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The Fleets

Merchants & Miners Transportation Co.

Founded in Baltimore in 1852 to operate a cargo and passenger steamship line between Baltimore and Boston, Mass. The service initally operated with two wooden hulled side wheelers, but in 1859 built two iron hulled steamers to augment services and extended services to call at Providence, Rhode Island. Services were disrupted by the American Civil War, but resumed in 1864. After a period of decline after the war, the company slowly recovered and by 1869 were able to order a new ship. Further ships were built in the 1870s and in 1876 the Baltimore & Savannah SS Co. was purchased which allowed the company to enter the cotton trade between Savannah, Charleston and New York. The company expanded in the 1880s and added several new ports of call including Newport News and Norfolk to their routes. In 1900 a Philadelphia - Savannah service was started and in 1907 the Winsor Line of Philadelphia was purchased with their fleet of seven steamers. A new route between Baltimore and Jacksonville commenced in 1909 and in 1920 a service was initiated to Havana, Cuba, but this was discontinued after about a year. A service to Nassau, Bahamas started in 1939, but on the entry of the United Stated into World War II in 1941, most of the company's ships were requisitioned for war duty. Limited services continued, but after the war, it was not considered financially viable to re-purchase ships which had been sold to the Government or to build new ships and in 1948 it was decided to cease trading. The company was officially liquidated in 1952.

Many thanks to Ted Finch for his assistance in collecting this data. The following list was extracted from various sources. This is not an all inclusive list but should only be used as a guide. If you would like to know more about a vessel, visit the Ship Descriptions (onsite) or Immigrant Ship web site.

Fleet:

Vessel Built Years in Service Tons
Alleghany (1) 1881 1898 chartered to US Army, 1907 converted to freighter, 1915 sold to Cuyamel Fruit Co. renamed Copan. 2,014
Alleghany (2) 1923 1941 requisitioned by US Government renamed American Seafarer. 5,486
America 1863 1869 purchased from Wakeman, Gookin & Co, 1879 traded to Harlan & Hollingsworth toward new steamer, sold to Central Vermont R.R. 781
Aries 1862 built in England as blockade runner, 1863 captured by USS STETTIN, renamed USS Aries for US Navy. 1907 purchased with Winsor Line, 1908 scrapped. na
Benjamin Deford 1859 1861 chartered to War Dep't, 1864 sold to War Dep't, 1865 sold to Empire Line renamed San Jacinto. 1,100
Berkshire (1) 1881 1898 chartered to US Army, 1918 sold to American Star Line. 2,014
Berkshire (2) 1923 1942 requisitioned by US Government renamed American Engineer. 5,486
Blackstone 1868 1869 purchased from George Appold, 1889 sold to George Rooney converted to barge. 1,147
Chatham (1) 1884 1898 sold to US Navy renamed USS Vulcan, 1899 repurchased reverted to Chatham, 1910 stranded at entrance to St. Johns River, Florida, scrapped. 2,729
Chatham (2) 1926 1941 requisitioned by US Government, 1942 torpedoed and sunk in Belle Isle Strait. 5,649
Cretan 1882 1907 purchased with Winsor Line, 1927 scrapped. 2,351
Decatur H. Miller 1879 1898 chartered to US Army, 1903 lengthened and renamed Merrimack, 1926 scrapped. 2,296
Dorchester (1) 1889 1927 scrapped. 2,535
Dorchester (2) 1926 1941 requisitioned by US Government, 1942 torpedoed and sunk in North Atlantic; loss of 675 lives. 5,649
Essex 1890 1941 sold to White Pearl Shipping Co., wrecked near Block Island. 3,018
Fairfax (1) 1891 1898 wrecked Cuttyhunk Island, Buzzards Bay. 2,551
Fairfax (2) 1926 1941 requisitioned by War Shipping Administration, 1946 sold to China renamed Chung Hsing. 5,649
Frederick   1904 see Hudson 1874.  
Fung Shuey 1864 1864 sold for a New York - New Orleans service. 1,004
George Appold 1864 1889 wrecked Montauk Point, NY. 1,370
Gloucester 1893 1936 scrapped. 2,541
Grecian 1900 1907 purchased with Winsor Line, 1932 sunk in collision with s/s CITY OF CHATTANOOGA off Block Island. 2,827
Howard 1895 1942 sold to United Fruit Co., Honduran flag. 3,581
Hudson 1874 1900 purchased from Cromwell Line, 1904 renamed Frederick, 1910 laid up, 1915 sold to United States SS Co. 1,872
Indian 1890 1907 purchased with Winsor Line, 1928 scrapped. 2,110
Irwin 1918 ex- Santa Cecilia, 1936 purchased from Panama Mail SS Co., renamed Irwin, 1941 requisitioned by US Army as troop transport renamed John L. Clem, later hospital ship, 1948 scrapped. 4,900
Itasca   1896 see William Crane 1871  
Johns Hopkins 1873 1889 burned at Baltimore, wreck sold and rebuilt as schooner barge Alabama. 1,470
Joseph Whitney 1854 1861 chartered to War Department renamed McClellan, 1867 returned to M & M but retained name, 1888 sold to Thames River Towing Co., converted to barge.
1,003
Juniata 1897 1942 sold to United Fruit Co., Honduran flag. 3,464
Kent 1918 ex- Santa Teresa, 1936 purchased from Panama Mail SS Co., renamed Kent, 1941 requisitioned by US Army as troop transport renamed Ernest Hinds. 1942 became USS Kent, 1942 reverted to Ernest Hinds, 1957 scrapped. 4,858
Kershaw 1899 1920 burned and capsized at Baltimore, salved and converted to freighter, 1928 sunk in collision with s/s PRESIDENT GARFIELD in Martha's Vineyard Sound. 2,599
Lexington (1) 1877 ex- City of Macon, 1902 purchased from Savannah Line renamed Lexington, 1918 sold to Northern Transportation Co. 2,092
Lexington (2) 1920 ex- Lake Fandango, 1933 purchased from US Shipping Board renamed Lexington, 1941 sold to Norlasco SS Co., renamed Norlantic, 1942 torpedoed and sunk off Bonaire. 2,606
McClellan   1867 see Joseph Whitney 1854.  
Merrimack (1)   1903 see Decatur H. Miller 1879.  
Merrimack (2) 1920 ex- Lake Floris, 1933 purchased from US Army Corps of Engineers who had been using her for Mississippi flood control work renamed Merrimack, 1942 requisitioned by War Shipping Admin, 1942 torpedoed and sunk off Mexico. 2,606
Nantucket 1919 ex- Fargo, 1933 purchased from US Shipping Board renamed Nantucket, 1942 requisitioned by War Shipping Admin., 1946 sold to China Merchants S.N. Co., renamed Hai Hsiang. 2,606
New Orleans 1872 1899 purchased from H. B. Cromwell & Co., 1915 sold to Boca Grande SS Co. 1,564
Ontario 1904 1941 sold to United Fruit Co., Honduran flag. 3,099
Parthian 1887 1907 purchased with Winsor Line, 1917 sold to Pennsylvania Sugar Co. 1,683
Persian 1882 1907 purchased with Winsor Line, 1928 scrapped. 2,677
Powhatan 1894 ex- Resolute, 1902 purchased from US Army renamed Powhatan, 1916 sunk in collision with tanker TELENA in Chesapeake Bay, 1917 salved and sold to McCormick & Co. 2,898
Providence 1920 ex- Lake Furnas, 1929 purchased from US Shipping Board renamed Providence, 1942 sold to North Atlantic & Gulf SS Co., renamed Norindies. 2,677
Quantico (1) 1882 ex- Chattahochee, 1909 purchased from Savannah Line, 1927 scrapped. 2,676
Quantico (2) 1919 ex- Lake Flitch, 1933 purchased from US Army Corps of Engineers who had been using her for Mississippi flood control work renamed Quantico, 1942 chartered to Norgulf renamed Norlavore, went missing (probably torpedoed) after passing Cape Henry. 2,713
Roanoke 1919 ex- Lake Glasco, 1932 purchased from US Shipping Board renamed Roanoke, 1942 requisitioned by War Shipping Admin., 1945 torpedoed and sunk in Irish Sea. 2,606
S. R. Spalding 1859 1861 chartered to War Dep't, 1864 sold to War Dep't, 1865 sold to Empire Line renamed San Salvador. 1,100
Saragossa 1863 1876 purchased from Baltimore & Savannah SS Co., 1886 sold to J. E. Bell, Baltimore. 778
Somerset   1928 see Suwannee 1911.  
State of Texas 1874 1898 purchased from Mallory SS Co., 1905 sold to Seaboard Transportation Co., NY, converted to schooner barge renamed Idaho. 1,736
Suwannee 1911 1917 sold to Savannah Line renamed City of Rome, 1928 sold to Sunnyland SS Co., renamed Veramar, 1928 repurchased by M & M renamed Somerset, 1938 scrapped. 3,648
Tuscan 1907 1907 purchased with Winsor Line, 1917 sold to Munson SS Line, 1922 repurchased by M & M, 1937 scrapped. 2,415
Upshur 1919 ex- Lake Getaway, 1925 purchased from US Shipping Board renamed Upshur, 1941 requisitioned by War Shipping Administration, 1945 torpedoed and sunk in Irish Sea. 2,637
Volusia 1920 ex- Lake Glaucus, 1925 purchased from US Shipping Board renamed Volusia, 1941 chartered to Norgulf renamed Norlindo, 1942 torpedoed and sunk off Dry Tortugas. 2,686
William Crane 1871 1896 renamed Itasca, 1915 sold to McIntyre Lumber & Export Co, Mobile. 1,416
William Jenkins 1855 1861 burned at Savannah. 1,011
William Kennedy 1864 1885 broke shaft and sank off North Carolina. 974
William Lawrence 1869 1899 wrecked Port Royal Shoals, South Carolina. 1,049
Wyoming 1919 ex- Lake Galata, 1926 purchased from US Shipping Board renamed Wyoming, 1941 chartered to Norgulf renamed Norlandia, 1942 torpedoed and sunk off Dominican Republic. 2,689
York (1) 1918 ex- Lake Helen, 1925 purchased from Consolidated Nav. Corp., Baltimore, 1929 sold to Norway renamed Skogvik.
1,198
York (2) 1920 ex- Lake Gatun, 1929 purchased from US Shipping Board renamed York, 1941 chartered to Norgulf renamed Norvana, 1942 sold to Norgulf, torpedoed and sunk off Cape Hatteras. 2,677
   
Tugboats
 
Vessel Built Years in Service Tons
Apollo 1895 1949 sold to Moran Towing Co., renamed Ned Moran. 105
Isis 1915 1930 sold to Loveland Co, Philadelphia. 64
Mary 1896 1939 presumed scrapped. 85
Nonpareil 1917 1920 sold. 167

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