F. W. Wheeler & Co., West Bay City Shipbuilding, AmShip West Bay City

F. W. Wheeler & Co., West Bay City Shipbuilding, AmShip, West Bay City MI

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. Comments or queries, please email info@navalmarinearchive.com.

Most recent update: 29 April 2016.

Hull #	O.N.	Original Name	Original Owner	Type	GT	Built	Disposition
Built by Frank W. Wheeler & Co. (and predecessors)
1	90978	Mary Martini		Cargo Ship	91	1877	Built in Winona MI
2	140257	Luther Westover	B. Boutel	Tug	125	1877
3	125649	Christina A Forbes		Tug	51	1878
4	42646	Hanna B		Barge	98	1879
5	91130	Marian Teller		Tug	33	1879
6	125812	Charles W. Liken		Tug	36	1879
7	140416	Lycoming	Erie & Western Tptn	Cargo Ship	1,609	1880	Burnt 1910
8	125858	Conemaugh	Erie & Western Tptn	Cargo Ship	1,609	1880	Wrecked 1906
9	85638	Geo. W. Cuyler		Tug	46	1880
10	91383	Maud S		Tug	45	1881
11	115769	Saginaw Valley	M. J. Galvin	Cargo Ship	720	1881	Later Meriden 1898, Kongo 1904, Overland 1917, breakwater 1925
12	120452	Fred McBrier	James McBrier	Cargo Ship	442	1881	In collision and sank 1890
13	85709	Galatea	Jennison & Miller	Cargo Ship	606	1882	Wrecked 1905
14	95683	Handy Boy		Ferry	25	1882
15	155063	Osceola	T. R. Weight	Cargo Ship	980	1882	Later Golspie 1905, wrecked 1906
16	14413	Kittie M. Forbes	C. McLachlan	Cargo Ship	958	1883	Burnt 1902
17	115920	Sarah M. Smith		Tug	45	1883
18	120577	Frank W. Wheeler	Frank W. Wheeler	Cargo Ship	797	1884
19	106266	Alta	J. B. Zerbe	Cargo Ship	235	1884	Wrecked 1905
20	145372	Tempest		Tug	14	1884
21	81048	Waldo A. Avery	Hawgood & Avery	Cargo Ship	1,294	1884	Later Phenix 1895, Liberty 1918, scrapped 1924
22	145402	T. S. Christie	A. Peterson	Cargo Ship	769	1885	Wrecked 1933
23	106368	A. Folsom	Mitchell Tptn.	Cargo Ship	672	1885	Later Trude R. Wiehe 1903, burnt 1910
24	3333	B. W. Arnold	Mills Tptn.	Cargo Ship	944	1885	Burnt 1896
25	95877	H. A. Hawgood	Hawgood & Avery	Cargo Ship	1,276	1886
26	155124	Ossifrage	Smith, Fee & Co.	Psgr. Ship	432	1886	Wrecked 1919
27	81120	William H. Stevens	Wards Line	Cargo Ship	1,332	1886	Burnt 1902
28	81126	W. R. Stafford	Hopkins Tptn.	Cargo Ship	744	1886	Scrapped 1931
29	91872	Mabel Wilson	C. D. Waterman	Cargo Ship	1,224	1886	Foundered 1906
30	81145	Wm. H. Gratwick	W. H. Gratwick	Cargo Ship	1,688	1887	Later Fleetwood 1900, scrapped 1926
31	120676	Frank W. Wheeler	D. C. Whitney Jr	Cargo Ship	1,688	1887	Wrecked 1893
32	116174	Sitka	Thos. Wilson	Cargo Ship	1,790	1887	Wrecked 1904
33	85977	Gogebic	Mills Tptn.	Cargo Ship	1,620	1887	Later Green River 1921, scuttled 1932
34	91983	Mecosta	D. Whitney Jr.	Cargo Ship	1,776	1888	Scuttled 1922
35	135940	Elfin-Mere	J. Gordon	Cargo Ship	1,054	1888	Later Charles B. Packard 1902, sank 1906
36	145481	Tom Adams	Adams & Farwell	Cargo Ship	1,810	1888	Later Langham 1902, burnt 1910
37	85990	Geo. W. Morley	Hawgood & Avery	Cargo Ship	1,054	1888	Burnt 1897
38	91986	Moravia	Hawgood & Avery	Cargo Ship	1,067	1888	Later Brookdale, scrapped 1923
39	110766	Robert L. Freyer	W. H. Gratwick	Psgr. Ship	1,810	1888	Scuttled 1930
40	116217	Soo City	Delta Tptn.	Psgr. Ship	670	1888	Foundered 1908
41	116221	Servia	Hawgood & Avery	Cargo Ship	1,425	1888	Burnt 1898
42	120710	Frank D. Ewen	Hawgood & Avery	Cargo Ship	882	1888	Abandoned 1928
43	136001	Eber Ward	Ward SS Line	Cargo Ship	1,843	1888	Foundered 1909
44	76748	John V. Moran	Ward SS Line	Cargo Ship	1,350	1888	Sank 1899
45	86031	George W. Roby	Roby Tptn.	Cargo Ship	1,843	1889	Burnt 1906
46	76786	John M. Nicol	Crescent Tptn.	Cargo Ship	2,126	1889	Wrecked 1906
47	76792	John Mitchell	Gratwick, Smith & Fryer	Cargo Ship	1,865	1889	Later Major 1902, converted to dry-dock 1920, burnt 1941
48	120746	Fedora	Jas. McBrier	Cargo Ship	1,848	1889	Burnt 1901
49	130432	News Boy	King & Voight	Psgr. Ship	199	1889	Scrapped 1919
50	92078	Monarch		Tug	95	1889
51	110815	Romeo		Cargo Ship	61	1889
52	76795	Juliet		Cargo Ship	61	1889
53	76798	John Plankington	R. P. Fitzgerald	Cargo Ship	1,821	1889	Sank 1917
54	150391	Plow Boy	T. A. Bishop	Psgr. Ship	114	1889
55	150428	Post Boy	R. Armstrong	Psgr. Ship	123	1889
56	140922	Lulu Eddy		Tug	19	1889
57	120748	Fred B.		Tug	16	1889
58	86060	George F. Williams	Hawgood & Avery	Cargo Ship	1,888	1889	Scrapped 1913
59	96006	H. Houghton	H. Houghton	Cargo Ship	332	1889	Burnt 1926
60	126550	Clarence J. Fillmore	Mitchell & Co.	Cargo Ship	410	1889	Abandoned 1929
61	76815	John A. Francomb	Wayne Tptn.	Cargo Ship	658	1889
62	none	Dredge No. 2	Bay City Dredging	Dredge		1889
63	130462	Nyanza	Jas. McBrier	Cargo Ship	1,888	1890	Later Landbo 1917, sank 1920
64	106706	A. C. Tuxbury	W. H. Sawyer	Cargo Ship	680	1890	Abandoned 1927
65	126609	C. E. Redfern	W. H. Sawyer	Cargo Ship	680	1890	Sank 1937
66	81253	W. H. Sawyer	W. H. Sawyer	Cargo Ship	747	1890	Sank 1928
67	136106	Edward Smith	Wm. H. Gratwick	Cargo Ship	748	1890	Later Zillah 1899, foundered 1926
68	126627	City of Chicago	Graham & Morton	Psgr. Ship	1,164	1890	Later City of St. Joseph 1916, sank 1942
69	136129	Emily P. Weed	Hollister & Woodruff	Cargo Ship	2,362	Aug-90	Later Savona 1897, wrecked 1905
70	92226	Mackinaw	Saginaw Steel	Cargo Ship	2,578	Oct-90	Later Sawa Maru 1916, torpedoed and lost 1917
71	130647	Newell A. Eddy		Cargo Ship	1,271	1890	Lost 1893
72	155181	Olive Jeanette	W. A. Hawgood	Cargo Ship	1,272	1890	Sank 1905
73	161010	Keweenaw	Saginaw Steel	Cargo Ship	2,511	May-91	Missing 1894
74	145555	Tampa	D. C. Whitney Jr.	Cargo Ship	1,972	1891	In collision and sank 1923
75	126653	Charles H. Bradley	Bradley Lumber	Cargo Ship	894	1890	Burnt 1931
76	98904	Michigan	Canadian Pacific RR	Ferry	1730	1891	Wrecked 1943
77	120812	F. & P. M. No. 5	Flint & Pere Marquette RR	Psgr. Ship	1,722	1891	Later Pere Marquette 5 1902, foundered 1917
78	81317	William F. Sauber	Mitchell & Co.	Cargo Ship	2,053	1891	Sank 1903
79	116393	Sailor Boy	R. Armstrong	Psgr. Ship	162	1891
80	100484	Iosco	Mitchell & Co.	Cargo Ship	2,051	May-91	Foundered 1905
81	none	unknown	Bay City Dredging	76' Scow		1891
82	none	unknown	Bay City Dredging	76' Scow		1891
83	27647	Yulu	Geo. D. Emery	Tug	340	Jul-91	Later Nicaragua 1917, Rotarian 1919, deleted 1931
84	na	Lightship No. 51	U.S. Lightship Service	Lightship	375	1892	Rammed and sunk 1924
85	na	Lightship No. 52	U.S. Lightship Service	Lightship	375	1892	Sold 1932
86	na	Lightship No. 53	U.S. Lightship Service	Lightship	375	1892	Sold 1953
87	na	Lightship No. 54	U.S. Lightship Service	Lightship	375	1892	Sold 1947
88	25289	Uganda	Jas. McBrier	Cargo Ship	2,054	Jul-92	Foundered 1913
89	81382	W. H. Gilbert	Empire Tptn.	Cargo Ship	2,856	1892	Sank in collision 1914
90	77028	John C. Fitzpatrick	John C. Fitzpatrick	Cargo Ship	1,270	1892
91	126887	C. F. Biehlman	Stewart Transport	Cargo Ship	2,056	Aug-92	Scuttled 1926
92	81403	W. G. Wilmot	W. G. Wilmot	Tug	150	1892
93	81427	William H. Gratwick	Mitchell S.S. Co	Cargo Ship	2,878	Apr-93	Later Minnekahta 1911, Glenyon 1914, wrecked 1924
94	116558	S. S. Curry	Hawgood & Avery	Cargo Ship	3,260	Jun-93	Later Elmore 1920, P. W. Sherman 1922, , E. G. Mathiott 1927, scrapped 1936
95	92514	Merida	D. Whitney Jr.	Cargo Ship	3,261	Jun-93	Foundered 1916
96	92503	Mary E. McLachlan	C. McLachlan	Cargo Ship	1,394	1893	Sank 1921
97	141272	L. R. Doty	W. A. Hawgood	Cargo Ship	2056	Jun-93	Foundered 1898
98	86261	George Stone	M. A. Bradley	Cargo Ship	1,841	Jul-93	Wrecked 1909
99	136363	Ed McWilliams	Hope Tptn.	Cargo Ship	744	1893	Later Dan Proctor, scuttled 1937
100	126994	Centurion	Hopkins Tptn.	Cargo Ship	3,401	1893	Later Alex B. Uhrig 1920, scrapped 1946
101	27656	Yukon	Forbes & Wilson	Cargo Ship	1,602	1893	Sank 1905
102	120929	Fashion		Tug	29	1893
103	150670	Pleasure	Detroit BJ&W Ferry	Ferry	489	1894	Scrapped 1940
104	92601	Minnie E. Kelton	P. C. Smith	Cargo Ship	632	1894	Later Rochelle 1913, wrecked 1914
105	77170	John J. McWilliams	J. Mitchell	Cargo Ship	3,400	May-95	Later Central West 1916, M. J. Barthelme 1928, wrecked 1928
106	81507	Wapiti		Yacht	83	1895
107	100597	J. Watson Stephenson	Stephenson Tptn.	Cargo Ship	639	1895	Scuttled 1935
108	150705	Penobscot	Eddy Bros. & Co.	Cargo Ship	3,402	Aug-95	Scrapped 1963
109	116676	Silver Spray		Tug	38	1895
110	116684	Simon J. Murphy	Murphy Bros.	Cargo Ship	1,381	Oct-95	Later Melville Dollar 1901, Tallac 1907, wrecked 1920
111	161078	Katahdin	H. W. McCormick	Cargo Ship	1,381	Oct-95	In collision and sank 1918
112	141481	L. C. Waldo	Roby Tptn Co	Cargo Ship	4244	Mar-96	Later Riverton 1916, Mohawk Deer 1944, wrecked 1967
113	127131	City of Bangor	Eddy Bros. & Co.	Cargo Ship	3,690	Mar-96	Wrecked 1926
114	136547	E. W. Oglebay	D. C. Whitney	Cargo Ship	3,666	May-96	Scuttled 1927
115	141432	Lagonda	Etna SS Co.	Cargo Ship	3,647	Jul-96	Scrapped 1958
116	86367	George Stephenson	Bessemer S.S. Co	Cargo Ship	4,584	Oct-96	Scrapped 1963
117	77231	James Nasmyth	Bessemer S.S. Co	Barge	3,422	Aug-96	Later Merle H 1937, Pic River 1949, scrapped 1978
118	116741	Sir Isaac Lothian Bell	Bessemer S.S.Co	Barge	3,418	Oct-96	Later Blanche H 1937, Black River 1949, Tuxpancliffe 1979, scrapped 1983
119	150740	Pere Marquette	Flint & Pere Marquette RR	Ferry	5,580	Feb-97	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	Cargo Ship	1,951	1897
122	11163	Robert W. Wilmot	W. G. Wilmot	Tug	407	1897	To USN 1898 as Potomac (AT 50), sold 1922, deleted 1981
123	81584	William H. Brown	W. H. Brown & Co	Tug	470	Nov-97	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-98	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	Cargo Ship	1,043	Jul-99	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.	Psgr. Ship	1,820	Dec-01	Subcontracted to Craig SB, later Admiral Evans 1914, scrapped 1936
129	81788	Watson	United Fruit SS Co.	Psgr. Ship	1,820	Dec-01	Subcontracted to Craig SB, later 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-00	Subcontract from Cleveland SB, scrapped 1961
40	81702	William Edenborn	Pittsburgh S.S. Co.	Laker	5,085	Jun-00	Subcontract from Cleveland SB, scrapped 1962
600	117033	A. D. Werner	Calumet Transportation	Barge	2,279	Apr-01	Scrapped 1950
601	107635	A. W. Thompson	Calumet Transportation	Barge	2,279	Apr-01	Scrapped 1920
602	141717	Lake Shore	J. C. Gilchrist	Laker	3,871	Jun-01	Later Indys 1913, Altadoc 1926, wrecked 1927
603	86569	Gilchrist	J. C. Gilchrist	Laker	3,871	Jun-01	Later Lupus 1913, Prindoc 1926, sank 1943
604	136977	Etruria	Robert B. Wallace	Laker	4,744	Apr-02	In collision and sank 1905
605	3925	Bransford	H. A. Hawgood	Laker	4,744	Apr-02	Later John H. McLean 1916, Clifford F. Hood 1944, scrapped 1974
606	141793	L. C. Smith	United States Tptn.	Laker	4,744	May-02	Later Sweden 1916, scrapped 1961
607	107778	A. E. Stewart	A. E. Stewart	Laker	3,943	Jul-02	Later Glenorchy 1919, sank after collision 1924
608	86667	G. Watson French	C. W. Elphicke	Laker	3,883	Apr-03	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-03	Later William F. Rapprich 1924, Sinaloa 1928, Stonefax 1960, scrapped 1971
610	117266	Sonoma	Duluth S.S. Co	Laker	4,539	Jun-03	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-03	Later Cepheus 1913, Mantadoc 1926, R. G. Sanderson 1963, scrapped 1983
612	200479	J. L. Weeks	Gilchrist Tptn Co	Laker	4,551	Nov-03	Later Corvus 1913, scrapped 1950
613	201840	Sylvania	Duluth S.S. Co	Laker	6,272	Apr-05	Later D. M. Philbin 1915, Sylvania 1930, scrapped 1983
614	202088	Socapa	Superior S.S. Co	Laker	6,272	Jun-05	Later George G. Barnum 1915, Hennepin 1937, scrapped 1975
615	202443	Henry C. Frick	Pittsburgh S.S. Co	Laker	6,490	Sep-05	Later Michipicoten 1964, scrapped 1972
616	202867	James B. Wood	Gilchrist Tptn Co	Laker	7,159	Mar-06	Later Arcturus 1913, sank under tow 1962
617	202910	John Sherwin	Gilchrist Tptn Co	Laker	7,159	Mar-06	Later Saturn 1958, George M. Steinbrenner 1958, Kinsman Venture 1969, scuttled 1970
618	203184	Charles Weston	Tonawanda Transit	Laker	6,996	Jun-06	Later J. Leonard Replogle 1916, Saucon 1925, scrapped 1950
619	203507	Daniel J. Morrell	Cambria S.S.Co	Laker	7,239	Sep-06	Broke in two and sank 1966
620	203658	James S. Dunham	Chicago Nav Co	Laker	4,795	Nov-06	Later Lynford E. Geer 1926, Otto M. Reiss 1934, scrapped 1972
621	203974	General Garretson	Wilson Transit Co.	Laker	6,765	Apr-07	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-07	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	Jul-07	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	Jul-08	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	Jun-08	Later N. F. Leopold 1912, E. J. Block 1944, scrapped 1987

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