Site Description
History
The John R. Parson, initially registered on November 23, 1891, in Cape Vincent, NY, underwent several transformations throughout its history. It was rebuilt in Cape Vincent on April 27, 1893, with new dimensions of 92.58 x 21.33 x 9.33 and a tonnage of 122.76 gross and 116.63 net. Later, on August 8, 1895, its rig was changed to a propeller, with dimensions of 118 x 21.33 x 9 and a tonnage of 180.48 gross and 122.93 net. The vessel was rebuilt once again on May 21, 1897, with modified dimensions of 118 x 21.33 x 11 and a tonnage of 203.52 gross and 138.40 net. Finally, on August 31, 1905, the rig was changed to an unrigged barge, with a tonnage of 203 gross and 203 net.
In its early years, the John R. Parson was a schooner owned by E. Phelps of Chaumont, NY. It was recorded as a 115 gross ton vessel built in Chaumont in 1891. The Inland Lloyds Vessel Register of 1892 noted it as a schooner of 109 tons (new tonnage) built in Chaumont by Phelps in 1892. Its owner, F. Phelps, hailed from Chaumont, and the vessel had a value of $5,500 and a Class A1 rating.
The vessel’s official number was 76999, and it had a gross tonnage of 122.76 tons and a net tonnage of 116.63 tons. Built in 1891 at Chaumont, NY, it was registered in Cape Vincent as its home port. Later records listed the John R. Parson as both a schooner and a steamer with varying tonnages.
Unfortunately, the John R. Parson met a tragic end. On November 29, 1913, with three crew members aboard, the vessel foundered in Lake Ontario near Oswego, NY. This loss marked the conclusion of its journey.
The information provided is a historical record of a vessel named “John S. Parsons,” which underwent various changes and incidents from 1891 to 1914. The vessel was initially a schooner of 115 gross tons built in Chaumont, N. Y. in 1891, owned by E. Phelps of Chaumont, N. Y.
Over the years, the vessel underwent modifications, changing from a schooner to a steam barge with different tonnages, gross and net. It was owned by various individuals and companies, such as F. Phelps, D. C. Wheeler, and the Peoples Milling Co., all from Chaumont, N. Y., and homeported at Cape Vincent, N. Y.
Unfortunately, there were also incidents recorded during the vessel’s history. On December 8, 1910, while being a barge with four people on board, it stranded on Rock Shoal in the St. Lawrence River, resulting in the vessel becoming a total loss. Later, on November 29, 1913, the vessel foundered in Lake Ontario near Oswego, N. Y., with three people on board.
Sources and External Links #
- Beesons Inland Marine Guide, 1892
- Inland Lloyds Vessel Register, 1892 (Supplement No. 3, July 1, 1892)
- List of Merchant Vessels of the United States of America, 1892
- Inland Lloyds Vessel Register, 1893
- Inland Lloyds Vessel Register, 1894
- List of Merchant Vessels of the United States of America, 1894
- List of Merchant Vessels of the United States of America, 1895
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes Website
- Blue Book of American Shipping, 1896 (double entries?)
- List of Merchant Vessels of the United States of America, 1896
- List of Merchant Vessels of the United States of America, 1897
- Inland Lloyds Vessel Register, 1897
- List of Merchant Vessels of the United States of America, 1898
- Blue Book of American Shipping, 1898 (double entries?)
- Blue Book of American Shipping, 1899
- List of Merchant Vessels of the United States of America, 1899
- List of Merchant Vessels of the United States of America, 1900
- List of Merchant Vessels of the United States of America, 1901
- Inland Lloyds Vessel Register, 1901
- List of Merchant Vessels of the United States of America, 1902
- Inland Lloyds Vessel Register, 1903
- List of Merchant Vessels of the United States of America, 1903
- Inland Lloyds Vessel Register, 1904
- List of Merchant Vessels of the United States of America, 1904
- List of Unrigged Merchant Vessels of The United States of America, 1906
- Blue Book of American Shipping, 1907
- Inland Lloyds Vessel Register, 1907
- List of Unrigged Merchant Vessels of The United States of America, 1909
- Blue Book of American Shipping, 1910
- Blue Book of American Shipping, 1911
- Loss of U.S. Vessels on the Great Lakes, Merchant Vessel List, 1911
- List of Unrigged Merchant Vessels of The United States of America, 1913
- Loss of Unrigged Merchant Vessels of The United States of America, 1914
