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