The MAGGIE, formerly known as ONEIDA, was a river barge that was in service from 1883 to 1902. Originally, it had a gross tonnage of 375 tons and a register tonnage of 319.44 tons. It measured 134.5 feet in length and had a capacity of 18,000 bushels. The barge did not have any masts and featured a round stern design.
The ONEIDA, as it was originally named, was built by Henry Roney at Garden Island, Ontario, and was launched on April 24, 1869. It had two masts and a round stern. In 1874, it received a rating of 1 and was valued at $9,000. By 1878, its rating remained 1, but its value decreased to $7,000. In 1884, it obtained a rating of B1, which was upgraded to A2 in 1890, with a value of $8,000.
The ONEIDA became a vessel of the St. Lawrence & Chicago Forwarding Co. by 1870. In June 1881, the barge ran aground in the Sault rapids near Dickinson’s Landing, Ontario, resulting in damage to four frames and the bottom. Some of its cargo of 19,000 bushels had to be jettisoned, while the rest, which became wet, was later sold in Buffalo, New York. The ONEIDA was later refloated and towed to Kingston by the St. Lawrence and Chicago Forwarding Co., and subsequently repaired with a new stern in 1882. When the Montreal Transportation Co. took over the St. Lawrence and Chicago Forwarding Co. in 1883, the ONEIDA came under their ownership and was involved in the coal trade out of Oswego, New York, that year.
In 1884-1885, the ONEIDA underwent rebuilding and lengthening, and it was renamed MAGGIE during its relaunch on June 20, 1885. Its bottom was caulked in 1891. The barge was sold in 1902, and the Montreal Transportation Co. stated that it was “on hand but of no value” at that time. From 1904 to 1914, the owner of the MAGGIE was Alex Laplante of Lachine, Quebec. From 1915 to 1918, the owner was P.C. Bonham of Montreal. The barge foundered off Presque Isle, Michigan, in Lake Huron in 1918 while carrying iron ore. However, it was not officially removed from the register until December 10, 1937.
The ONEIDA barge was renamed in honor of John Gaskin’s eldest daughter, Margaret (“Maggie”), who was born in 1869.
Sources:
- J. Gaskin Letter Book 1884-86
- Montreal Transportation Co. Annual Directors’ Report 1902
- Montreal Transportation Co. Barge Accounts 1900
- Montreal Transportation Co. Kingston Grain Ledgers 6 November 1899-1 November 1900, 1 Jan-1 November 1900, 24 Apr-22 June 1900, 5 Oct-28 Dec 1900, 14 June-24 November 1901, 29 June-6 Dec 1901
- Alpena Public Library Great Lakes Maritime Database
- Association of Canadian Lake Underwriters Marine Register 1874
- Board of Lake Underwriters Lake Vessel Register 1878
- Canada List of Shipping 1877, 1895, 1910, 1912, 1915, and
1918
- Canadian Heritage Ship Information Database
- Directory of the Marine Interests of the Great Lakes 1884
- Inland Lloyd’s Vessel Register Canadian Hulls 1892 and 1897
- Marine Museum of the Great Lakes Canadian Ship Registers online
- Mercantile Navy List 1892, 1904, 1907, 1911, and 1914
- Mills Barges and Scows Before 1890
- Swainson A Shipping Empire: Garden Island
- British Whig 10 and 24 May, 10 and 23 June 1881, 14 March 1882, 16 June, 6 October and 20 November 1883, 2 May, 31 October and 19 November 1884, 4 March and 19 June 1885
- Kingston Daily News 23 April, 5 July, and 18 August 1869, 19 December 1870, 17 July 1873, 21 May 1874, 27 June 1876
- Marine Record 7 April 1887
- Marine Review 24 March 1898
