King Iron Works, Samuel Gibson, Gibson & Cox

KING IRON WORKS/SAMUEL GIBSON

Buffalo NY

Most recent update: June 6, 2018.

Samuel Gibson was a builder of wooden ships who made the transition to iron and steam with the assistance of King Iron Works. His shipyard appears to have changed hands several times, having previously been Woodward & Warner (1857-1859), O. B. Woodward (1860-1861), Hitchcock & Gibson (1861-1870) and finally Gibson & Craig (1870-1876). It was said to have been on the west side of the Evans Ship Canal and this may have been where he built wooden ships, but when he transitioned to iron ships, he apparently built them in the facility operated by King Iron Works, which occupied a whole block on the west side of Chicago Street, between Miami and the waterfront. Confusingly, some of the ships Gibson built are listed as having been built by King Iron Works: presumably, some customers felt more secure doing business with King as the prime contractor. Exactly who built what in the table below is far from clear: if anyone can help straighten it out or otherwise add to it, please send your info to me at timcolton@aol.com

Hull # O.N. Original Name Original Owner Type GT Ft. Built
Disposition

Built by Hitchcock & Gibson

120172 Fanny White Yacht 31 1862
Burned off Saginaw 1877

11860 H. P. Smith Tug 37 1864 Burned & sunk 1872

17032 Maria Melvin Tug 24 1865 Wrecked 1870, recovered, abandoned 1883

2109 Bridgewater Bark 706 1865 Wrecked and burned 1875, rebuilt 1880 as US 14452

1496 A. C. Van Raalte Tug 177 96 1867 Later Ashland, abandoned 1937

2145 Benton Freighter 418 146 1867 Burned 1909

23354 St. Joseph Freighter 473 151 1867 Later Frank B. Stevens (Canada ON 134517), sunk off Ashtabula 1919

13874 J. V. Taylor Schooner 473 151 1867 Built in Winneconne WI, abandoned 1928

10998 George Hand Tug 24 1868 Burned off Oscoda 1888

24785 Thomas A. Scott Steamer 1,159 1869 In collision and sunk 1880

85194 Gibson Schooner 327 1870 Wrecked 1875

Built by Gibson & Craig

105135 Alaska Erie & Western Tptn. Pass. Cargo 1,288 212 1871 Built by Shepard IW, later barge (Canada) 1936, scrapped 1947

100008 India Erie & Western Tptn. Pass. Cargo 1,239 210 1871 Later City of Ottawa 1907 (Canada ON 122018), India 1927, Sault Ste. Marie 1929, India 1930, scrapped 1945?

5792 China Erie & Western Tptn. Pass. Cargo 1,239 210 1871 Built by King IW, later City of Montreal 1905 (Canada ON 117073), Westerian 1913, Sula 1921, Westerian 1923, hulked 1925, scuttled 1935

9 75323 Japan Erie & Western Tptn. Pass. Cargo 1,239 210 1871 Later City of Hamilton 1910 (Canada ON 126526), City of Walkerville 1927, Roy K. Russell 1929, Japan 1930, Roy K. Russell 1932, scrapped 1936

Eureka Canal Boat 122 1871

125028 Cuba Holt & Ensign Pass. Cargo 1,526 232 1872 Built by King IW, later Ionic 1906 (Canada ON 116954), Maple Branch 1920, scrapped 1947

75388 Java Holt & Ensign Pass. Cargo 1,525 232 1872 Sank 1878

110063 Russia Holt & Ensign Pass. Cargo 1,501 232 1872 Foundered 1909

105254 Arabia Erie & Western Tptn. Pass. Cargo 1,395 222 1873 Later Bickerdike (Canada ON 121784) 1906, Maplebrook 1920, City of Windsor 1926, Belleville 1930, scrapped 1938?

115271 Scotia Holt & Ensign Pass. Cargo 1,502 232 1873 Grounded 1884

115145 Schuylkill Schooner 472 151 1873
Wrecked 1889

8882 Eliza Williams Tug 37 63 1872

Oliver Gordon Tug 60 1873

Calumet Tug 37 58 1873

Richard J. Karney Barge 397 1873

72720 Thomas H. Nasmith Tug 49 1873 Scrapped

Salty Jack Tug 28 1874

80531 William R. Crowell Tug 56 74 1875 Built by Gibson & Osman, foundered 1893

85501 George B. Dickson Tug 33 60 1876 Later Henry 1892, laid up 1915

115479 Siskiwit Tug 37 58 1876 Sunk 1879, raised 1880, to Canada (ON 92287) 1883

14452 Keystone Freighter 722 164 1880
Wrecked and burned 1898

145193 T. H. Fulton Tug 14 41 1880

110578 Red Cloud Tug 40 62 1883 Foundered 1899

140649 Lorenzo Dimick Tug 42 66 1883 Abandoned at Grand Haven 1920

85976 George Nester Schooner 751 206 1887 Built in Baraga MI, lost off Huron Is. 1909

141020 Leona Tug 14 39 1889 Built in Tonawanda NY, later Mohawk, abandoned at Chicago 1914

KING IRON WORKS/SAMUEL GIBSON Buffalo NY
Most recent update: June 6, 2018.
Samuel Gibson was a builder of wooden ships who made the transition to iron and steam with the assistance of King Iron Works. His shipyard appears to have changed hands several times, having previously been Woodward & Warner (1857-1859), O. B. Woodward (1860-1861), Hitchcock & Gibson (1861-1870) and finally Gibson & Craig (1870-1876). It was said to have been on the west side of the Evans Ship Canal and this may have been where he built wooden ships, but when he transitioned to iron ships, he apparently built them in the facility operated by King Iron Works, which occupied a whole block on the west side of Chicago Street, between Miami and the waterfront. Confusingly, some of the ships Gibson built are listed as having been built by King Iron Works: presumably, some customers felt more secure doing business with King as the prime contractor. Exactly who built what in the table below is far from clear: if anyone can help straighten it out or otherwise add to it, please send your info to me at timcolton@aol.com
Hull #	O.N.	Original Name	Original Owner	Type	GT	Ft.	Built	Disposition
Built by Hitchcock & Gibson
	120172	Fanny White		Yacht	31		1862	Burned off Saginaw 1877
	11860	H. P. Smith		Tug	37		1864	Burned & sunk 1872
	17032	Maria Melvin		Tug	24		1865	Wrecked 1870, recovered, abandoned 1883
	2109	Bridgewater		Bark	706		1865	Wrecked and burned 1875, rebuilt 1880 as US 14452
	1496	A. C. Van Raalte		Tug	177	96	1867	Later Ashland, abandoned 1937
	2145	Benton		Freighter	418	146	1867	Burned 1909
	23354	St. Joseph		Freighter	473	151	1867	Later Frank B. Stevens (Canada ON 134517), sunk off Ashtabula 1919
	13874	J. V. Taylor		Schooner	473	151	1867	Built in Winneconne WI, abandoned 1928
	10998	George Hand		Tug	24		1868	Burned off Oscoda 1888
	24785	Thomas A. Scott		Steamer	1,159		1869	In collision and sunk 1880
	85194	Gibson		Schooner	327		1870	Wrecked 1875
Built by Gibson & Craig
	105135	Alaska	Erie & Western Tptn.	Pass. Cargo	1,288	212	1871	Built by Shepard IW, later barge (Canada) 1936, scrapped 1947
	100008	India	Erie & Western Tptn.	Pass. Cargo	1,239	210	1871	Later City of Ottawa 1907 (Canada ON 122018), India 1927, Sault Ste. Marie 1929, India 1930, scrapped 1945?
	5792	China	Erie & Western Tptn.	Pass. Cargo	1,239	210	1871	Built by King IW, later City of Montreal 1905 (Canada ON 117073), Westerian 1913, Sula 1921, Westerian 1923, hulked 1925, scuttled 1935
9	75323	Japan	Erie & Western Tptn.	Pass. Cargo	1,239	210	1871	Later City of Hamilton 1910 (Canada ON 126526), City of Walkerville 1927, Roy K. Russell 1929, Japan 1930, Roy K. Russell 1932, scrapped 1936
		Eureka		Canal Boat	122		1871
	125028	Cuba	Holt & Ensign	Pass. Cargo	1,526	232	1872	Built by King IW, later Ionic 1906 (Canada ON 116954), Maple Branch 1920, scrapped 1947
	75388	Java	Holt & Ensign	Pass. Cargo	1,525	232	1872	Sank 1878
	110063	Russia	Holt & Ensign	Pass. Cargo	1,501	232	1872	Foundered 1909
	105254	Arabia	Erie & Western Tptn.	Pass. Cargo	1,395	222	1873	Later Bickerdike (Canada ON 121784) 1906, Maplebrook 1920, City of Windsor 1926, Belleville 1930, scrapped 1938?
	115271	Scotia	Holt & Ensign	Pass. Cargo	1,502	232	1873	Grounded 1884
	115145	Schuylkill		Schooner	472	151	1873	Wrecked 1889
	8882	Eliza Williams		Tug	37	63	1872
		Oliver Gordon		Tug	60		1873
		Calumet		Tug	37	58	1873
		Richard J. Karney		Barge	397		1873
	72720	Thomas H. Nasmith		Tug	49		1873	Scrapped
		Salty Jack		Tug	28		1874
	80531	William R. Crowell		Tug	56	74	1875	Built by Gibson & Osman, foundered 1893
	85501	George B. Dickson		Tug	33	60	1876	Later Henry 1892, laid up 1915
	115479	Siskiwit		Tug	37	58	1876	Sunk 1879, raised 1880, to Canada (ON 92287) 1883
	14452	Keystone		Freighter	722	164	1880	Wrecked and burned 1898
	145193	T. H. Fulton		Tug	14	41	1880
	110578	Red Cloud		Tug	40	62	1883	Foundered 1899
	140649	Lorenzo Dimick		Tug	42	66	1883	Abandoned at Grand Haven 1920
	85976	George Nester		Schooner	751	206	1887	Built in Baraga MI, lost off Huron Is. 1909
	141020	Leona		Tug	14	39	1889	Built in Tonawanda NY, later Mohawk, abandoned at Chicago 1914