1908 A. E. Nettleton 1973
Steel Great Lakes bulk freighter
Built at Wyandotte MI by Detroit Shipbuilding Co., Hull 176
Launched April 11, 1908
545’ LOA, 525’ LBP, 55’ beam, 31’ depth
1 deck, arch cargo hold construction, hatches @ 12’, coal-fired boilers, triple expansion engine, 1800 IHP
Enrolled at Oswego NY May 6, 1908 (#9)
525.0 x 55.3 x 32.0, 6286 GT, 5006 NT US 205126 to:
Wilkinson Transportation Co., Cleveland OH (home port Oswego NY)
Entered service 1908
Wilkinson fleets merged 1911 into Great Lakes Steamship Co., Cleveland OH
Remeasured 1948 to 525.0 x 55.2 x 26.6, 6579 GT, 5165 NT
Home port to Wilmington DE 1950
Fleet sold 1957 to Wilson Marine Transit Co., Cleveland OH
Chartered 1971 to Escanaba Towing Co., Escanaba MI for 3 seasons, then to be purchased by them. Converted to barge by addition of pushing rig on stern
Towline to towing tug parted Nov 2, 1972 in gale off Keweenaw Point, Lake Superior. Barge recovered and towed into Keweenaw Waterway, where her cargo of storage grain for Buffalo NY, which had shifted, was trimmed and her scheduled last trip of the season completed.
Towing company failed early 1973 and vessel returned to Kinsman Marine Transit Co., Cleveland OH, which had purchased the Wilson fleet in Aug 1972.
Sold for scrap 1973 to Marine Salvage Ltd., Port Colborne ON. Resold to Spanish shipbreakers. Cleared Quebec QC June 15, 1973 with str. R. E. Webster towed by Polish tug Jantar. Tow arrived Santander Spain July 5, 1973.
IMO 5000081
0818
It was a great ship and crew.
My great grandfather Burt W Beauchamp served as Chief Engineer on the A E Nettleton. Growing up in Marine City MI, on the St Clair River, I saw her still sailing when I was a kid. Great ship, great memories!
I found a post card photograph of this ship in my grandmothers photos. My grandmother lived in Fort William now Thunder Bay. Also lived in Duluth Minnesota. In the photo the tug boats has New York and Duluth on the back. Not sure when picture was taken.
ANYBODY GOT ANY PIC OF THE A E NETTLETON WE HAVE THE POILET HOUSE WOULD LIKE SOME PIC THANK YOU
Was my grandfather William Forbes a captain on the Nettleton?
Judy, We were just looking at a picture of the Nettleton this morning on the web & saw your question. Peter says, yes, he was, but he was a pilot first. He had the first pilot’s license on the Great Lakes: License # 1.