1907                                  William B. Kerr                                  1974

Steel Great Lakes bulk freighter

Built at Chicago IL by Chicago Shipbuilding Co., Hull 72
Launched Dec 29, 1906
Longest vessel on the Great Lakes when launched and when entered service (LeGrand S. DeGraff and William M. Mills launched and entered service later that season at same dimensions) (until Shenango of 1909 – superseded Edward Y. Townsend and Daniel J. Morrell of 1906)

605’9” LOA, 585’ LBP, 60’ beam, 32’ depth
1 deck, arch cargo hold construction, hatches @ 12’, coal-fired boilers, triple expansion engine, 1800 IHP

Enrolled at Niagara Falls NY March 30, 1907 (#2)
585.0 x 60.0 x 32.0, 7962 GT, 6189 NT     US 203917     to:
Weston Transit Co., North Tonawanda NY, W. M. Mills, Mgr. (home port North Tonawanda NY)

Entered service 1907

Transferred 1910 to Frontier Steamship Co.

Sold 1911 to Pittsburgh Steamship Co., Cleveland OH (home port to Duluth MN) and renamed Francis E. House.

Rebuilt 1936 at Fairport OH
Remeasured to 585.0 x 60.2 x 27.4, 7699 GT, 6376 NT

Rebuilt 1943 at Conneaut OH
Remeasured to 591.7 length and 7840 GT, 6609 NT (corrected 1946 to 7869 GT, 6637 NT)

Fleet reincorporated 1949 in Delaware (home port to Wilmington DE)

Fleet merged 1952 into parent United States Steel Corporation (home port to New York NY)

Sold 1966 to Kinsman Marine Transit Co., Cleveland OH (home port to Wilmington DE) and renamed Kinsman Independent  (1)

Grounded Aug 21, 1973 in Rock Cut, St. Mary’s River and laid up at Lorain OH.

Sold for scrap 1974 to Marine Salvage Ltd., Port Colborne ON.  Resold to Spanish shipbreakers.  Cleared Quebec QC June 30, 1974 with str. James Davidson towed by Polish tug Jantar.  Tow arrived Santander Spain July 21, 1974.

IMO 5119442 

0724