FRANK W. WHEELER & CO.

West Bay City MI

Most recent update: April 29, 2016.
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.
Hull # O.N. Original Name Original Owner Type GT Feet 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