MAPLEGORGE C111966

History #

The IONIA, a steam screw vessel, was launched on June 18, 1890, at Duncan Robertson’s shipyard in Grand Haven. The ship was built for Duncan Robertson, banker Nelson Howlett, and Captain W.H. Loutit, all from Grand Haven. Measuring 209 feet in length, 38 feet in width, and 19 feet in depth, it had a gross tonnage of 1,424 tons and a net tonnage of 984 tons. The IONIA was powered by a locally-built fore & aft compound steam engine, measuring 21.5-46″ x 42″, and a firebox boiler measuring 11.5′ x 15″, both constructed in Michigan.

The vessel embarked on its maiden trip on July 22, 1890, carrying ore from Escanaba to Ashtabula. However, on October 3, 1890, in dense fog near the Waugoshance light, the IONIA collided with the stern of the steamer Monteagle. The damage was severe, and the ship was initially believed to be a total loss. Despite the extent of the damage, the IONIA managed to reach Mackinaw City, where it underwent repairs at the Milwaukee Ship Yard Company. The keel, port planking, and framing had to be straightened using turnbuckles, jacks, and lines. The keel was shifted thirteen inches to port, and the upper hull moved over two feet to port. The damaged planking was replaced beyond the pilothouse, and the bow was rebuilt.

Despite the setback, the IONIA continued its service. In 1912, it was sold to Hepburn Brothers in Canada and renamed FAIRFAX. It later became part of Canada Steamship Lines in 1916 and was renamed MAPLEGORGE in May 1920. After the 1920 season, the ship appears to have been withdrawn from service and laid up in Kingston. In 1925, the vessel was dismantled, and its remains were scuttled off Amherst Island southwest of Kingston, along with other retired steamers, as part of a waterfront cleanup.

According to various sources, the vessel was listed under different names and registrations. In the “List of Vessels on Registry Books of the Dominion of Canada on the 31st Day of December, 1920,” it is listed as the propeller MAPLEGORGE with the official Canadian number 111966. It was built in Grand Haven, Michigan, in 1890 and had a gross tonnage of 1,367 tons and a registered tonnage of 1,019 tons. The vessel was owned by Canada Steamship Lines and had Picton, Ontario, as its home port. It was formerly known as FAIRFAX.

The Herman Runge List also mentions the IONIA, which was renamed FAIRFAX in 1912 and MAPLEGORGE in 1920. According to the U.S. Merchant Vessel List of 1891, the IONIA had a gross tonnage of 1,287.34 tons and measured 209.2 feet in length, 38.1 feet in width, and 18.3 feet in depth.

Additional information obtained from the Historical Collections of the Great Lakes (HCGL) provides details about the vessel’s history. The IONIA underwent several rebuilds over the years, including one in Detroit in 1903, which resulted in changes to its dimensions and tonnage. In 1912, it underwent Canadian measures and had a gross tonnage of 1,424 tons and a registered tonnage of 984 tons. Finally, the IONIA was dismantled in Kingston in 1925 and sunk in Lake Ontario.

Overall, the IONIA, later known as the FAIRFAX and MAPLEGORGE, had a remarkable history of service, repairs, and ownership changes before meeting its final fate as a scuttled wreck in Lake Ontario.