Bailey Brothers

The Bailey Brothers were prominent shipbuilders in the mid-19th century, contributing significantly to maritime construction on the Great Lakes. Their operations began in 1864 with the establishment of a shipyard at the foot of Ash Street in Toledo, Ohio. Prior to this, they had built vessels in Madison Dock, Ohio; Rochester, New York; and Fairport, Ohio. Their inaugural project in Toledo was the side-wheel steamer George W. Reynolds in 1864. 

Over the years, the Bailey Brothers constructed several notable vessels, including:

• Caroline E. Bailey: Built in 1855.
• Reed Case: Built in 1869, measuring 137 feet in length with a gross tonnage of 330 tons. 
• George Adams: Built in 1875, it was one of the largest vessels on the lakes at the time, measuring 231.4 feet in length with a gross tonnage of 1,443 tons. 
• David Dows: Built in 1881, this five-masted schooner was notable for its size, measuring 265.4 feet in length with a gross tonnage of 1,418 tons. 
• Bessie Smith was a large, three-masted schooner-barge, a common type of vessel used for bulk transport on the Great Lakes. Schooner-barges were originally built with sails but later used primarily as towed vessels behind steam-powered tugboats or freighters. This allowed more cargo to be carried at a lower cost, since the barges did not need engines or large crews. Given its large size and high tonnage, the Bessie Smith was one of the newer, high-capacity schooner-barges designed for hauling heavy cargoes like iron ore, coal, and lumber
• Tarry Not was a wooden schooner, commonly used for bulk cargo transport across the Great Lakes during the mid-19th century. Schooners like this were versatile workhorses, efficiently handling cargoes such as lumber, grain, coal, and general goods, making them the backbone of regional maritime commerce. Built by Bailey Bros. of Charlotte, New York, the TARRY NOT featured a typical schooner rig designed for the often unpredictable conditions of the Great Lakes. Her size and tonnage indicate she was suitable for both coastal and long-haul voyages, for servicing ports along Lake Erie and the Upper Lakes.
• The John Wesley was a two-masted wooden schooner, a common vessel type on the Great Lakes during the 19th century. Schooners were the workhorses of the lakes, designed to transport bulk cargo such as lumber, grain, coal, and iron ore. Their fore-and-aft rigging allowed for better maneuverability, especially in the variable wind conditions of the Great Lakes, and made them economical to operate with smaller crews.

Their shipyard was active during a transformative period in maritime history, transitioning from sail to steam-powered vessels. The Bailey Brothers’ contributions to shipbuilding were integral to the development of maritime commerce on the Great Lakes.