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Bendixsen Shipbuilding, Fairhaven CA

Hans-Ditlev Bendixsen was a Danish shipbuilder who came to Humboldt Bay in the 1860s to work for E. & H. Cousins, but started his own yard in Eureka 1869. He closed this yard and started a new one in Fairhaven in 1874, which he sold in 1901, just before he died. The new owners incorporated the yard as Bendixsen Shipbuilding Company but leased it to Vance Redwood Lumber in 1910 and then to Hammond Lumber Co. in 1911. When war approached, Hammond built a new yard in Samoa and 1917 the Fairhaven yard was sold to James Rolph, a former mayor of San Francisco and later Governor of California, who not only renamed the business Rolph Shipbuilding but renamed the community Rolph, California. The yard closed for good in 1921. You can see the site from the air on Google here. Note that there were several other schooner builders in the Humboldt Bay area during this period: all were much smaller than Bendixsen but there may be some overlap between their records. If anyone can add to the table below, please email info@navalmarinearchive.com.

Most recent update: 11 January 2017.

Hull # O.N. Original Name Original Owner Type GT Feet Year Disposition
Built by Bendixsen & McDonald in Eureka
9871 Fairy Queen Schooner 99 1869
Built by Hans Bendixsen in Eureka
25182 Undine Capt. Kustel Schooner 144 1870
Lillie Jones Steamer 38 1872
8833 Elventa Schooner 148 98 1872
Atlanta Schooner
Lovely Schooner
Marian Schooner
Mary E. Russ Schooner
Stella Schooner
Venus Schooner
115546 Silva Propeller 41 73 1873
Aurora Schooner 193 1873
75521 John McCullough Schooner 72 75 1873
85314 Golden Gate Schooner 97 83 1874
95308 Humboldt Schooner 138 91 1874
19411 O. S. Fowler Schooner 35 54 1874
Built by Hans Bendixsen in Fairhaven
France La Gironde Schooner 1875
France Varao Schooner 1875
France Vini Schooner 1875
France Paloma Capt. Nissen Brig 224 1875 Lost 1878
75801 John N. Ingalls Schooner 95 850 1875
75823 J. G. Wall Schooner 98 862 1875
90856 Mary Swann Schooner 143 96 1875
140152 Laura Pike Schooner 145 96 1875
Lottie Collins Schooner 69 1875
Pauline Collins Schooner 69 1875
85452 Gussie Klose Schooner 94 85 1876
90892 Mary Buhne Schooner 147 102 1876
90924 Martha W. Tuft Schooner 173 102 1876 Stranded 1907
90948 Maxim Schooner 117 92 1876 Foundered 1901
105612 Abbie Schooner 146 98 1876
115507 San Buenaventura Schooner 180 107 1876 Stranded 1910
125500 Christina Steffens Schooner 70 75 1876
135245 Excelsior Schooner 348 138 1876 Stranded 1906
Albert & Edward Schooner 96 1876
David & Ettie Schooner 69 1876
Lizzie Madison Schooner 131 1876
Morning Star Schooner 99 1876
125585 Compeer Schooner 347 140 1877
Built by Bendixsen & Peterson in Fairhaven
Georgie R. Higgins Schooner 96 1878 Wrecked 1888
19487 Orion Schooner 117 92 1878
Built by Hans Bendixsen in Fairhaven
105880 Alta Ferry 112 88 1878
France Hinaari Schooner 65 1878
6977 Daisy Rowe Schooner 122 94 1879
100262 Ida McKay Schooner 187 113 1880 Abandoned 1912
3180 Bertha Dolbeer Schooner 242 125 1881
25982 Vega Schooner 245 117 1881
125933 Charles Hanson Schooner 192 107 1881 Burnt 1909
91486 Mabel Gray Schooner 205 119 1882
120533 Falcon Schooner 205 125 1882
130227 Neptune Schooner 184 106 1882
76473 Jessie Minor Schooner 261 129 1883 Stranded 1911
126138 City of Papeete Barkentine 389 145 1883 Abandoned 1935
161515 Volant Schooner 172 122 1883 Stranded 1905
3299 Bertie Minor Schooner 273 130 1884
155095 Occidental Schooner 209 119 1884
120640 Fortuna Schooner 145 102 1886
3372 Barbara Hemster Schooner 148 102 1887 Stranded 1905
81137 Wm. F. Witzemann Schooner 473 163 1887 Stranded 1907
135946 Esther Buhne Schooner 287 134 1887
85986 Glendale Schooner 296 142 1888 Later Point Loma
106521 Allen A Schooner 342 145 1888 Later Fox, abandoned 1964
130417 North Fork Korbel Bros Cargo Ship 323 157 1888 Wrecked 1919
95991 H. C. Wright Schooner 290 139 1889 Stranded 1910
126579 Charles E. Falk Schooner 298 142 1889 Stranded 1909
86096 G. W. Watson Schooner 452 150 1890 Stranded 1912
106787 Azalea Schooner 344 150 1890 To USCG 1951
116349 Sequoia Schooner 341 150 1890 To Mexico 1933
116374 Sadie Schooner 310 142 1890
141112 Lucy Schooner 309 142 1890
110919 Roy Somers Schooner 314 140 1891
110945 R. W. Bartlett Schooner 521 169 1891
126818 Czarina Schooner 230 116 1891 Stranded 1911
126821 Charles R. Wilson Schooner 345 150 1891
77070 Jane L. Stanford Barkentine 970 217 1892 In collision and sank 1929
141201 Louise Schooner 346 150 1892 To Costa Rica 1943
155227 O. M. Kellog Schooner 393 152 1892
155232 Otillie Fjord Schooner 261 130 1892 Later Nanuj, to Mexico 1943
Hilo Barkentine 644 1892 Wrecked 1894
92684 Maweema Schooner 453 156 1895
127097 C. A. Thayer E. K. Wood Co. Schooner 453 156 1895 Museum in San Francisco
92726 Metha Nelson Schooner 460 156 1896 To Mexico 1934, to USN 1942, sold 1946
96354 Humboldt Humboldt S.S.Co Passenger 1,076 213 1896 Scrapped 1931
107226 Albert Meyer Schooner 459 156 1896
157457 Defender Schooner 446 156 1896
81576 Wawona Schooner 468 156 1897
92822 Mildred Schooner 464 157 1897 Stranded 1908
96379 Hueneme W. A. Mitchell Passenger 342 148 1897 Later Niihau 1898, scrapped 1926
107247 Alliance Gray & Mitchell Cargo Ship 679 164 1897 Deleted 1927
100 96393 H. D. Bendixsen J. H. Bruce Schooner 641 179 1898 Later Arctic, lost 1924
77321 James H. Bruce Schooner 533 162 1898
107368 A. M. Baxter Schooner 516 163 1898
121064 Fulton Gray & Mitchell Cargo Ship 381 153 1898 Abandoned 1944
77361 James Rolph Schooner 586 169 1899 Stranded 1910
81647 William Carson Barkentine 890 194 1899
116931 S. T. Alexander Schooner 779 179 1899
157556 Despatch W. A. Mitchell Steamer 698 175 1899 Later Admiral Rodman 1920, scrapped 1936
77435 John Palmer Barkentine 1,187 223 1900
100715 Iaqua Shingle Mfrs Assn Freighter 712 190 1900 Burnt 1918
100721 Irene Schooner 772 186 1900
116947 Stanley Schooner 355 143 1900 Stranded 1910
116964 Santa Paula Schooner 650 183 1900 Burnt 1933
113 130859 Nome City W. A. Mitchell Passenger 1,660 230 1900 Scrapped 1937
Built by Bendixsen Shipbuilding in Fairhaven
86597 Georgina Barkentine 998 210 1901
107620 Alvena Schooner 772 186 1901
127527 Chehalis Sudden & Christenson Cargo Ship 663 183 1901 Scrapped 1938
161184 Kohala Hind, Rolph & Co. Barkentine 891 195 1901
3951 Borealis Schooner 764 192 1902
136963 Espada Sudden & Christenson Schooner 777 192 1902 Lost 1919
200282 Pomo Swayne & Hoyt Steamer 368 130 1903 Wrecked 1913
200640 F. A. Kilburn Watsonville Tptn Co Steamer 728 201 1904 Burnt 1918
201033 Northland E. J. Dodge Co Steamer 845 195 1904 In collision 1927 and scrapped
201165 Toledo A. Fay Steamer 211 97 1904
201271 Harold Dollar Harold Dollar S.S. Steamer 915 195 1904 Later Graywood 1911, foundered south of Puget Sound entrance 1915
201425 Cascade Cascade S.S. Steamer 515 163 1904 Later Wailele 1911, in collision and sank Kauai Channel, Hawaii 1919
200589 Crescent Charles Nelson Schooner 1,443 240 1905
201914 Wasp Wasp S.S. Steamer 563 171 1905 Burnt 1919
202221 Daisy Mitchell North Coast S.S. Steamer 612 171 1905 Later La Primera 1916, Coquimbo 1922, wrecked Valparaiso 1923
202681 Ravalli Hammond Lumber Co Steamer 998 186 1905 Burnt at Lowe Inlet, Alaska 1918
202806 Yosemite Yosemite S.S. Steamer 827 193 1906 Wrecked off Point Reyes 1926
203192 Svea H. Wilson Steamer 618 174 1906 Deleted 1951
203508 Hoquiam Steamer 644 174 1906 To Panama 1944
203747 Daisy Freeman Daisy Freeman S.S. Steamer 613 174 1906 Abandoned 1940
203808 Flaurence Ward Commercial Pacific Cable Co Steamer 267 106 1907 Later Molokai 1924, Anita 1944, foundered off Piaxtla, Mexico 1949
204278 Yellowstone C. R. McCormack & Co Steamer 767 189 1907 Wrecked Eureka entrance 1933
204685 Tahoe M. Turner Co Steamer 751 179 1908 Foundered off Cape Falso, Baja California 1946
205002 Katherine Redwood S.S. Steamer 531 160 1908 Scrapped 1940
205083 Shoshone S. M. Hauptmann Steamer 646 176 1908 Later Hamaka 1915, burnt off Mani Is, Hawaii 1917
206801 Klamath C. R. McCormick & Co Steamer 992 207 1909 Wrecked near Del Mar Landing 1921
207603 Nehalem Hammond Lumber Co Steamer 632 173 1910 Scrapped 1937
Built by Vance Redwood Lumber Co in Fairhaven
207985 Fort Bragg Charles R. Higgins Steamer 705 154 1910 Stranded 1932
209117 Willamette C. R. McCormick & Co Steamer 903 195 1911 Late California, Susan Olson, foundered 1942
Built by Hammond Lumber Co in Fairhaven
210392 Necanicum Hammond Lumber Co Steamer 667 178 1912
211843 Mary Olson Mary Olson Co Steamer 848 200 1913
214512 Santiam Hammond Lumber Co Steamer 946 210 1916
214907 Flavel Hammond Lumber Co Steamer 967 210 1917 Abandoned 1923
215915 Trinidad Hammond Lumber Co Steamer 974 210 1917
215998 Halco Hammond Lumber Co Steamer 970 212 1917 Stranded 1925
Built by Rolph Shipbuilding Co in Fairhaven
216140 Conqueror Hind, Rolph & Co. Barkentine 1,395 231 1918 Abandoned 1944
216834 Joan of Arc Rolph Nav. & Coal Co. Freighter 2,375 245 1918 Stranded 1920
217255 Annette Rolph Rolph Nav. & Coal Co. Freighter 2,361 245 1918 Later Bering, to USG 1944
217442 Georgina Rolph Rolph Nav. & Coal Co. Freighter 2,354 245 1918 Abandoned 1934
217229 Hesperian Rolph Nav. & Coal Co. Barkentine 1,385 231 1918 Abandoned 1934
217610 Annie M. Rolph Rolph Nav. & Coal Co. Barkentine 1,393 231 1919 Foundered 1942
217326 Edna C Cousins Launch Co. Ferry 73 70 1918 Later Mikiala, foundered 1941
1214/Burmont U.S. Shipping Board Freighter 2,260 266 1918 Not completed
1215/Burnham U.S. Shipping Board Freighter 2,260 266 1918 Converted to barge
219901 2378/Cremna U.S. Shipping Board Barkentine 2,265 266 1919 Completed as Anne Comyn
219900 2379/Cremona U.S. Shipping Board Barkentine 2,266 266 1920 Completed as Phyllis Comyn
219909 2380/Cresoline U.S. Shipping Board Barkentine 2,263 266 1920 Completed as Russell Haviside
2381 U.S. Shipping Board Freighter 2,260 266 Cancelled
2382 U.S. Shipping Board Freighter 2,260 266 Cancelled
2383 U.S. Shipping Board Freighter 2,260 266 Cancelled
218534 Rolph Rolph Nav. & Coal Co. Barkentine 1,386 231 1919 Abandoned 1934
219509 George U. Hind Rolph Nav. & Coal Co. Barkentine 1,389 231 1919
219061 Storm King Rolph Nav. & Coal Co. Tug 527 140 1919 To Costa Rica 1943
220752 Thomas Rolph Rolph Nav. & Coal Co. Freighter 1,269 214 1920 Later Viking
Elizabeth J. Rolph Rolph Nav. & Coal Co. Freighter 1,270 214 Not completed

These shipbuilding pages are part of an ongoing project; new material and data is added regularly.

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