Nellie US 18626 (Nellie Mays, Nellie Mayo)

Explore the history of the Nellie, a steam tug that met its end in a fire in 1875, offering insights into 19th-century maritime operations.

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
Dimensions: 63 ft × 13.5 ft beam × 9 ft depth
Gross Tonnage: 34.48

History

Service & Ownership History

DateOwnerNotes
29 Jul 1868Enrolled at Port HuronOfficial enrollment to Tonn & Mays
16 Oct 1868Owned by D. N. ShoemakerBay City, MI
26 Apr 1869Owned by Ann MaysBay City, MI
1870Sunk near Saginaw, MITemporary sinking; details unrecorded
1874Listed as NELLIE MAYOName variant in registries
1875Burned at Saginaw, MIDestroyed 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
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Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.

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