J.B & J.D. Van Deusen

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J.B & J.D. Van Deusen
TypePrivate
IndustryShipbuilding
GenreWritten
FoundersJoseph B. Van Deusen, James D. Van Deusen
FateClosed
Headquarters
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Area served
New York State
ProductsWooden-hulled steamships and other watercraft
ServicesShip repairs

J.B & J.D. Van Deusen was a 19th-century American shipbuilding company started by Joseph B. Van Deusen and James D. Van Deusen in 1865. The shipyard was in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Some of the finest yachts, schooners and steamboats in the New York were designed and built by them. The last boat that was built at the shipyard was the schooner-yacht Mohawk in 1875, which was later renamed Eagre and transferred to the United States Navy in 1903.

History[]

Joseph B. Van Deusen and his brother James D. Van Deusen started the J.B & J.D. Van Deusen shipyard in 1865, at first located at the foot of 16th Street, New York, then later at Sixth Street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn near the East River. They built many notable yachts, schooners and steamboats.[1]

The Etna Iron Works produced at least a dozen engines for the Van Deusen Brothers.[2]

Joseph continued with the shipbuilding business, when his brother died in 1866, under the name Joseph B. Van Deusen.

Joseph Benoni Van Deusen[]

Joseph Benoni Van Deusen (June 30, 1832 – November 4, 1875), was a 19th-century New York shipbuilder. He was the son of Johannes Coude Van Deusen (1792–1838) and Electa Marks (1786–1884). He was a native of Mohawk Valley, born at Palatine Bridge, New York, on June 30, 1832. He married Mary Eleanor Dodd on January 30, 1870, in New York and had one child.[3]

At an early age, Van Deusen was interested in the construction of ships. He enjoyed building ships which he sailed on the Mohawk River, near his home. At the age of 16 years he built the wooden covered bridge, which spanned the Mohawk River between Palatine Bridge and Canajoharie, New York.[4][5]

Van Deusen came to New York City for the purpose of studying ship building at William H. Webb's Shipbuilding Academy and also with George Steers. When his studies were completed he went into the business with his brother, James DeWitt Van Deusen under the firm name of J D & J B Van Deusen, where they built many notable boats.[6]

Van Deusen was friends with publisher and Yachtsman James Gordon Bennett Jr., and banker and yachtsman Elias Cornelius Benedict. He built the first steamships used by the Fall River Line on the sound and about 30 gunboats for Spain. He was the recipient of a medal from Napoleon III for his models.[7]

In December 1866, J. B. Van Deusen of the New York Yacht Club was a judge on the Fleeting in a race between three American yachts, the Vesta (owned by Pierre Lorillard IV), the Fleetwing (owned by George and Franklin Osgood) and the Henrietta owned by Bennett. Each yachtsman put up $30,000 in the winner-take-all wager. They started off of Sandy Hook, New Jersey, on December 11, 1866, during high westerly winds and raced to The Needles, the furthest westerly point on the Isle of Wight. Bennett's Henrietta won with a time of 13 days, 21 hours, 55 minutes.[8][9]

Joseph B. Van Deusen died, at age 43, in Brooklyn, New York, on November 4, 1875. He was buried at the Palatine Bridge Cemetery, in Palatine Bridge, Montgomery County, New York.[10][6]

James DeWitt Van Deusen[]

James DeWitt Van Deusen (January 29, 1822 – March 8, 1866), was a 19th-century New York shipbuilder. He was born on January 29, 1822, in Palatine Bridge, Montgomery County, New York. He was the son of Johannes Gloude Van Deusen and Electa Marks. He married Angelca Ehle on February 22, 1844, in New York City and had two children.[11]

James D. Van Deusen died on March 8, 1866. He was buried at the Palatine Bridge Cemetery, in Palatine Bridge, Montgomery County, New York.[12]

List of ships[]

Below is a list of ships built by the J.B & J.D. Van Deusen shipyard.

Boats built by J.B & J.D. Van Deusen, 1854–66
Name Type Year Builder Tons Ordered by Intended service Description
Narragansett (yacht).jpg Narragansett Yacht 1854 J.B & J.D. Van Deusen tons H. Bedlow, of the Newport, R.I NYC Modeled & built by J. B. Van Deusen and Brother, N.Y.[13]
Gypsy yacht 1857 Joseph B Van Deusen 148 I. N. A. Griswold Built for I. N. A. Griswold; later owned in England.[1][6]
John D. Jones.jpg John D. Jones pilot boat 1859 Joseph B Van Deusen 50 New York Pilots N.Y. Pilot Service Launched on December 28, 1859, from the J.B & J.D. Van Deusen shipyard at the foot of Sixteenth Street, East River. The boat was built for a company of Sandy Hook pilots.[14]
William H. Aspinwall William H. Aspinwall pilot boat 1861 J.B & J.D. Van Deusen 100 Captain Walter Brewer New York Pilots Sandy Hook pilot boat for Captain Walter Brewer, built at the foot of Sixteenth Street, East River.[15]
Aconcagua Steamship 1863 J.B & J.D. Van Deusen tons owner NYC Steamship Aconcagua at Sixteenth Street, East River.[16]
William L. Cregan Screw Schooner barge 1864 J.B & J.D. Van Deusen 148 Not known NYC She was lost in December 1914.[17]
  • Electra (1864 steamship) photograph.jpg
  • Electra
 Steamship 1864 J.B & J.D. Van Deusen 1301 Neptune Steamship Co. NYC—Boston Scrapped about 1884.[18]
  • Electra (1864 steamship).jpg
  • Galatea
 Steamship 1864 J.B & J.D. Van Deusen 1301 Neptune Steamship Co. NYC—Boston Scrapped about 1885.[18]: p157 
Oceanus (1864 steamship).jpg Oceanus Steamship 1864 J.B & J.D. Van Deusen 1301 Neptune Steamship Co. NYC—Boston Destroyed by fire, 1868.[18]: 313 
Doris Freighter 1864 J.B & J.D. Van Deusen 1360 Neptune Steamship Co. NYC—Boston Last documented 1886; possibly scrapped 1898.[18]: 131 
Metis Freighter 1864 J.B & J.D. Van Deusen 1238 Neptune Steamship Co. NYC—Boston Grounded and wrecked after collision during storm near Stonington, CT, 1872; 50 killed.[18]: 253 
Thetis (Pequot) Freighter 1864 J.B & J.D.Van Deusen 1360 Neptune Steamship Co. NYC—Boston Scrapped about 1910.[18]: 343 
  • Glaucus (1864 freighter).jpg
  • Glaucus
 Freighter 1864 J.B & J.D. Van Deusen 1848 Neptune Steamship Co. NYC—Boston Damaged by fire 1864, redesigned and rebuilt (as seen in photo) by Harlan & Hollingsworth. Scrapped at Boston, 1906.[18]: 181 
  • Neptune (1865 steamship).jpg
  • Neptune
 Freighter 1864 J.B & J.D. Van Deusen 1848 Neptune Steamship Co. NYC—Boston Scrapped at Boston, 1905.[18]: 283 
Nereus Freighter 1864 J.B & J.D. Van Deusen 1848 Neptune Steamship Co. NYC—Boston Converted to barge, 1894; lost at sea, 1895.[18]: 285 
Alarm yacht 1865 J.B & J.D. Van Deusen NYC Yacht for Frank Baker.[19]
Phantom (yacht).jpg Phantom schooner 1865 J.B & J.D. Van Deusen 123 Henry G. Stebbins NYC Centerboard schooner-rigged yacht 128-tons for Colonel Henry G. Stebbins.[20]
Rambler schooner 1865 J.B & J.D. Van Deusen 164 NYC schooner, 164-tons for H. S. Fearing, at the foot of 16th Street, New York.[1]
Fleur de Lis yacht Fleur-de-Lis pilot boat 1865 J.B & J.D. Van Deusen 95 NYC Built for Captain John S. Dickerson of the New York Yacht Club. She was bought by pilot Franklin B. Wellock and became the Boston pilot boat No. 7.[21]
Yachts Fleetwing & Henrietta.jpg Fleetwing schooner-yacht 1865 J.B & J.D. Van Deusen 206 NYC For George A. Osgood; which sailed in the 1st ocean race against the Henrietta and Vesta.[22]
Boats built by Joseph B. Van Deusen, 1866–74
Name Type Year Builder Tons Ordered by Intended service Description
Nelly White Side-wheel steamboat 1866 Joseph B. Van Deusen 95 R. Cornell White Brooklyn, New York Wrecked on August 4, 1886, after colliding with the IDA G. FARRON off Sandy Point, Chesapeake Bay, beached, and abandoned.[23]
Schooner Dauntless-2.jpg Dauntless yacht 1866 J. B. Van Deusen 262 Forsyth and Morgan shipyard for S. Dexter Bradford, Jr. Yacht racing Built in Noank, Connecticut, Bradford named her "L'Hirondelle". She was bought by James Gordon Bennett Jr., in 1867, who added 23 feet to her length and renamed her "Dauntless". He raced her for 11 years.[24][25]
pilot boat 1871 Joseph B. Van Deusen 220 New York Pilots NYC Wooden centerboard schooner She was the 2nd defender of the America's Cup; Skippered by Andrew J. Comstock and designed and built for owner Franklin Osgood of the New York Yacht Club.[26]
River Belle schooner 1872 Joseph B. Van Deusen 713.15 American Steam Navigation Co. NYC She was abandoned in 1915.[27][28]
Ideal schooner yacht 1873 Joseph B. Van Deusen tons Hugo Fritsch yachting Yacht for Hugo Fritsch.[6]
Florence Witherbee schooner 1873 Joseph B. Van Deusen Yachting She was a steam yacht.[29]
Ruth schooner yacht 1873 Joseph B. Van Deusen Parties on Lake Champlain Yachting Yacht for parties on Lake Champlain.[6]
Antonio jacobsen ja1005 the city of new bedford wm.jpg City of New Bedford screw schooner 1874 Joseph B. Van Deusen 1,085 New Bedford & New York Steamship Co. New Bedford, Massachusetts Antonio Jacobsen ja1005 the city of New Bedford wm For service on Long Island Sound.[30]
City of Fitchburg.jpg City Of Fitchburg screw schooner 1874 Joseph B. Van Deusen 1,087 New Bedford & New York Steamship Co. and others New Bedford, Massachusetts

Sold in January 1902 to G.H. Whitcomb and renamed Surprise on May 31, 1902.[31]

Surprise schooner 1874 Joseph B. Van Deusen 821 G.H. Whitcomb Fall River, Massachusetts Sold in 1906 to Enterprise Transportation Co. and renamed WARREN.[32]
Warren centerboard schooner 1874 Joseph B. Van Deusen Enterprise Transportation Co. Home port was Fall River, Massachusetts. Wrecked on October 8, 1907. Off register in 1909.[33]
USCGS Eagre.jpg Mohawk schooner-yacht 1875 Joseph B. Van Deusen Commodore William T. Garner Yacht that later served in the US Navy as USS Eagre In 1876, she capsized when a squall struck. Vice-Commodore William T. Garner, his wife and crew died in the accident. It is believed that this tragedy led to the extinction of the great centerboard schooner yachts. The Mohawk was later sold to the U.S. Navy and recommissioned as the U.S. Eagre.[34]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c "Motor Boating". 64 (6). Dec 1939: 41. Retrieved 2021-06-04. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  2. ^ Swann, Leonard Alexander Jr. (1965). John Roach, Maritime Entrepreneur: the Years as Naval Contractor 1862–1886. United States Naval Institute (reprinted 1980 by Ayer Publishing). p. 23. ISBN 978-0-405-13078-6.
  3. ^ "United States Census, 1870". familysearch.org. Retrieved 2021-06-04.
  4. ^ "United States Census, 1860". FamilySearch. Retrieved 2021-02-22.
  5. ^ "United States Census, 1860". ancestry. Retrieved 2021-06-05.
  6. ^ a b c d e "The Late Joseph B. Van Deusen. A Yachtsman Reviews The Character And Labors Of The Great Shipbuilder". New York Daily Herald. New York, New York. 16 Nov 1875. p. 4. Retrieved 2021-06-04.
  7. ^ Van Deusen-Platt, Cherry Laura (1969). " The Genealogy of Rev W H Van Deusen. Rockford Press. Rockford, Ohio. p. 26. OCLC 73101.
  8. ^ Thompson, Winfield M. (1902). The Lawson History of the America's Cup. Boston, Massachusetts. p. 46. ISBN 9780907069409. Retrieved 2021-06-08.
  9. ^ Stephens, William Picard (1904). American yachting. p. 91. Retrieved 2021-06-08.
  10. ^ "Joseph B. Van Deusen". Find a Grave. Ancestry.com. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  11. ^ "United States Census, 1870". familysearch.org. Retrieved 2021-06-04.
  12. ^ "James D. Van Deusen". Find a Grave. Ancestry.com. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  13. ^ "Yacht Narragansett N.Y.Y.C." Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  14. ^ "Launch". The New York Times. New York, New York. 28 Dec 1859. p. 8. Retrieved 2021-06-08.
  15. ^ "Miscellaneous". New York Daily Herald. New York, New York. 30 Jan 1861. p. 2. Retrieved 2020-10-14.
  16. ^ "Miscellaneous". New York Daily Herald. New York, New York. 17 May 1863. p. 8. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  17. ^ "William L. Cregan (Barge: 1869–1914)". marinersmuseum.org. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  18. ^ a b c d e f g h i Heyl, Erik (1953). Early American Steamers. I. Buffalo, New York: Erik Heyl. 467 pages. OCLC 1626009 |p. 137.
  19. ^ "The Yacht Alarm". New York Daily Herald. New York, New York. 11 Mar 1865. p. 4. Retrieved 2021-04-05.
  20. ^ "Phantom (Yacht: 1865–1901)". catalogs.marinersmuseum.org. Retrieved 2021-04-05.
  21. ^ "American Yacht List, Containing a Complete Register of the Yacht Clubs of the United States and British Provinces". 1874. Retrieved 2021-04-05.
  22. ^ "Fleetwing (Yacht: 1865–1905)". catalogs.marinersmuseum.org. Retrieved 2021-04-05.
  23. ^ "Nelly White (Side-Wheel Steamboat: 1866–1886)". catalogs.marinersmuseum.org. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  24. ^ "Anthony D. Blake (born 1951)". Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  25. ^ "Connecticut River Shipbuilding". Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  26. ^ "An Ocean Yacht". The Evening Telegraph. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 10 May 1871. p. 8. Retrieved 2021-06-06.
  27. ^ "River Belle". Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  28. ^ "River Belle (Steamship: 1872)". marinersmuseum.org. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  29. ^ "Local Brevities". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Brooklyn, New York. 30 Jun 1873. p. 4. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  30. ^ "City of New Bedford (Screw Schooner: 1874–1910)". marinersmuseum.org. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  31. ^ "Cityh of Fitchburg". Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  32. ^ "Surprise (Screw Schooner:1902–1905)". Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  33. ^ "Warren (Screw Schooner: 1906–1908)". Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  34. ^ "The Biggest Yacht In the World". Nashville Union and American. Nashville, Tennessee. 13 Jun 1875. p. 2. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
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