PORTER CHAMBERLAIN U150067

The Porter Chamberlin was a steambarge built in 1874 in Marine City, Michigan. It had a wooden hull, a single deck, and was constructed by A.P. Kenyon. The original owners of the vessel were John Chamberlin, Robert Holland, and others from China, Michigan, under the company name “China Transportation Co.”

The steambarge had one mast and was primarily used for transporting cargo. It had a length of 134 feet, a beam of 26 feet, and a depth of 10.8 feet. The Porter Chamberlin had a gross tonnage of 257.32.

The vessel underwent various ownership changes throughout its history. In 1876, it was owned by Star Line Steamers in Detroit, Michigan. On June 7, 1876, it was rebuilt with two decks for the ore trade, increasing its gross tonnage to 387.08.

On April 14, 1881, ownership of the Porter Chamberlin transferred to Lucius P. Mason and Gurdon Corning in East Saginaw, Michigan. It was rebuilt again, this time with one deck, for the lumber trade in 1882. On April 4, 1883, it was measured again and had a gross tonnage of 276.30 and a net tonnage of 213.10.

The vessel changed owners multiple times. On February 2, 1888, it was owned by Comstock & Churchill and others in Alpena, Michigan. In 1890, it received a 8’6″ x 15′, 125# firebox boiler built by J. McGregor & Co. in Detroit. It was measured again on April 23, 1890, with a gross tonnage of 279.54 and a net tonnage of 204.96. Steel arches were added in September 1890.

The Porter Chamberlin was primarily involved in the lumber trade during the 1890s. On May 2, 1898, ownership transferred to W.L. & H.D. Churchill in Alpena. On March 31, 1899, it was owned by Lillian A. Smith in Ecorse, Michigan, and James McLarity in Detroit.

On November 11, 1901, the Porter Chamberlin and the consort barge H.J. Webb both stranded on a reef and burned off Dartsch Island in Georgian Bay, Lake Huron. The vessel’s final documents were surrendered in Detroit, Michigan, on November 25, 1901.