IDENTIFICATION & SITE INFORMATION #
VESSEL TYPE DESCRIPTION #
The W.S. CARKIN was a wooden canal tug designed for towing and assisting larger vessels through the narrow and often treacherous waters of the Great Lakes and nearby canals. Built in 1874, the tug was typical of its era, featuring a single screw propulsion system driven by a modest 1-cylinder engine. These tugs were essential to the bustling maritime trade of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, helping to maneuver ships through ports, canals, and along coastal routes.
HISTORY #
The W.S. CARKIN was built in 1874 by Chesley Wheeler in East Saginaw, Michigan, and was first enrolled in Port Huron on November 11, 1875, under the ownership of R.J. Cram. The vessel served as a reliable towboat, assisting larger ships and navigating the canals and harbors of the Great Lakes region. On March 24, 1887, ownership of the tug transferred to L.L. Johnson.
FINAL DISPOSITION #
On November 23, 1887, the W.S. CARKIN met its first significant disaster when it struck a reef near Presque Isle, Michigan, on Lake Huron during heavy weather. The vessel was wrecked, declared a total loss, and its enrollment was surrendered on March 31, 1888.
However, the story of this tug did not end there. In 1896, the wrecked tug was rebuilt, enlarged, and renamed P.B. McNAUGHTON. The newly christened tug was operated by Pliny B. McNaughton and later transferred to Canadian registry in 1916 under the ownership of C.E. Millard of Sarnia, Ontario. The vessel continued its service, even after a minor collision with a barge in the Bay of Quinte in 1916.
In 1918, the P.B. McNAUGHTON was sold to the Montreal Transportation Co. for $10,500. It changed hands again in 1921, when it was sold to the Harrigan Tug Line as part of a package deal, and subsequently renamed JOSEPH H. in 1922.
The final chapter of this tug’s life came on December 5, 1924, when the JOSEPH H. and another small tug, HOME RULE, were wrecked near Port Colborne, Ontario. The tugs were pushed against a reef by the bulk carrier MIDLAND PRINCE, leading to their destruction.
LOCATED BY & DATE #
The wreck of the JOSEPH H. (formerly W.S. CARKIN and P.B. McNAUGHTON) near Port Colborne has not been widely documented in terms of diving or exploration, and its exact location may remain elusive.
CURRENT CONDITION & ACCESSIBILITY #
Given the history of the JOSEPH H., it is likely that the wreck is in a deteriorated state, possibly scattered along the reef where it met its end in 1924. The wreck would be of interest to maritime historians and divers familiar with the Great Lakes’ shipwrecks.
RESOURCES & LINKS #
- Great Lakes Maritime Database
- A comprehensive source of information on the vessels of the Great Lakes, including tugs like the W.S. CARKIN.
- Great Lakes Maritime Database
- Montreal Transportation Company Records
- Historical records and annual reports detailing the operations and fleet changes of the Montreal Transportation Co., including details about the P.B. McNAUGHTON.
- Available through archives and historical societies.
- Wrecksite EU
- An extensive resource for shipwreck data worldwide, including the Great Lakes region.
- Wrecksite EU
- Library and Archives Canada
- For details on the Canadian registry of the P.B. McNAUGHTON and other maritime records.
- Library and Archives Canada
