Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Nellie US 18626
- Type: Propeller Steam Tug / Towboat
- Year Built: 1868
- Builder: William Crosthwaite
- Dimensions: 63 ft × 13.5 ft beam × 9 ft depth
- Registered Tonnage: 34.48
- Location: Saginaw, Michigan
- Official Number: 18626
- Original Owners: William H. Tonn & Charles Mays, D. N. Shoemaker, Ann Mays
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
(Propeller Steam Tug / Towboat)
Description
Official Number: 18626
Built: 1868, Bangor, Mich — by William Crosthwaite
Original Owners: William H. Tonn & Charles Mays, Bay City, MI
Hull: Wood (single-deck)
Power & Propulsion:
- Propeller screw
- 38 HP steam engine
- One propeller
Gross Tonnage: 34.48
History
Service & Ownership History
| Date | Owner | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 29 Jul 1868 | Enrolled at Port Huron | Official enrollment to Tonn & Mays |
| 16 Oct 1868 | Owned by D. N. Shoemaker | Bay City, MI |
| 26 Apr 1869 | Owned by Ann Mays | Bay City, MI |
| 1870 | Sunk near Saginaw, MI | Temporary sinking; details unrecorded |
| 1874 | Listed as NELLIE MAYO | Name variant in registries |
| 1875 | Burned at Saginaw, MI | Destroyed by fire; documentation surrendered in 1878 |
Significant Incidents
Significant Incidents
- Incident: Burned—total loss—in Saginaw, Michigan, Lake Huron during 1875
- Documentation: Enrollment officially surrendered in Port Huron in December 1878 (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
- Casualties: No records indicate any loss of life
Final Disposition
Final Disposition
- Incident: Burned—total loss—in Saginaw, Michigan, Lake Huron during 1875
- Documentation: Enrollment officially surrendered in Port Huron in December 1878 (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
- Casualties: No records indicate any loss of life
Current Condition & Accessibility
Current Condition & Accessibility
No known wreckage remains; likely dismantled or removed post-fire.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”nellie-us-18626-nellie-mays-nellie-mayo” title=”References & Links”]
Summary
- Built: 1868, wharfing tug for Bay City entrepreneurs
- Career: Ownership changes and small incident (sinking) prior to final loss
- Final Loss: Burned and declared a total loss in Saginaw, 1875
- Documentation: Formal abandonment recognized by 1878 surrender
- No Known Wreckage: Likely dismantled or removed post-fire
Legacy Notes & Full Historical Record
This section preserves the original unedited Shotline content for this wreck so that no historical detail is lost as we transition to the new logbook format.
(Propeller Steam Tug / Towboat)
Official Number: 18626
Built: 1868, Bangor, Mich — by William Crosthwaite
Original Owners: William H. Tonn & Charles Mays, Bay City, MI
Hull: Wood (single-deck)
Power & Propulsion:
- Propeller screw
- 38 HP steam engine
- One propeller
Dimensions: 63 ft × 13.5 ft beam × 9 ft depth
Gross Tonnage: 34.48
Service & Ownership History
| Date | Owner | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 29 Jul 1868 | Enrolled at Port Huron | Official enrollment to Tonn & Mays |
| 16 Oct 1868 | Owned by D. N. Shoemaker | Bay City, MI |
| 26 Apr 1869 | Owned by Ann Mays | Bay City, MI |
| 1870 | Sunk near Saginaw, MI | Temporary sinking; details unrecorded |
| 1874 | Listed as NELLIE MAYO | Name variant in registries |
| 1875 | Burned at Saginaw, MI | Destroyed by fire; documentation surrendered in 1878 |
Final Disposition
- Incident: Burned—and thus a total loss—in Saginaw, Michigan, Lake Huron during 1875
- Documentation: Enrollment officially surrendered in Port Huron in December 1878 (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
- Casualties: No records indicate any loss of life
Archival Source
- Entry from Great Lakes Shipwreck Files: “MAYS … tug, wood. … 1868 built … Date of loss: 1875. Place of loss: at Saginaw. Lake: Huron. Type of loss: fire.” (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
Significance & Research Opportunities
This tug offers an early example of small steam-powered workboats operating out of Bay City/Saginaw in the late 19th century. Key research leads include:
- Enrollment Records
- HCGL and U.S. Bureau of Navigation files could confirm masters’ names and clarify the “NELLIE MAYO” alias.
- Newspaper Accounts
- Search Saginaw Courier (1875) and Bay City Tribune for fire incident reports.
- Port Logs
- Port Saginaw and Port Huron records may include fire incident descriptions, salvage notes, or valuation details.
Summary
- Built: 1868, whareeng tug for Bay City entrepreneurs
- Career: Ownership changes and small incident (sinking) prior to final loss
- Final Loss: Burned and declared a total loss in Saginaw, 1875
- Documentation: Formal abandonment recognized by 1878 surrender
- No Known Wreckage: Likely dismantled or removed post-fire