Frank W. Wheeler & Co.
West Bay City MI
Most recent update: April 29, 2016.
The Wheeler shipyard was started by Captain Frank W. Wheeler in 1876, as Wheeler & Crane, but became F. W. Wheeler Company in 1880 and Frank W. Wheeler & Co. In 1889. It was located on the Saginaw River, close to Third Street. See the site from the air on Google here. In 1899, Captain Wheeler sold it to The American Ship Building Company, who renamed it West Bay City Shipbuilding, initially, and then AmShip West Bay City, but closed it in 1908.
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O/N | Name | Customer | Type | GT | LOA | Built | Notes | |
Built by Frank W. Wheeler & Co. (and predecessors) | ||||||||
1 | 90978 | Mary Martini | freighter | 91 | 1877 | built in Winona MI | ||
2 | 140257 | Luther Westover | B. Boutel | tugboat | 125 | 1877 | ||
3 | 125649 | Christina A Forbes | tugboat | 51 | 1878 | |||
4 | 42646 | Hanna B | barge | 98 | 1879 | |||
5 | 91130 | Marian Teller | tugboat | 33 | 1879 | |||
6 | 125812 | Charles W. Liken | tugboat | 36 | 1879 | |||
7 | 140416 | Lycoming | Erie & Western Transportation | freighter | 1,609 | 1880 | burned 1910 | |
8 | 125858 | Conemaugh | Erie & Western Transportation | freighter | 1,609 | 1880 | wrecked 1906 | |
9 | 85638 | Geo. W. Cuyler | tugboat | 46 | 1880 | |||
10 | 91383 | Maud S | tugboat | 45 | 1881 | |||
11 | 115769 | Saginaw Valley | M. J. Galvin | freighter | 720 | 1881 | later Meriden 1898, Kongo 1904, Overland 1917, breakwater 1925 | |
12 | 120452 | Fred McBrier | James McBrier | freighter | 442 | 1881 | collision and sank 1890 | |
13 | 85709 | Galatea | Jennison & Miller | freighter | 606 | 1882 | wrecked 1905 | |
14 | 95683 | Handy Boy | ferry | 25 | 1882 | |||
15 | 155063 | Osceola | T. R. Weight | freighter | 980 | 1882 | later Golspie 1905, wrecked 1906 | |
16 | 14413 | Kittie M. Forbes | C. McLachlan | freighter | 958 | 1883 | burned 1902 | |
17 | 115920 | Sarah M. Smith | tugboat | 45 | 1883 | |||
18 | 120577 | Frank W. Wheeler | Frank W. Wheeler | freighter | 797 | 1884 | ||
19 | 106266 | Alta | J. B. Zerbe | freighter | 235 | 1884 | wrecked 1905 | |
20 | 145372 | Tempest | tugboat | 14 | 1884 | |||
21 | 81048 | Waldo A. Avery | Hawgood & Avery | freighter | 1,294 | 1884 | later Phenix 1895, Liberty 1918, scrapped 1924 | |
22 | 145402 | T. S. Christie | A. Peterson | freighter | 769 | 1885 | wrecked 1933 | |
23 | 106368 | A. Folsom | Mitchell Transportation | freighter | 672 | 1885 | later Trude R. Wiehe 1903, burned 1910 | |
24 | 3333 | B. W. Arnold | Mills Transportation | freighter | 944 | 1885 | burned 1896 | |
25 | 95877 | H. A. Hawgood | Hawgood & Avery | freighter | 1,276 | 1886 | ||
26 | 155124 | Ossifrage | Smith, Fee & Co. | passenger | 432 | 1886 | wrecked 1919 | |
27 | 81120 | William H. Stevens | Wards Line | freighter | 1,332 | 1886 | burned 1902 | |
28 | 81126 | W. R. Stafford | Hopkins Transportation | freighter | 744 | 1886 | scrapped 1931 | |
29 | 91872 | Mabel Wilson | C. D. Waterman | freighter | 1,224 | 1886 | foundered 1906 | |
30 | 81145 | Wm. H. Gratwick | W. H. Gratwick | freighter | 1,688 | 1887 | later Fleetwood 1900, scrapped 1926 | |
31 | 120676 | Frank W. Wheeler | D. C. Whitney Jr | freighter | 1,688 | 1887 | wrecked 1893 | |
32 | 116174 | Sitka | Thos. Wilson | freighter | 1,790 | 1887 | wrecked 1904 | |
33 | 85977 | Gogebic | Mills Transportation | freighter | 1,620 | 1887 | later Green River 1921, scuttled 1932 | |
34 | 91983 | Mecosta | D. Whitney Jr. | freighter | 1,776 | 1888 | scuttled 1922 | |
35 | 135940 | Elfin-Mere | J. Gordon | freighter | 1,054 | 1888 | later Charles B. Packard 1902, sank 1906 | |
36 | 145481 | Tom Adams | Adams & Farwell | freighter | 1,810 | 1888 | later Langham 1902, burned 1910 | |
37 | 85990 | Geo. W. Morley | Hawgood & Avery | freighter | 1,054 | 1888 | burned 1897 | |
38 | 91986 | Moravia | Hawgood & Avery | freighter | 1,067 | 1888 | later Brookdale, scrapped 1923 | |
39 | 110766 | Robert L. Freyer | W. H. Gratwick | passenger | 1,810 | 1888 | scuttled 1930 | |
40 | 116217 | Soo City | Delta Transportation | passenger | 670 | 1888 | foundered 1908 | |
41 | 116221 | Servia | Hawgood & Avery | freighter | 1,425 | 1888 | burned 1898 | |
42 | 120710 | Frank D. Ewen | Hawgood & Avery | freighter | 882 | 1888 | abandoned 1928 | |
43 | 136001 | Eber Ward | Ward SS Line | freighter | 1,843 | 1888 | foundered 1909 | |
44 | 76748 | John V. Moran | Ward SS Line | freighter | 1,350 | 1888 | sank 1899 | |
45 | 86031 | George W. Roby | Roby Transportation | freighter | 1,843 | 1889 | burned 1906 | |
46 | 76786 | John M. Nicol | Crescent Transportation | freighter | 2,126 | 1889 | wrecked 1906 | |
47 | 76792 | John Mitchell | Gratwick, Smith & Fryer | freighter | 1,865 | 1889 | later Major 1902, converted to dry-dock 1920, burned 1941 | |
48 | 120746 | Fedora | Jas. McBrier | freighter | 1,848 | 1889 | burned 1901 | |
49 | 130432 | News Boy | King & Voight | passenger | 199 | 1889 | scrapped 1919 | |
50 | 92078 | Monarch | tugboat | 95 | 1889 | |||
51 | 110815 | Romeo | freighter | 61 | 1889 | |||
52 | 76795 | Juliet | freighter | 61 | 1889 | |||
53 | 76798 | John Plankington | R. P. Fitzgerald | freighter | 1,821 | 1889 | sank 1917 | |
54 | 150391 | Plow Boy | T. A. Bishop | passenger | 114 | 1889 | ||
55 | 150428 | Post Boy | R. Armstrong | passenger | 123 | 1889 | ||
56 | 140922 | Lulu Eddy | tugboat | 19 | 1889 | |||
57 | 120748 | Fred B. | tugboat | 16 | 1889 | |||
58 | 86060 | George F. Williams | Hawgood & Avery | freighter | 1,888 | 1889 | scrapped 1913 | |
59 | 96006 | H. Houghton | H. Houghton | freighter | 332 | 1889 | burned 1926 | |
60 | 126550 | Clarence J. Fillmore | Mitchell & Co. | freighter | 410 | 1889 | abandoned 1929 | |
61 | 76815 | John A. Francomb | Wayne Transportation | freighter | 658 | 1889 | ||
62 | Dredge No. 2 | Bay City Dredging | dredge | 1889 | ||||
63 | 130462 | Nyanza | Jas. McBrier | freighter | 1,888 | 1890 | later Landbo 1917, sank 1920 | |
64 | 106706 | A. C. Tuxbury | W. H. Sawyer | freighter | 680 | 1890 | abandoned 1927 | |
65 | 126609 | C. E. Redfern | W. H. Sawyer | freighter | 680 | 1890 | sank 1937 | |
66 | 81253 | W. H. Sawyer | W. H. Sawyer | freighter | 747 | 1890 | sank 1928 | |
67 | 136106 | Edward Smith | Wm. H. Gratwick | freighter | 748 | 1890 | later Zillah 1899, foundered 1926 | |
68 | 126627 | City of Chicago | Graham & Morton | passenger | 1,164 | 1890 | later City of St. Joseph 1916, sank 1942 | |
69 | 136129 | Emily P. Weed | Hollister & Woodruff | freighter | 2,362 | Aug 1890 | later Savona 1897, wrecked 1905 | |
70 | 92226 | Mackinaw | Saginaw Steel | freighter | 2,578 | Oct 1890 | later Sawa Maru 1916, torpedoed and lost 1917 | |
71 | 130647 | Newell A. Eddy | freighter | 1,271 | 1890 | lost 1893 | ||
72 | 155181 | Olive Jeanette | W. A. Hawgood | freighter | 1,272 | 1890 | sank 1905 | |
73 | 161010 | Keweenaw | Saginaw Steel | freighter | 2,511 | May 1891 | missing 1894 | |
74 | 145555 | Tampa | D. C. Whitney Jr. | freighter | 1,972 | 1891 | collision and sank 1923 | |
75 | 126653 | Charles H. Bradley | Bradley Lumber | freighter | 894 | 1890 | burned 1931 | |
76 | 98904 | Michigan | Canadian Pacific RR | ferry | 1730 | 1891 | wrecked 1943 | |
77 | 120812 | F. & P. M. No. 5 | Flint & Pere Marquette RR | passenger | 1,722 | 1891 | later Pere Marquette 5 1902, foundered 1917 | |
78 | 81317 | William F. Sauber | Mitchell & Co. | freighter | 2,053 | 1891 | sank 1903 | |
79 | 116393 | Sailor Boy | R. Armstrong | passenger | 162 | 1891 | ||
80 | 100484 | Iosco | Mitchell & Co. | freighter | 2,051 | May 1891 | foundered 1905 | |
81 | Bay City Dredging | 76' Scow | 1891 | |||||
82 | Bay City Dredging | 76' Scow | 1891 | |||||
83 | 27647 | Yulu | Geo. D. Emery | tugboat | 340 | July 1891 | later Nicaragua 1917, Rotarian 1919, deleted 1931 | |
84 | lightship No. 51 | U.S. Lightship Service | lightship | 375 | 1892 | rammed and sunk 1924 | ||
85 | lightship No. 52 | U.S. Lightship Service | lightship | 375 | 1892 | sold 1932 | ||
86 | lightship No. 53 | U.S. Lightship Service | lightship | 375 | 1892 | sold 1953 | ||
87 | lightship No. 54 | U.S. Lightship Service | lightship | 375 | 1892 | sold 1947 | ||
88 | 25289 | Uganda | Jas. McBrier | freighter | 2,054 | July 1892 | foundered 1913 | |
89 | 81382 | W. H. Gilbert | Empire Transportation | freighter | 2,856 | 1892 | sank in collision 1914 | |
90 | 77028 | John C. Fitzpatrick | John C. Fitzpatrick | freighter | 1,270 | 1892 | ||
91 | 126887 | C. F. Biehlman | Stewart Transport | freighter | 2,056 | Aug 1892 | scuttled 1926 | |
92 | 81403 | W. G. Wilmot | W. G. Wilmot | tugboat | 150 | 1892 | ||
93 | 81427 | William H. Gratwick | Mitchell S.S. Co | freighter | 2,878 | Apr 1893 | later Minnekahta 1911, Glenyon 1914, wrecked 1924 | |
94 | 116558 | S. S. Curry | Hawgood & Avery | freighter | 3,260 | June 1893 | later Elmore 1920, P. W. Sherman 1922, , E. G. Mathiott 1927, scrapped 1936 | |
95 | 92514 | Merida | D. Whitney Jr. | freighter | 3,261 | June 1893 | foundered 1916 | |
96 | 92503 | Mary E. McLachlan | C. McLachlan | freighter | 1,394 | 1893 | sank 1921 | |
97 | 141272 | L. R. Doty | W. A. Hawgood | freighter | 2056 | June 1893 | foundered 1898 | |
98 | 86261 | George Stone | M. A. Bradley | freighter | 1,841 | July 1893 | wrecked 1909 | |
99 | 136363 | Ed McWilliams | Hope Transportation | freighter | 744 | 1893 | later Dan Proctor, scuttled 1937 | |
100 | 126994 | Centurion | Hopkins Transportation | freighter | 3,401 | 1893 | later Alex B. Uhrig 1920, scrapped 1946 | |
101 | 27656 | Yukon | Forbes & Wilson | freighter | 1,602 | 1893 | sank 1905 | |
102 | 120929 | Fashion | tugboat | 29 | 1893 | |||
103 | 150670 | Pleasure | Detroit BJ&W ferry | ferry | 489 | 1894 | scrapped 1940 | |
104 | 92601 | Minnie E. Kelton | P. C. Smith | freighter | 632 | 1894 | later Rochelle 1913, wrecked 1914 | |
105 | 77170 | John J. McWilliams | J. Mitchell | freighter | 3,400 | May 1895 | later Central West 1916, M. J. Barthelme 1928, wrecked 1928 | |
106 | 81507 | Wapiti | yacht | 83 | 1895 | |||
107 | 100597 | J. Watson Stephenson | Stephenson Transportation | freighter | 639 | 1895 | scuttled 1935 | |
108 | 150705 | Penobscot | Eddy Bros. & Co. | freighter | 3,402 | Aug 1895 | scrapped 1963 | |
109 | 116676 | Silver Spray | tugboat | 38 | 1895 | |||
110 | 116684 | Simon J. Murphy | Murphy Bros. | freighter | 1,381 | Oct 1895 | later Melville Dollar 1901, Tallac 1907, wrecked 1920 | |
111 | 161078 | Katahdin | H. W. McCormick | freighter | 1,381 | Oct 1895 | collision and sank 1918 | |
112 | 141481 | L. C. Waldo | Roby Tptn Co | freighter | 4244 | Mar 1896 | later Riverton 1916, Mohawk Deer 1944, wrecked 1967 | |
113 | 127131 | City of Bangor | Eddy Bros. & Co. | freighter | 3,690 | Mar 1896 | wrecked 1926 | |
114 | 136547 | E. W. Oglebay | D. C. Whitney | freighter | 3,666 | May 1896 | scuttled 1927 | |
115 | 141432 | Lagonda | Etna SS Co. | freighter | 3,647 | July 1896 | scrapped 1958 | |
116 | 86367 | George Stephenson | Bessemer S.S. Co | freighter | 4,584 | Oct 1896 | scrapped 1963 | |
117 | 77231 | James Nasmyth | Bessemer S.S. Co | barge | 3,422 | Aug 1896 | later Merle H 1937, Pic River 1949, scrapped 1978 | |
118 | 116741 | Sir Isaac Lothian Bell | Bessemer S.S.Co | barge | 3,418 | Oct 1896 | later Blanche H 1937, Black River 1949, Tuxpancliffe 1979, scrapped 1983 | |
119 | 150740 | Pere Marquette | Flint & Pere Marquette RR | ferry | 5,580 | Feb 1897 | later Pere Marquette 15 1902, scrapped 1935 | |
120 | 81561 | W. LeBaron Jenney | barge | 3,422 | 1897 | later Colindoc, scrapped 1973 | ||
121 | 130738 | Niagara | J. L. Crosthwaite | freighter | 1,951 | 1897 | ||
122 | 11163 | Robert W. Wilmot | W. G. Wilmot | tugboat | 407 | 1897 | to USN 1898 as Potomac (AT-50), sold 1922, deleted 1981 | |
123 | 81584 | William H. Brown | W. H. Brown & Co | tugboat | 470 | Nov 1897 | to USN 1898 as Piscataqua (AT-49), barge in Manila 1931 | |
124 | 116841 | Samuel F. B. Morse | Bessemer S.S. Co | laker | 4,936 | Aug 1898 | later Wychem 105 1954, scrapped 1974 | |
125 | 77308 | John Fritz | Bessemer S.S. Co | barge | 4,693 | 1898 | scuttled 1968 | |
126 | 77310 | John A. Roebling | Bessemer S.S.Co | barge | 4,693 | 1898 | scuttled 1968 | |
127 | 77362 | Jesse Spalding | Spalding Lumber Co | freighter | 1,043 | July 1899 | later Mooremack 1916, Vindal 1918, Cordova 1923, J. C. Pearson 1925, Rockwood 1935, scrapped 1963 | |
After the sale of his shipyard to American Ship Building Wheeler ordered these next two hulls for himself from Craig Shipbuilding as their Hulls 85 & 86 | ||||||||
128 | 3904 | Buckman | United Fruit SS Co. | passenger | 1,820 | Dec 1901 | subcontracted to Craig SB, Admiral Evans 1914, scrapped 1936 | |
129 | 81788 | Watson | United Fruit SS Co. | passenger | 1,820 | Dec 1901 | subcontracted to Craig SB, Admiral Watson 1915, scrapped 1935 | |
Built by West Bay City Shipbuilding/AmShip West Bay City | ||||||||
39 | 100707 | Isaac L. Ellwood | Pittsburgh S.S. Co. | laker | 5,085 | May 1900 | subcontract from Cleveland SB, scrapped 1961 | |
40 | 81702 | William Edenborn | Pittsburgh S.S. Co. | laker | 5,085 | June 1900 | subcontract from Cleveland SB, scrapped 1962 | |
600 | 117033 | A. D. Werner | Calumet Transportation | barge | 2,279 | Apr 1901 | scrapped 1950 | |
601 | 107635 | A. W. Thompson | Calumet Transportation | barge | 2,279 | Apr 1901 | scrapped 1920 | |
602 | 141717 | Lake Shore | J. C. Gilchrist | laker | 3,871 | June 1901 | later Indys 1913, Altadoc 1926, wrecked 1927 | |
603 | 86569 | Gilchrist | J. C. Gilchrist | laker | 3,871 | June 1901 | later Lupus 1913, Prindoc 1926, sank 1943 | |
604 | 136977 | Etruria | Robert B. Wallace | laker | 4,744 | Apr 1902 | collision and sank 1905 | |
605 | 3925 | Bransford | H. A. Hawgood | laker | 4,744 | Apr 1902 | later John H. McLean 1916, Clifford F. Hood 1944, scrapped 1974 | |
606 | 141793 | L. C. Smith | United States Transportation | laker | 4,744 | May 1902 | later Sweden 1916, scrapped 1961 | |
607 | 107778 | A. E. Stewart | A. E. Stewart | laker | 3,943 | July 1902 | later Glenorchy 1919, sank after collision 1924 | |
608 | 86667 | G. Watson French | C. W. Elphicke | laker | 3,883 | Apr 1903 | later Henry P. Werner 1923, John J. Boland Jr. 1937, Algoway 1940, scrapped 1964 | |
609 | 117248 | Sinaloa | Superior S.S. Co | laker | 4,539 | May 1903 | later William F. Rapprich 1924, Sinaloa 1928, Stonefax 1960, scrapped 1971 | |
610 | 117266 | Sonoma | Duluth S.S. Co | laker | 4,539 | June 1903 | later David S. Troxel 1924, Sonoma 1928, Fred L. Hewitt 1947, scrapped 1962 | |
611 | 200378 | Frank W. Gilchrist | Gilchrist Tptn Co | laker | 4,551 | Oct 1903 | later Cepheus 1913, Mantadoc 1926, R. G. Sanderson 1963, scrapped 1983 | |
612 | 200479 | J. L. Weeks | Gilchrist Tptn Co | laker | 4,551 | Nov 1903 | later Corvus 1913, scrapped 1950 | |
613 | 201840 | Sylvania | Duluth S.S. Co | laker | 6,272 | Apr 1905 | later D. M. Philbin 1915, Sylvania 1930, scrapped 1983 | |
614 | 202088 | Socapa | Superior S.S. Co | laker | 6,272 | June 1905 | later George G. Barnum 1915, Hennepin 1937, scrapped 1975 | |
615 | 202443 | Henry C. Frick | Pittsburgh S.S. Co | laker | 6,490 | Sep 1905 | later Michipicoten 1964, scrapped 1972 | |
616 | 202867 | James B. Wood | Gilchrist Tptn Co | laker | 7,159 | Mar 1906 | later Arcturus 1913, sank under tow 1962 | |
617 | 202910 | John Sherwin | Gilchrist Tptn Co | laker | 7,159 | Mar 1906 | later Saturn 1958, George M. Steinbrenner 1958, Kinsman Venture 1969, scuttled 1970 | |
618 | 203184 | Charles Weston | Tonawanda Transit | laker | 6,996 | June 1906 | later J. Leonard Replogle 1916, Saucon 1925, scrapped 1950 | |
619 | 203507 | Daniel J. Morrell | Cambria S.S.Co | laker | 7,239 | Sep 1906 | broke in two and sank 1966 | |
620 | 203658 | James S. Dunham | Chicago Nav Co | laker | 4,795 | Nov 1906 | later Lynford E. Geer 1926, Otto M. Reiss 1934, scrapped 1972 | |
621 | 203974 | General Garretson | Wilson Transit Co. | laker | 6,765 | Apr 1907 | later E. J. Kulas 1935, Powhatan 1936, Charles A. Paul 1937, B. F. Jones 1956, scrapped 1973 | |
622 | 203980 | H. P. McIntosh | Wilson Transit Co. | laker | 6,765 | Apr 1907 | later Edward S. Kendrick 1934, scrapped 1973 | |
623 | 204136 | Henry Phipps | Pittsburgh S.S. Co | laker | 7,240 | 1907 | scrapped 1976 | |
624 | 204346 | Hemlock | Interlake S.S. Co | laker | 4,796 | July 1907 | scrapped 1960 | |
76 | 204631 | Arthur H. Hawgood | H. A. Hawgood | laker | 6,486 | 1907 | subcontract from Chicago SB, scrapped 1978 | |
173 | 204864 | Caldera | Croxton SS Co. | laker | 6,328 | 1908 | subcontract from Detroit SB, scrapped 1968 | |
625 | 205106 | Alexis W. Thompson | Valley S.S. Co | laker | 6,436 | July 1908 | later W. H. Becker 1922, Edward N. Saunders Jr. 1933, Ernest R. Johnson 1955, scrapped 1962 | |
626 | 205250 | W. R. Woodford | Hawgood S.S. Co | laker | 6,929 | June 1908 | later N. F. Leopold 1912, E. J. Block 1944, scrapped 1987 |