HMCo #166p Missisquoi

Particulars

Construction_Record_Title.jpgName: Missisquoi
Later Name(s): Palos [I] (ca1894-)
Type: High Speed Steam Launch
Designed by: NGH
Contract: 1890-8-20
Launch: 1890-10-16
Construction: Wood (Mahogany)
LOA: 48' (14.63m)
Beam: 7' 6" (2.29m)
Propulsion: Steam, Herreshoff, Triple exp., 3 cyl. (4" & 6 1/2" & 10" bore x 8" stroke)
Boiler: Square Water Level
Propeller: Diameter 28"
Built for: Webb, W. Seward
Note(s) in HMCo Construction Record: Launch, mahog. canvas awning
Last reported: 1902 (aged 12)

Note: Particulars are primarily but not exclusively from the HMCo Construction Record. Supplementary information not from the Construction Record appears elsewhere in this record with a complete citation.


Model

Model #423Model number: 423
Model location: H.M.M. Model Room West Wall Left

Vessels from this model:
20 built, modeled by NGH
#117p [Launch for St. Y. Electra] (1884)
#119p Surprise [Launch for St. Y. Atalanta] (1884)
#129p Republic [Launch for Schr. Y. Republic] (1885)
#130p [Launch for St. Y. Electra] (1885)
#133p Henrietta (1886)
#134p [Launch for St. Y. Peerless] (1886)
#136p [Launch for St. Y. Atalanta] (1886)
#138p [Launch for J. E. Ward] (1887)
#139p Lotus Seeker I (1887)
#153p Madge (1888)
#154p Dawn [I] (1889)
#156p Antoinette (1889)
#157p Aquila (1889)
#165p Katydid (1890)
#166p Missisquoi (1890)
#176p [Launch for Massachusetts School Ship Enterprise] (1893)
#177p Vanish (1893)
#195p [Launch for St. Y. Dorothy] (1898)
#196p [Tender for U.S.S. Albatross] (1898)
#234p Friday (1903)

Original text on model:
"117 27' ELECTRA
119 35 x 7' 6" ATALANTA
129 33.6 by 5.6 REPUBLIC
130 22.6 by 5.6 ELECTRA
133 48 by 7.6 HENRIETTA
134 27 by 6.4 launch
136
138 27 by 6.4 J. E. WARD
139 48 by 7.6 LOTUS SEEKER
153 48 by 7.6 MADGE
154 48 by 7.6 DAWN
156 48 by 7.6 ANTOINETTE
157 48 by 7.6 AQUILA
165 27 by 6.4 KATYDID
168 48 by 7.6 MISSISQUOI beneath VAMOOSE
177 [should be 176] 27 by 6.4 for Mass. School ship THESPIA [sic, i.e. U.S.S. Enterprise]
197 [should be 196] 26 by 6.3 fish commission ALBATROSS" (Source: Original handwritten annotation on model. Undated.)

Model Description:
"27' steam launch of 1884 for the steam yacht Electra. Others built over the next two decades, with change of scale, as small as 22' and as large as the seven 48' loa steam yachts Henrietta, Lotus Seeker, Madge, Dawn, Antoinette, Aquilla, and Missisquoi." (Source: Bray, Maynard. 2004.)

Note: Vessels that appear in the records as not built, a cancelled contract, a study model, or as a model sailboat are listed but not counted in the list of vessels built from a model.


Drawings

Main drawing Dwg 003-040 (HH.5.00180) Explore all drawings relating to this boat.

List of drawings:
   Drawings believed to have been first drawn for, or being first referenced to
   HMCo #166p Missisquoi are listed in bold.
   Click on Dwg number for preview, on HH number to see at M.I.T. Museum.
  1. Dwg 003-040 (HH.5.00180); Construction Dwg > Launch - Stm, 48' O.A. (1886-06 ?)
  2. Dwg 065-017 (HH.5.04613): Rudder Braces and Pintles (1886-11-03)
  3. Dwg 044-024 (HH.5.03480): Detail of 40 3/8" x 42 3/4" Sq. Boiler (1890-03-01)
Source: Francis Russell Hart Nautical Collections, MIT Museum, Cambridge, Mass. Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection. Together with: Hasselbalch, Kurt with Frances Overcash and Angela Reddin. Guide to The Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection. Francis Russell Hart Nautical Collections, MIT Museum, Cambridge, Mass., 1997. Together with: Numerous additions and corrections by Claas van der Linde.
Note: The Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection is copyrighted by the Francis Russell Hart Nautical Collections of the MIT Museum in Cambridge, Mass. Permission to incorporate information from it in the Herreshoff Catalogue Raisonné is gratefully acknowledged. The use of this information is permitted solely for research purposes. No part of it is to be published in any form whatsoever.

Documents

Nathanael G. Herreshoff

"[1890-08-20] Wed 20: ... R[e]c[eive]d order for 48ft launch for Webb (#166p) [Missisquoi].
[1890-10-04] Sat 4: ... St[eame]r #166 (48' launch) [Missisquoi] ready for machinery.
[1890-10-16] Thu 16: Fine a.m. Cloudy p.m. L[igh]t rain in [the] evening. Launched and had trial of st[eame]r #166, Missisquoi.
[1890-10-17] Fri 17: Heavy SE storm last night followed by violent NW gale today. Wind 50 to 60mph. A. L. Case, Jr. drowned. [His brother was rescued by NGH and #166p Missisquoi.] ...
[1890-10-18] Sat 18: ... Missisquoi [#166p] left for Lake Champlain.
[1892-07-28] Thu 28: ... Sold old Lotus Seeker [#139p] & Missisquoi [#166p]." (Source: Herreshoff, Nathanael G. Diary, 1890 to 1892. Manuscript (excerpts). Herreshoff Marine Museum Collection.)

Other Contemporary Text Source(s)

"YACHTING NEWS IN BRIEF. ... The Herreshoffs have built a steam launch 48 feet long and 7 1/2 feet wide for Dr. W. Seward Webb, to be used on Lake Champlain. Her hull is of mahogany, and her speed on her trial trip was 19 1/2 miles an hour. ..." (Source: Anon. "Yachting News in Brief." New York Times, March 10, 1891, p. 3.)

"The works of the Herreshoff Manufacturing Co. at Bristol, R. I., are busy with a number of yachts, both sail and steam, in addition to Government work. ... The firm has a steam launch, the Mississqui [sic, i.e. Missisquoi #166p], for Dr. W. S. Webb, of Burlington, Vt. for use on Lake Champlain. She is 48ft. over all, 7ft. 6in beam, and has made 19 miles in one hour." (Source: Anon. "Work At Bristol." Forest and Stream, March 12, 1891, p. 161.)

"... The Herreshoffs have had a very busy winter, and at present employ 105 men, and have $115,000 worth of contracts on hand, outside of projected government work. The grist of work turned out this winter includes the Mississqui [sic], a steam launch 48 feet long and feet wide. She has been built for W. Seward Webb, and will be used on Lake Champlain. Her hull is mahogany. Her speed on trial was 19 1/4 miles an hour. ... A small steam launch [apparently #169p Kid, also for W. S. Webb], to be used as a yacht tender, is building for a New York gentleman. --- Boston Globe." (Source: Anon. "At Bristol, R.I." Rudder, March 1891, p. 32.)

"Included in the work turned out this winter by the Herreschoffs [sic], Bristol, R. I., is the Mississqui [sic], a steam launch 48 feet long and 7 1/2 feet wide, built for W. Seward Webb for use on Lake Champlain. Her hull is mahogany. Her speed on trial was 19 1/4 miles an hour." (Source: Anon. "Fast Launches." Scientific American, April 11, 1891, p. 226.)

"... The Palos, a high speed steam launch, will be fitted with a triple expansion engine and new boiler. She is at Nyack [Seabury]. ..." (Source: Anon. "Yachting Notes." New York Herald, March 11, 1894, p. 13.)

"The high speed launch Palos, Mr. Jarvis B. Edson, owner, has left Nyack for Shelter Island, where she will be used during the summer months. The Palos has just been fitted with a new triple-expansion engine and a safety watertube boiler, also new condenser and propeller wheel. She had a trial trip a day or two ago, and runs beautifully." (Source: Anon. "Yachting News of Interest." New York Sun, July 1, 1894, p. 7.)

"SHELTER ISLAND HEIGHTS, Aug. 15 [1894]. The Rev. J. A. Aspinwall of Washington met with a serious accident this afternoon on board his steam yacht Vanish [#177p]. One of the tubes in the engine boiler exploded. The Vanish was racing the Palos [#166p ex-Missisquoi], owned by J. B. Edson, at the time.
..." (Source: Anon. "The Rev. J. A. Aspinwall Injured. Burned by the Bursting of Boiler Tube on His Steam Yacht." New York Times, August 16, 1894, p. 1.)

"... The steam yacht Countess is also getting ready for commission, as is also the highspeed steam launch Palos [#166p ex-Missisquoi], owned by Jarvis Edson; this latter boat will be used at Shelter Island. ..." (Source: Anon. "To Admit Small Boats." New York Times, June 16, 1895, p. x.)

"The fast steam yacht Claymore, eighty feet long, has been purchased by Jarvis B. Edson, N.Y.Y.C., and commodore of tbe Shelter Island Y.C., the sale was made through the downtown office of the Gas Engine and Power Company, and Seabury & Co. and Mr. Robert E. Tod, brother of the former owner of the Claymore, has become the owner of the steam launch Palos, which Mr. Edson owned. The Palos will be used in the vicinity of Sound Beach, Conn." (Source: Anon. "Yachting Notes." New York Herald, May 22, 1897, p. 10.)

"Robert E. Tod has bought the fast steam launch Palos, forty-eight feet long, from Commodore J. B. Edson of the Shelter Island Yacht Club. The Palos was built by the Herreshoffs and is fitted with a triple expansion engine and boiler. She will be used by her new owner in the vicinity of Sound Beach, Conn."
Morris Heights." (Source: Anon. "Yachting Notes of Interest." New York Sun, May 22, 1897, p. 5.)

"... Palos [Yacht]; Jarvis B. Edson, Shelter Island [Owner]; 48 [Length, Feet]; 18 [Est'd knots]. ..." (Source: Anon. "Fleet and Staunch Yachts Offered to Uncle Sam for Warships." Buffalo Courier, March 21, 1898, p. x.)

"The steam yacht Palos, owned by Mr. Robert E. Tod, N.Y.Y.C. is receiving a new Seabury boiler at Morris Heights." (Source: Anon. "Yachting Notes." New York Herald, May 12, 1900, p. 11.)

"The 48-foot high speed steam launch Palos has been sold by Mr. Robert E. Tod, N.Y.Y.C., to Mr. H. B. Lothrop, of Detroit, Mich. She has been shipped from Morris Heights on a flat car to destination." (Source: Anon. "Yachting Notes." New York Herald, October 4, 1900, p. 11.)

Archival Documents

"N/A"

"[Item Transcription:] Handwritten (in ink and pencil) trials booklet 'Herreshoff Mfg. Co. Experiments & Trial Trips. 1890. N.G. Herreshoff'. Relevant contents:
§14: #166p MISSISQUOI Trial Run (1890-10-16)." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Trials Booklet. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE07_02260. Folder [no #]. 1890-01 to 1898-08.)



Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #166p Missisquoi even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.


Registers

1896 Manning's American Yacht List (#287)
Name; Former Name(s): Palos; Missisquoi
Owner: Jarvis B. Edson; Club(s): 92 [Shelter Island]; Port: Shelter Island, N.Y.
Type & Rig Scw Stm [Screw Steamer]
LOA 48.6; LWL 48.0; Extr. Beam 7.6; Draught 2.4
Builder Herreshoff Mfg. Co.; Designer N. G. Herreshoff; Built where Bristol, R.I.; Built when 1890 Oct.
Engine T[riple] Ex[panding] Con[densing] H[igh] Pres[sure] 3 Cy. 4 1/4, 6 3/4, 10 1/2 & 10 1/2 x 8, 1894 Safety Water Tube [Boiler], 1895.; Maker Chas. L. Seabury & Co.

1902 Manning's American Yacht List
Name; Former Name(s): Palos; Missisquoi
Owner: Henry B. Lothrop; Port: Detroit, Mich.
Type & Rig Scw. Str. [Screw Steamer]
LOA 48.6; LWL 48.0; Extr. Beam 7.6; Draught 2.4
Builder Herreshoff Mfg. Co.; Designer N. G. Herreshoff; Built where Bristol, R.I.; Built when 1890 Oct.
Engine T[riple] Ex[panding] Con[densing] H[igh] Pres[sure] 3 Cy. 4 1/4, 6 3/4, 10 1/2 & 10 1/2 x 8.1894 Safety Water Tube [Boiler], 1895.; Maker Chas. L. Seabury & Co.

Source: Various Yacht Lists and Registers. For complete biographical information see the Herreshoff Catalogue Raisonné under Data Sources. Note that this section shows only snapshots in time and should not be considered a provenance, although it can help creating one.

Supplement

From the 1920 and earlier HMCo Index Cards at the MIT Museum
  • Note: The vessel index cards comprise two sets of a total of some 3200 cards about vessels built by HMCo, with dimensions and information regarding drawings, later or former vessel names, and owners. They were compiled from HMCo's early days until 1920 and added to in later decades, apparently by Hart Nautical curator William A. Baker and his successors. While HMCo seems to have used only one set of index cards, all sorted by name and, where no name was available, by number, later users at MIT apparently divided them into two sets of cards, one sorted by vessel name, the other by vessel number and greatly expanded the number of cards. Original HMCo cards are usually lined and almost always punched with a hole at bottom center while later cards usually have no hole, are unlined, and often carry substantially less information. All cards are held by the Francis Russell Hart Nautical Collections of the MIT Museum in Cambridge, Mass.
From the 1931 HMCo-published Owner's List

Name: Mississquoi [sic, i.e. Missisquoi]
Type: Steam
Length: 48'
Owner: Webb, W. S.

Source: Herreshoff Manufacturing Company. "A Partial List of Herreshoff Clients." In: Herreshoff Manufacturing Company. Herreshoff Yachts. Bristol, Rhode Island, ca. 1931.

From the 1930s L. Francis Herreshoff Index Cards at the Herreshoff Marine Museum
  • Note: The L. Francis Herreshoff index cards comprise a set of some 1200 cards about vessels built by HMCo, with dimensions and / or ownership information. Apparently compiled in the early 1930s, for later HMCo-built boats like the Fishers Island 23s or the Northeast Harbor 30s are not included. Added to in later decades, apparently by L. F. Herreshoff as well as his long-time secretary Muriel Vaughn and others. Also 46 cards of L. F. Herreshoff-designed vessels. The original set of index cards is held by the Herreshoff Marine Museum and permission to display is gratefully acknowledged.
From the 1953 HMCo Owner's List by L. Francis Herreshoff

Name: Missisquoi
Type: 48' 6" steamer
Owner: W. S. Webb
Year: 1890
Row No.: 443

Source: Herreshoff, L. Francis. "Partial List of Herreshoff-Built Boats." In: Herreshoff, L. Francis. Capt. Nat Herreshoff. The Wizard of Bristol. New York, 1953, p. 325-343.

From the 2000 (ca.) Transcription of the HMCo Construction Record by Vermilya/Bray

Year: 1890
E/P/S: P
No.: 166
Name: Missisquoi
OA: 48'

Source: Vermilya, Peter and Maynard Bray. "Transcription of the HMCo. Construction Record." Unpublished database, ca. 2000.

Note: The transcription of the HMCo Construction Record by Peter Vermilya and Maynard Bray was performed independently (and earlier) than that by Claas van der Linde. A comparison of the two transcriptions can be particularly useful in those many cases where the handwriting in the Construction Record is difficult to decipher.

Research Note(s)

"Built in 57 days (contract to launch)." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. January 16, 2024.)

Note: Research notes contain information about a vessel that is often random and unedited but has been deemed useful for future research.

Note

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Citation: HMCo #166p Missisquoi. Herreshoff Catalogue Raisonné. https://herreshoff.info/Docs/P00166_Missisquoi.htm.