Civil War
E G. W. GRAHAM   Packet   1861   P2187    
E R. C. M. LOVELL   Packet   1861 45 L PG 180    
E ARGONAUT No. 2   Packet   1862 157x35x6 P0327   Sank 1866    
E ARGONAUT No. 2   Towboat   1862 240 T0157   Off records 1879   On both Towboat and Packet lists ??
E ECLIPSE   Packet   1862   P1691   In Civil War Service
E JAMES REES   Packet   1862   P2947   Built for Pittsburgh & Elizabeth Packet Line
E CHARMER   Packet   1863   P0974    
E CITY OF PEKIN   Packet   1863   P1118    
E IDA REES   Packet   1863   P2717   Ran Sabine River
E JENNIE ROGERS   Packet   1863   P2996   Civil War boat
E LADY   Packet   1863   P3329    
E LEOPARD   Towboat   1863 320 T1572    
E PARAGON   Packet   1863   P4387    
E HAWK   Towboat   1864 141 T1068    
 E KATIE   Packet   1864   P3243    
E LAURA No. 2   Towboat   1864   T1556    
E M. S. MEPHAM   Packet   1864   P3665   Built at Latta Yard    "no expense spared" on interior d�cor
E ARKANSAS   Packet   1868 185x36x5 P0348   Completed at Pittsburgh
E ARLINGTON   Packet   1869 228x36x6 P0357    
E CITY OF EVANSVILLE   Packet   1870   P1069   Latta yard 
? GYPSY   Towboat   1870   T0996   Owned by Walton Coal, West Elizabeth
E HENRY C. YAEGER   Packet   1870   P2588   Too long for Mon River Locks 1 and 2
E MOLLIE MOORE   Packet   1870   P4001   Construction finished at Pittsburgh
E JOHN F. TOLLE   Packet   1871   P3061    
E KATIE P. KOUNTZ   Packet   1871   P3249   Built at Latta yard    a large slow boat
E SAM ROBERTS   Ferry   1873   P5011   JW Lynch launched on this boat as a boy
E FRED WILSON   Towboat   1883   T0848    
E JOSEPHINE   Ferry   1889   P3151   First boat built at Wiegel yard
E W. A. HILTON   Packet   1890   P5617   Became KATHRYN
E OCEAN WAVE   Packet   1891   P4262   Wiegel Yard 
E CASCADE   Sand Dredge   1892 117x23x3 T0358   Wiegel Yard
E BRADDOCK BELLE   Ferry   1894 82x17x4 P0701    
E JAMES MOREN   Towboat   1896   T1334   Wiegel Yard in 40 work days at same location as EMW
E J. K. DAVISON   Sand Dredge   1898   T1259   Second boat built at EMW 
E RUSSELL LORD   Towboat   1898   T2204   "Battered to Death" in the Gulf of Mexico by a storm
E W. R. GRAHAM   Dredge   1898   T2588   First boat built by Elizabeth Marine Ways
E TITAN   Towboat   1899   T2442   Became the J. F DOUGLAS (1929) W.  L. McKINNEY (1930) and then CHICKIE (1935) 
E TRANSPORTER   Towboat   1899   T2464   Name changed to J. B. FINLEY after only one trip
E BRADDOCK   Towboat   1900 135x24x4 T0290   First "pool towboat" built at new Elizabeth Marine Ways
E JUNIATA   Towboat   1900   T1480    
E TIDE   Towboat   1900   T2429    
E CADET   Towboat   1902 117x23x4 T0332    
E CARBON   Towboat   1902 117x23x4 T0349    
E ROVER   Towboat   1902   T2199    
E COLUMBIA   Packet   1903   P1250   Largest Monongahela River Packet Boat ever built  75 Staterooms
E ENTERPRISE   Towboat   1903   T0755   Sank at Tampico, Mexico 1921
E RANGER   Towboat   1903   T2111   First of three boats of this name
E CRUSADER   Towboat   1904   T0532    
E DUQUESNE   Towboat   1907   T0643   Rebuild of H. M. HOXIE
E NEW ORLEANS   Replica   1911   P4182   Built to celebrate Centennial of first steamboat to New Orleans   at EMW
E ACTIVE   Towboat   1916 141x26 T0035   Became HECLA  1918   T1074   Then RELIANCE 1924  T2135
E BRADDOCK   Towboat   1916 131x26x4 T0291   Used machinery from prior boat of same name
E BEACON   Towboat   1917 136x26x5 T0209    
E CONQUEROR   Towboat   1917   T0493   EMW   Later became G. W. McBRIDE
E TRANSPORTER   Towboat   1921   T2465   Rebuilt from VALIANT  JW Lynch played a major role in the construction of this boat
E CRUISER   Towboat   1923   T0530   Last wood towboat built at Elizabeth Marine Ways
E CHAMPION COAL   Towboat   1935 146x34x6 70373   Construction started at Neville Island and completed at EMW
E PITTSBURGH COAL   Towboat   1937   T2058   Construction started at Neville Island and completed at EMW

                      

1     "Allegheny County's Hundred's Years" Page 103 credits Pittsburgh as the location where this boat was built. I do not know the source used by the Tribune-Review.
2     "Allegheny County's Hundred's Years" states on page 99 "Elizabeth is the point where was built, at the close of the eighteenth century, the first sea going vessel to navigate the western waters."

 

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