Spedden Shipbuilding ~ Shipbuilding History

Spedden Shipbuilding

Baltimore MD

Most recent update: January 14, 2017.

R. M. Spedden started in business around 1880 as a machine shop and boiler manufacturer. In 1883, he began building sets of machinery for shipyards and incorporated as R. M. Spedden & Company. In 1886, Spedden took on a partner and operated as Spedden & McClymount until 1890 when a new partnership, Spedden & Burch, was formed. In 1892, the firm was reorganized again and renamed R. M. Spedden Company. The yard was in the Fells Point neighborhood of Baltimore, at 1707 Thames Street, immediately to the east of South Broadway. See it from the air on Google here. In 1897, the company purchased Brusstar Shipbuilding Company, which had gone bankrupt, and incorporated the new enterprise as Spedden Shipbuilding Company. The Brusstar yard was on Boston Street in the Canton district, close enough to the Spedden yard for the two to be worked as one. Spedden died in 1911 and the company was bought by A. W. Gieske. It was sold again in 1925 and reorganized as Spedden Shipbuilding Corporation, the name it held until 1948, when it became Wills-Spedden Shipyard, Inc. Finally, it was sold in 1950 to the Chesapeake Marine Railway Company, which only lasted until 1952. Note that, at this company, what we call hull numbers are really project numbers: the sequence of numbers used for ships is also used for engines and boilers, as a result of which only about a third of the hull numbers listed here involve new vessels built by Spedden. In addition, no original records of this company have been found and, as a result, this list has been built from newspapers, magazines and registers of the relevant period, and many of the hull numbers are speculative.

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	O/N	Name	Customer	Type	GT	LOA	Built	Notes
Built by R. M. Spedden & Company
129	106164	Annie	Michael & Wm. Maloney	tugboat	28	57	June 1883	hull built by Brusstar Bros.
130	81001	Wm. A. Johnson	S.M. Johnson & Coal Co.	tugboat	25	55	Oct 1883	engine only: hull built by Ruark Co.
131			Baltimore Wrecking Company	derrick			1883	engine and boiler only: hull built by Brusstar Bros.
132		Hygeia	US Quarantine Hospital Service	tugboat		60	1884	engine and boiler only: hull built by Brusstar Bros.
133	135831	Edna	Capt. R. M. Spedden	tugboat	33	62	1885	hull built by Brusstar Bros.
134	75341	John A. McDougall		tugboat	33	63	1885	engine and boiler only: reconstruction of burned vessel, originally built 1870 in Buffalo NY
135	105323	Anna Belle	Jones's fleet	tugboat	45	69	1886	boiler only: originally built in 1873 in Baltimore, Anita, second boiler installed by Spedden in 1910
Built by Spedden & McClymount
136		Gedney	US Coast Survey	survey	133	121	1887	boiler only: originally built in 1875 in New York
137	81154	William M. Dove	Captain John T. Lewis	tugboat	19	50	1887	engine and boiler only: hull built by Thomas McCosker & Co.
138	115233	Spring Garden		tugboat	23	58	1887	boiler only: originally built 1874 Camden NJ
139	140946	Lauretta Spedden	Capt. Luther M. Spedden	tugboat	27	56	1888	engine and boiler only: hull built by Thomas McCosker & Co.
140	150195	Parole		tugboat	24	55	1888	boiler only: originally built 1880 Baltimore
141	110375	Reuben Foster		tugboat	17	47	1888	boiler only: originally built 1878 Baltimore
142	3422	Bertha	Capt. Luther M. Spedden	tugboat	12	36	1889	engine and boiler only: hull built by Thomas McCosker & Co.
143	135496	Edwin D. Hartley	Capt. R.T. Smith	tugboat	60	73	1889	boiler only: originally built 1879 Camden NJ
Built by Spedden & Burch
144	14374	Kate Jones	Alexander Jones Towing Co.	tugboat	123	102	1890	boiler only: originally built 1881 Camden NJ
145	81297	William S. Brusstar	P.Dougherty & Co.	tugboat	45	63	1890	engine and boiler only: hull built by Brusstar Bros.
146	126618	Cynthia	P.Dougherty & Co.	tugboat	32	56	1890	engine and boiler only: built by H. Brusstar & Bros. to USACE 1897, same name
147	81278	Walter	Eldridge Barge Transportation	tugboat	32	54	June 1890	engine and boiler only: built by H. Brusstar & Bros.
148	91650	Minerva	Capt. Vivian Phillips	tugboat	21	55	1890	boiler only : originally blt 1883 Baltimore as Mary
149	110920	rescue	Capt. R. M. Spedden	tugboat	47	69	1891	engine and boiler only: built by H. Brusstar & Bros.
150	4995	Col. C.G. Sawtelle	Capt. Anderson	tugboat	47	69	1891	boiler only: originally built 1862 at Philadelphia
Built by R. M. Spedden Company
151	85600	George S. Rieman	Capt. Robert Freeburger	tugboat	21	54	July 1892	boiler only: originally built 1879 Baltimore
152		Zephyr		harbor ferry			1892	boiler only
153	75094	John Taxis	Captain Phillips	tugboat	23	52	1892	boiler only: hull rebuilt by Joseph W. Brooks at Madison MD, originally built 1869 at Chester PA.
154	91135	Minnie Maythem		tugboat	13	42	1892	boiler only: originally built 1879, Buffalo NY
155	7058	Emma	American Towing Co.	tugboat	52	70	1892	engine only: originally built 1862 Baltimore
156	4064	Caroline	Baltimore & Ohio RR Co.	tugboat	50	79	1892	boiler only: originally built 1862 New Brunswick NJ
157	4996	Commodore S. F. Dupont	American Towing Co.	tugboat	95	80	1892	engine only: originally built 1862 Wilmington, Sandow (rebuilt 1898 as well)
158	136368	Elsie	Baltimore Steam Packet Co.	tugboat	39	58	June 1893	later Robin
159	141283	Lucille Ross	W. M. Ross	tugboat	49	71	July 1893	engine and boiler only: built by Wm. Brusstar & Bros. (Hull 54)
160	92553	Maude H.	E.M. Hoffman	tugboat	74	73	Oct 1893	to USACE 1903 as General Abbot, Marengo
161	92855B	Earnwell	Earnwell S.S. Co.	freighter	1323	280	1893	boiler only: built at Jarrow England 1887
162	81278	Walter	El Barge Transportation	tugboat	32	54	1894	boiler only: built by H. Brusstar & Bros.
163	116629	St. Michaels	Eastern Bay & Miles River SB Co.	tugboat	283	118	June 1894	engine and boiler only: hull built by Woodall
164	77124	J. W. Banning		tugboat	32	54	1894	boiler only: vessel built at Portsmouth VA.
165	241525	James Guthrie	US Revenue Service	cutter	149d	87	July 1895	sold ~1941 as MacArthur, to USN 1942 as YHT 7, sold 1947, Elma M. Kennedy
166	157436	Defender	Burleigh Brothers	tugboat	88	85	Oct 1895	built for stock
167	115212	Success	Phillips	tugboat	29	63	1895	boiler only: originally built 1873 Baltimore
168	95595	Hercules	American Towing Co.	tugboat	156	108	1896	boiler only: originally built 1880 Camden by J. Dialogue
169	75594	J. Alvah Clark		tugboat	43	61	1896	boiler only: originally built 1873 Philadelphia
170		Castle	USACE	tugboat	85d	95	1897
171	76949	John I Bardy		tugboat	119	97	1897	boiler only: originally built 1891 Baltimore
172	110920	rescue	Phillip Weaver	tugboat	46	69	1897	engine only: originally built 1891 Baltimore by Brusstar and engined by Spedden
173	217359	Sentinel	USACE	tugboat	116	90	1897	sold private same name
174	92824	M. Mitchell Davis	Capt. Jack Taylor	tugboat	85	87	1897	engine and boiler only: built by M. M. Davis & Sons
178	96391	Harvey E. Birch	Capt. L. Collison	tugboat	19	45	1898	built at Bear Creek site of Spedden Marine Railway Co., Solicitor
179	96174	Highland	Baltimore Yacht Club	Dispatch	21	57	May 1998	boiler only : originally built 1892 Baltimore
180	100651	Isabella T. Dempsey	Dempsey, Son & Co.	tugboat	113	85	May 1998	to USACE 1899 as Gen. A. A. Humphreys, Tunica
181	252061	Vidette	USACE	tugboat	200d	99	Aug 1998	later Mars (possibly repowered by Spedden in 1914)
182	130801	Neptune	Atlantic Land & Improvement Co.	Tug.	117	94	Dec 1998	to US Marine Hospital Service 1902, Neptune III
183	116867	Scandinavia	Baker & Whiteley Coal Co.	tugboat	55	70	1898	engine and boiler only: hull built by Brusstar Sbdg.Co.
184	116874	Solicitor	Louis Waggner Lumber Co.	tugboat	56	70	1898	hull built at Canton yard
185	127282	Curtin	C. Gring	tugboat	85	86	1898	engine and boiler only: built at Cramer Hill NJ by Curtin & Rickenbach.
Built by Spedden Shipbuilding Company
186	105323	Anita ex Anna Belle	Sheriff Hoffman	tugboat	45	69	Jan 1999	engine and boiler only: vessel rebuilt following fire
187	150841	Peerless	P.Dougherty & Co.	tugboat	102	85	1899	engine and boiler only: hull built by Thomas McCosker & Co
188	234204	General Hunt	US Army Quartermasters Dept.	tugboat	121	93	1899	later Lt. Alonzo H. Cushing (1909), Albert G. Thomas (USACE), sold 1935 as Frank H. Tremble
189	77375	Joseph M Clark	J. M. Clark & Co.	tugboat	93	86	Aug 1999	to USN 1917 as SP/ID-1244
190			R.M. Spedden Company	launch			1899	shipyard use
191	135958	E. V. McCaulley		tugboat	136	96	1900	new boiler and steel deckhouse: originally built 1887 Camden by Dialogue (a)
192	77419	John K. Cowen	Baltimore & Ohio RR Co.	tugboat	160	105	June 1900
193	107550	Aguirre	M. Mendia	tugboat	41	69	July 1900	for Cuban waters, subcontract from Maryland Steel Co.
194	155394	Oscar G. Murray	Baltimore & Ohio RR Co.	tugboat	165	100	Dec 1900
195	161574	Volunteer	P.Dougherty & Co.	tugboat	97	85	Dec 1900	boiler only : originally built 1887 Philadelphia
196	150948	Pilot	Maryland Pilot's Assoc.	pilot boat	193	115	1901	boiler only : originally built 1880 at Wilmington by H&H.
197			Skinner & Sons SB & DD Co.	caisson gate			Apr 1901	for new Skinner graving dock
198	81757	William H. Yerkes Jr.	Capt. Stonewall Jackson Taylor	tugboat	59	73	June 1901	engine and boiler only: built by M. M. Davis & Sons
199	130931	Neptune	American Towing & Lighterage	tugboat	144	99	Aug 1901	to US Marine Hospital Service 1902, same name, Walter Wyman
200	LV-73	lightship No. 73	US Light House Board	lightship	693d	124	1901	Pollock Rip Shoals, lost in hurricane 1944
201	3227	Corona	F.D. Underwood	yacht	42	91	May 1901	boiler only : originally built 1882 Providence RI
202	107661	Alpha	Howard Higgins	tugboat	35	58	June 1901	engine and boiler only: built by M. M. Davis & Sons
203	157637	Dauntless	P.Dougherty & Co.	tugboat	123	97	Nov 1901	engine and boiler only: built by Thomas McKosker
204	93262	M. Mitchell Davis	A.J. Taylor & Bros.	tugboat	116	92	1902	engine and boiler only: built by M. M. Davis & Sons
205	85636	Charles J. Baker	Atlantic Transport Company	tugboat	19	52	1903	boiler only : originally built 1880 Baltimore as George J. Norris
206	250881	Winnisimmet	US Revenue Service	tugboat	140	92	1903	to USN 1917, to USCG as CG-9, WYT-84, sold 1946 as Sophia, then Bullhead, David C Winslow, sank 1991
207	237102	Wissahickon	US Revenue Service	tugboat	137	92	Nov 1904	to PoNY 1923, sold 1936 as Atlas, deleted c1980
208	121276	Fireproofer	National Fireproofing	tugboat	173	103	June 1903	later Wm. J. Donaldson
209			L. Broom				1903	boiler only
210	130500	Murrell	Baltimore & Boston Barge Co.	tugboat	311	125	1903	boiler only : originally built 1890 Camden NJ
211	232726	Juniper	US Light House Board	tender	95	91	Sep 1903	sold 1932 as cargo vessel, same name, tanker Aubrey L. Hudgins
212	200713	Neptune	American Towing & Lighterage	tugboat	188	109	Apr 1904	to USPHS 1905 as Argonaut, W. F. Woodward 1923, sold 1934 as Neptune, Wedell Foss 1945, Fannie Mc 1970, Maggie F , sunk
213	81001	William A. Johnson		tugboat	25	56	Nov 1903	engine and boiler only: originally built by Spedden 1883
214	85858	Governor R. M. McLane	Maryland State Fishery Force	patrol boat	144	114	Dec 1904	boiler only : built by Neafie & Levy 1884, to USN as SP-1328
215			Potomac Dredging Company	dredge			1905
	127236	Chilhowee	W. H. Evans	yacht	95	110	1905
	166899	A-5	M. W. Adams	covered lighter	160	94	1905	documented 1917, RFR 1942
	165966	A-6	M. W. Adams	covered lighter	127	90	1905	documented 1915, abandoned 1916
	166131	A-7	M. W. Adams	covered lighter	131	90	1905	documented 1915, exempt 1919
	165967	A-9	M. W. Adams	covered lighter	123	91	1905	documented 1915, exempt 1923
216	125182	Convoy	Baltimore & Ohio RR Co.	tugboat	78	89	May 1905	boiler only : originally built 1873 Philadelphia
217	141283	Lucille Ross	W. M. Ross	tugboat	49	71	Dec 1905	boiler only : originally built by Wm. Brusstar & Bros. (Hull 54) 1893
218	203112	Robert H. Smith	American Towing & Lightering	tugboat	227	108	June 1906	to Panama Canal 1907 as Porto Bello, sold c1928, returned to U.S. flag under original name, abandoned 1938
219							1906	engine built for stock
220	125638	Camilla	A.J. Taylor & Bros		40	68	Mar 1906	boiler only : originally built 1877 Baltimore
221	81278	Walter	Chesapeake Towing Co.	tugboat	32	54	1905	boiler only : originally built 1890 Baltimore
222	203735	Capt. Toby	A.J. Taylor & Bros.	tugboat	20	47	1906	boiler only : built by M. M. Davis & Son
223	85869	Gov. P. F. Thomas	Maryland State Fishery Force	patrol boat	144	114	1906	boiler only : built by Neafie & Levy 1884, re-documented as Mary L Potter 1918 , (1937) Dauntless 6
224	105618	Calvin Whitely		tugboat	21	56	1906	boiler only : built 1876 Philadelphia as A. Somers Kapella
			M. W. Adams	lighter		60	Dec 1906	built on spec.
				open lighter		90	1908
		No. 17	Atlas Coal & Coke Company	open lighter		92	1909
225		Kennedy	Maryland Dredging & Contracting	dredge			1909	boiler only : origin unknown
226	105323	Anita	Southern Transportation Company	tugboat	45	69	Apr 1910	boiler only : ex Anna Belle, built Baltimore 1873, boiler also replaced in 1886 and 1899 by Spedden
227	Federal	Sentinel	USACE	tugboat	116	90	1910	boiler only : built by Spedden 1898
228	136368	Elsie	Old Bay Line	tugboat	39	58	1910	boiler only : built by Spedden 1893
229	107583	Ada	Arundel Sand & Gravel Company	tugboat	35	55	1910	boiler only : originally built 1900 Madison Md.
230	208275	Neptune	Curtis Bay Towing Co.	tugboat	237	113	Jan 1911	to USACE as San Luis 1915
231	208633	Waldo Newcomer	The Edwards Co. (Inc.)	trawler	338	145	May 1911	later Toltec (Russia) 1916, Batareynyi 1917, Pomor 1925, Menzul 1932, foundered 1939
232	164617	Argo	Independent Pier Co.	covered lighter	853	120	Sep 1911
233	209242	Louise	Philip Weaver& Sons	tugboat	46	68	Sep 1911	engine only: hull built by Joseph P. Brooks Madison Md.
234	126696	Curtis Bay		tugboat	133	90	1911	boiler only : originally built 1890 Newburgh NY as Chauncey M. Depew
	86091	Starlight		passenger	335	151	1911	lengthening of ex Granite City, built 1890 Stonington CT
	136872	E. W. Edwards		trawler	181	122	1911	Lengthened: originally built 1901 Baltimore
235	211538	Falcon	Maryland Transportation Company	tugboat	50	60	1913	engine and boiler only: hull built by Charles L. Rhode & Sons Co.
236	211348	Kenneth L. McNeal	Capt. Andrew McNeal	trawler	331	147	June 1913	engine and boiler only, hull built by M. M. Davis & Sons
237	211941	Cataract	City of Baltimore	fireboat	185	89	Feb 1914	later tug Wm J Taylor, Lucy Watson, Stacey Fackrell, scrapped 1987
				fish lighter			1914
238	233976	Laurel	US Light House Board	tender	288	100	May 1915	sold 1931, documented as Lake George, repowered as motor vessel
239		Minquas	USACE	dredger	978d	192	1915	rebuilt 1941 as barge
240	213570	Sam Weller	Maryland Dredging Company	tugboat	99	71	1915
241	252061	Vidette	USACE	tugboat		105	1914	later Mars
242	115554	S.W. Smith		ferry	320	119	1916	boiler only : originally built 1877 at Baltimore
243	205640	Mary P. Rheil	Atlantic Transport Company	tugboat	47	59	1916	boiler only : originally built 1908 Solomons Md.
244	215393	Gypsum Prince	J.B. King Trans. Co.	tugboat	299	118	July 1917	to Federal Government (IWC) in WWI, sold commercial service 1931, Whiteman 1963
245	214530	Efficient	Standard Oil Company	tanker	43	60	June 1916	later Petrolia No. 1
	93287	Maryland/Northern No. 5		barge				reconstruction as barge after fire: originally built 1902 Wilmington DE
	75798	Capital City		barge				conversion: originally built 1875 Camden NJ as John A, Thompson, then Harry Randall
	107520	Augusta	West India Sugar Co.	freighter	1968	246	Aug 1917	conversion: originally built 1900 Neafie & Levy
246	130801	Neptune	Atlantic Coast Line Railway	tugboat	117	94	1916	boiler only : built by Spedden 1898
247	221145	T.J. Hooper	Eastern Transportation Company	tugboat	459	142	June 1921	engine and boiler only: built by Charles L. Rohde & Sons
248	215201	Freeport Sulphur No. 2	Freeport Sulphur Transp. Co.	tugboat	488	152	Aug 1917	later Sabine 1930, scrapped 1950
249	217811	Norfolk	Northern Barge Corp.(Del.)	tugboat	343	126	1919	later Henry Steers 1928, scrapped 1961
250	218224	Boston	Northern Barge Corp.(Del.)	tugboat	343	126	1919	later Wathen 1941, wrecked 1944
251	220484	Jacob France	Standard Transportation	tugboat	336	127	Sep 1920	later Esso Aladdin 1938, Aladdin 1949, scrapped 1962
252	168190	S. O. Co. No. 5	Standard Oil Co.	tank barge	962	199	May 1921	later Standoil No. 5, Esso Barge No. 5, B No. 15
253	221057	Anna Marie II	August C. Stenger	tugboat	9	39	Feb 1921
254	Cuba	James R. Biggar	Central Teresa Sugar Company	launch		50	Mar 1921
255	298069	Capain A. Canfield	USACE	tender / tugboat	18d	50	1923	later Julie Dee, Wilhelm Baum
256	254686	Frankford	USACE	tender/ tugboat	40d	50	1924	later T.D. Wescoat
257		Lewes	USACE	tender/ tugboat	40d	53	1924
258	268151	Menominee	USACE	tender/ tugboat	40d	50	1924	later Buddy
259	500147	Col. J.D. Graham	USACE	tender/ tugboat	40d	53	1924	later Nicholson, Magnetic, J D Graham
260	224329	Grace	Grace S.S. Co.	tugboat	86	72	1924	later Dalzellynx, Dalzellable
Built by Spedden Shipbuilding Corporation
261	225036	York	W. T. Ashe	ferry	260	106	Sep 1925	to Mexico as Yucatan, York
262	226060	Samson	Diamond 'P' Transp. Co.	tugboat	138	83	Oct 1926	later River Rat
263	225918	Dan Hardie	Peninsula Terminal Co.	ferry	234	106	July 1926	later Galveston, to Mexico 1957
264	228157	Charles A. Evans	District of Columbia	patrol/fireboat	25	53	1929	later Kanak, NLD 2005
265	271528	Argus	USACE	tugboat	248	114	1930	later fishing vessel Smith Point
266	268018	G. B. Loring	US Public Health Service, Boston	tugboat	147	84	June 1930	later Pilot, Hamatra I
267	229835	K. Whittelsey	Oil Transfer Corp. NY	tugboat	185	91	June 1930	Late Grace Moran, Hercules, Sakonnet, abandoned 1982, scrapped 2008
268	229354	Irma	Atlantic, Gulf & Pacific Co. NY	tugboat	32	55	1930
269	230568	Gilbert	Atlantic, Gulf & Pacific Co. NY	tugboat	32	55	1931
270	230797	Kennedy	Atlantic, Gulf & Pacific Co. NY	tugboat	10	34	Mar 1931	to USN 1945
271		Walter Wyman	US Public Health Service	boarding tugboat	193	100	Mar 1932	later Marmer 1957, retired 1968
272	288528		USACE	tugboat	234	114	Oct 1932	later Sea Eagle
273	294817	Joseph Goldberger	US Public Health Service	boarding tugboat	85	66	1933	later Julie J
274		W.H. Welch	US Public Health Service	boarding tugboat	186	101	1934
275		Salem	USACE	tugboat	28	53	Aug 1935
276	234382	May	Atlantic, Gulf & Pacific Co.	tender	32	55	Oct 1935
277		B W Brown	US Public Health Service	launch	36d	60	Mar 1937
278		Roanoke	USACE	derrick boat	150	100	Oct 1937	ex-Derrick Boat No. 14, new/rebuilt hull & relocated equipment
279	270563	Stephen F. Austin	USACE	tugboat	166	96	Dec 1937	to US Army as LT-800., Lt. Thomas D. Sollom, Maryland
280	238137	Ann	Walter Sawyer	tanker	32	49	1938
281		Maj. Gen. Harry L Rogers	US Army QM Corps	SP lighter	425	125	Dec 1939
282	239957	Chas. D. Gaither	City of Baltimore	police boat	23	48	1940	sold 1972, to Baltimore & Chesapeake SB Co. 2011
283	240982	Palua	Iron Mines Co. of Venezuela	tugboat	32	54	Sep 1941
284		L 68	US Army QM Corps	dist. box boat	65d	64	Jan 1942
285		L 69	US Army QM Corps	dist. box boat	65d	64	Feb 1942
286		L 70	US Army QM Corps	dist. box boat	65d	64	Feb 1942
287		L 71	US Army QM Corps	dist. box boat	65d	64	Mar 1942
288		L 72	US Army QM Corps	dist. box boat	65d	64	Mar 1942
289	244316	Cardenas	Panama Canal Commission	tugboat	323	118	Sep 1943
290	244520	San Pablo	Panama Canal Commission	tugboat	323	118	1943	later San Pablo I 1990, Aquilon 1997, Red Sea 1998, reefed 2007
291	245190	Culebra	Panama Canal Commission	tugboat	321	118	Mar 1943
292	291882	BSP-1799	US Army	SP derrick barge	296	120	Aug 1944	later trawler Iron Head, Notorious
293	248753	Spedship	Spedden Shipbuilding Company	launch	12	37	1945	later Curlew (1952)
Built by Wills-Spedden Shipyard, Inc.
	Liberia	Mesurado	Farrell Lines (Liberia) Inc.	freighter	238	115	1949
294		Driftmaster	USACE	debris collector	225d	99	1949
295	258603	J. C. Stephens	Magnolia Petroleum	crewboat	85	76	1949	later Linda
296	259284	Maury	Johns Hopkins Univ.	research	33	58	1950	for sale 2013
Built by Chesapeake Marine Railway Company
151	261303	G. and E. No. 3	Consolidated Gas & Electric	tugboat	120	79	1951	later Chesapeake Coast, American
152	501445	Langley	Nat'l Adv. Comm. for Aeronautics	ferry	109	76	June 1952	later r/v Langley, ferry Charlotte 1980, Bayfield, (appears to have been lengthened)
	264125	Mr. Van	Gahagan Overseas Constn.	tender	26	47	1952