1906 Ishpeming 1976
Steel Great Lakes bulk freighter
Built at Ecorse MI by Great Lakes Engineering Works, Hull 21
Launched June 30, 1906
550’ LOA, 530’ LBP, 56’ beam, 31’ depth
1 deck, arch cargo hold construction, hatches @ 12’, coal-fired boilers, triple expansion engine, 1700 IHP
Enrolled at Detroit MI July 27, 1906 (#9)
530.0 x 56.2 x 32.0, 6924 GT, 5476 NT US 203364 to:
Great Lakes Engineering Works
Reenrolled at Detroit MI Aug 4, 1906 (Temp #12) to:
Grand Island Steamship Co., Cleveland OH, Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Co., Mgr. (home port to Grand Island MI)
Entered service Aug 1906
Permanent enrollment at Marquette MI Aug 8, 1906 (#6)
Fleet transferred 1919 to Cleveland-Cliffs Steamship Co., Cleveland OH (home port to Fairport OH)
Remeasured 1930 to 538.4 x 56.2 x 27.3, 7015 GT, 5592 NT
Home port to Wilmington DE 1932
Repowered 1951 with steam turbine engine and boilers converted to oil firing.
Laid up at Toledo OH at end of 1960 season and did not operate again for this fleet.
Chartered 1964 and 1965 season to Buckeye Steamship Co., Cleveland OH
Sold 1966 to Upper Lakes Shipping Ltd., Toronto ON (home port to Toronto ON) and renamed Thornhill (1).
Enrolled Canadian at 538.0 x 56.2 x 27.0, 7516 GT, 5351 NT Can 325785
Grounded Dec 16, 1975 above locks at Sault Ste. Marie, St. Marys River. Downbound with grain for Toronto ON. Laid up winter 1975-1976 at Toronto ON. Drydocked at Port Weller Dry Docks Ltd. summer 1976 and bottom found to be damaged beyond economical repair. Sold for scrap to United Metals Co. and sailed to Hamilton ON. Towed Nov 1977 to Toronto ON to store soy beans. Towed back to Hamilton May 1978. Resold to Colombian shipbreakers. Cleared Quebec QC Sept 17, 1980 with str. Helen Evans towed by Canadian tug Capt. Ioannis S. Tow
Arrived at Mamonal Colombia Oct 30 for scrapping.
IMO 5164447
0613
I am looking for the SS Ishpeming crew list/roster. My Great Uncle (Otto Johnson) served on it as a cook. Thanks. Rick Rusch
Hello Rick,
I served on the ‘Thornhill in the spring of ’67 as a navigation cadet for a few months.
The captain was a gentleman whose last name was Donat.
The only other crew names that I can remember was the night cook Alice Gauthier.
Her son (forgot his name) was the mess steward.
It was a great crew !
Dave Griffith