Grafton Boat Works, Grafton IL
(formerly Rippley Boat Company)
Most recent update: May 20, 2014.
Grafton Boat Works was started in 1892 by George, Frank and Will Rippley as the Rippley Hardware Company. In 1910 they changed the name to the Rippley Boat Company and in World War I produced more than a thousand lifeboats. In 1921, it was sold to Samuel Edwards and R. F. Purdy and the name was changed to the Mid-West Boat and Barge Company, but this did not last long and in 1923 it was sold again, to Everett Fry, who renamed it Grafton Boat Works. Apart from building towboats and other vessels for the commercial market, this yard also produced, in the late 50s and early 60s, the SteelKing line of sturdy recreational boats, and in the late 60s and early 70s, almost 100 riverine-warfare craft for service in Vietnam. The company closed in 1978. The yard was at 400 Front Street, at the foot of Cherry Street, where the Loading Dock is now: see the site from the air on Google here. If anyone can add to the table below, please e-mail me at timcolton@aol.com
Hull # O.N. Name Owner Type GT Built Disposition Built by Rippley Boat Company na Marion Corps of Engineers Towboat 84d 1895 na Zeta Corps of Engineers Dredge 748d 1898 na Iota Corps of Engineers Dredge 800d 1900 218856 Fannie Charles Kram Passenger 8 1901 81783 Wanderer J. W. Linton Freighter 11 1901 na Henry Flad Corps of Engineers Dredge 834d 1901 na B. M. Harrod Corps of Engineers Dredge 1,082d 1907 Des Moines Okoboji SS Co. Passenger 1908 Hull only, shipped by rail to Okoboji and assembled there; scrapped 1929 205563 Nina 2 J. Preston Lewis Passenger 13 1908 205843 Angeline II Yacht 13 1908 207678 Hustler Greenville Bridge & Ferry Co. Passenger 9 1910 210223 Nixona R. G. Stumpe Passenger 10 1910 215072 Pontiac Starved Rock Scenic Boat Co. Passenger 10 1910 Now William L. Huse 215073 War Chief Starved Rock Scenic Boat Co. Passenger 10 1910 Sioux City Okoboji SS Co. Passenger 1911 Hull only, shipped by rail to Okoboji and assembled there; scrapped 1942 212073 Kate John L. Cummins Passenger 11 1911 na Mayon Corps of Engineers Dredge 275d 1912 209866 Uncle Sam Ayer & Lord Passenger 8 1912 211368 Irene George M. A. Fries Passenger 9 1913 213591 Margery 3 George E. Gurd Towboat 39 1915 214531 Redwing Northern Ohio Cooperage Passenger 9 1913 168209 12 Mile James S. Wilson Psgr. Barge 8 1914 219040 Cheyenne John A. Smith Ferry 35 1914 na Le Claire Corps of Engineers Towboat 243d 1915 na Minneapolis Corps of Engineers Towboat 235d 1915 na Muscatine Corps of Engineers Towboat 243d 1915 na Nauvoo Corps of Engineers Towboat 240d 1915 216931 Mallard Herbert Bennett Towboat 16 1915 217082 Leonard Quincy Steamboat Co. Towboat 22 1915 168530 Mary Emma McCann Ferry 11 1916 Passenger 1918 Now The Ark Built by Mid-West Boat & Barge Company 167976 Bessie Charles Kram Psgr. Barge 8 168210 Clara Helen Shellabarger Psgr. Barge 8 1921 168681 Dorothy Herman Pohlman Psgr. Barge 19 1923 222748 H. S. Hennen Mo. Valley Bridge Co, Towboat 35 1923 222881 Addie May Thebes Ferry Ferry 29 1923 Later Belle of Prairie du Chien, sank 1996 223522 King Fisher Margaret C. Carrigan Freighter 39 1923 Built by Grafton Boat Works 223829 Grafton Ferry W. H. Shafer Ferry 39 1924 224455 Lorrene McGregor Ferry Co. Ferry 32 1925 224381 Ky-Ill George Muscovalley Passenger 43 1925 224592 Ella Fort Gage-Kaskaskia Ferry Co. Ferry 25 1925 224780 Rover E. B. Holliday Passenger 50 1925 229032 Belle of Chester Robert M. Groh Passenger 64 1929 229079 H. P. Treadway Kansas City Bridge Co. Towboat 74 1929 229187 Kennett Dillman Dillman Industries Passenger 152 1929 Later Tom Nugent, The Captain, Captain Dave, Captain H, Papa Joe, NLD 231674 Governor McClurg Stephen Desbien Passenger 76 1932 Active 515371 Jaydee Deere Inc. Recreational 80 1955 Now River Explorer 46 282671 Alicia II Alwal B. Moore Recreational 35 1956 NLD 110 284117 Big Iron Economy Boat Store Towboat 51 1960 Now Denny Angel 500387 Captain's Lady George C. Silzer Recreational 41 1962 Active na Peoria Corps of Engineers Towboat 1964 Active 333 953789 Elemar South Coast Inc 13 1965 NLD 348 671336 Barrie Wood Arrow Launch Service Passenger 29 1965 Later Destiny, now Sealth Arrow 500323 Annie B Michael Erb Fishing Vessel 81 1965 Now Kingsway 360 508353 Reddy K Monongahela Power Towboat 28 1966 Later Denise L. G., now Hard Hat 377 509675 Intrepid Baltimore City Police Dept. Towboat 26 1967 NLD na Kimmswick Corps of Engineers Towboat 1967 Active 1137609 SWL 6906 West Delta Operating Offshore Supply 32 1968 Later Dolphin II, Kat I, now Arkoma 397 523937 Bryce M II K & G Crane & Marine Towboat 33 1969 Active 400 517882 John Alexa Joliet Harbor Tugs Towboat 143 1969 Now William C 521499 Piper Soule Construction Towboat 13 1969 Now Jillian Rae na 24UB 6801 to 16 US Navy LSSC 1969 16 boats na 56CM 6801 to 55 US Navy LCM 1969 55 boats na Of the 55 LCMs, the following ten are known to have had later lives: 592649 56CM 6810 US Navy LCM 45 1969 Now freighter Saltery Provider 1053101 56CM 6815 US Navy LCM 45 1969 Now Beachcomber 978652 56CM 6817 US Navy LCM 45 1969 Later Ship Care I, now Parker I 621472 56CM 6820 US Navy LCM 45 1969 Later fishing vessel Drover, NLD 1056156 56CM 6833 US Navy LCM 45 1969 Now freighter Island Supplier 1207532 56CM 6839 US Navy LCM 45 1969 Later freighter Mudpuppy, NLD 1249181 56CM 6843 US Navy LCM 45 1969 Now tug Multi Mo 695760 56CM 6849 US Navy LCM 45 1969 Now fishing vessel Rocky Neck II 991313 56CM 6854 US Navy LCM 45 1969 Later freighter Sunshine XII, now Akuluraq 1031175 56CM 6855 US Navy LCM 45 1969 Later freighter Wadleigh Transport, NLD na 26UB 7001 to 22 US Navy LSSC 1971 22 boats na Person Corps of Engineers Towboat 1970 Now J. Gene Crump 1170933 Prairie du Rocher Corps of Engineers Towboat 24 1970 Sold 2005 as Lady Potasa na Rock Island Corps of Engineers Towboat 1970 Active na Grand Tower Corps of Engineers Towboat 1970 Sold na Beardstown Corps of Engineers Towboat 1971 Active na Sangamon Corps of Engineers Towboat 1972 Active na Stephenson Corps of Engineers Towboat 1972 Active 1124862 Lady Margaret Scott Carter Research Vessel 23 1971 Active 533 1219310 Lil Willie Peninsular Bay Enterprises 13 1971 Active 536 540209 Elvis H Mar Kel Marine Industries Towboat 20 1972 Active 538 541243 Howard W. Fitzpatrick MassPort Fireboat 133 1971 NLD 543 1245497 Laurie Ann R. B. Lyons, Inc. Towboat 25 1971 Active 548 535931 Andrea M Evansville Materials Towboat 24 1971 Active 536876 Three Aces McKinnon Bridge Co. Towboat 17 1972 Active 538986 Firefighter City of Boston Fireboat 125 1972 Active 543171 Arlene Bodwell Family LP Towboat 38 1972 Now Ugh The Tug 544997 Wm. L. Newman Municipal Power & Light Towboat 21 1972 Active 568 546165 H. C. S. Dixie Henderson County Sand Towboat 33 1973 Active 573 553218 Roberta J Evansville Materials Towboat 32 1973 Active 559332 Joey-Trish Hennepin Towing Towboat 122 1975 Active 561873 Lewis A. Enlow A.C.B.L. Towboat 214 1974 Active 586 561874 Warren E Bourgeois A.C.B.L. Towboat 214 1974 Later A. C. Shelton, now Nova H. Louis 562137 Sir William Canton Marine Towing Towboat 42 1974 Active 566622 Rusty Barrilleaux A.C.B.L. Towboat 214 1975 Active 567809 Scout I Door County Cruises Towboat 93 1975 Now Kimberly Selvick 568630 James E. Philpott A.C.B.L. Towboat 214 1975 Active 593 570081 Bill Froreich A.C.B.L. Towboat 214 1975 Now Zeland M. Deloach, Jr. 575251 D. O. Donham A.C.B.L. Towboat 214 1976 Active 577475 Lenward Stephens A.C.B.L. Towboat 214 1976 Active 582087 Delmar Jaeger A.C.B.L. Towboat 214 1977 Active 599 572722 Iron Charger Ohio Barge Line Towboat 245 1976 Later Bud Operle, Kenny New, now Tiny Sanderson 600 579635 Iron Pacer Ohio Barge Line Towboat 245 1977 Later Ray Gee, NLD 601 586734 Iron Traveler Ohio Barge Line Towboat 245 1977 Now Capt. O. A. Franks 609 580797 Chris K Kelly's Harbor Service Towboat 43 1977 Active 614 594672 RWFF 1 Radcliff Marine Services Tank Barge 565 1978 NLD