BENDIXSEN SHIPBUILDING
Fairhaven CA
Most recent update:
January 11, 2017.
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 send your info to
timcolton@aol.com
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