U.S. Coast Guard Lightships
& Those of the U.S. Lighthouse Service
VESSEL DESIGNATION: LV 34
A print image scanned from the U.S.
Lighthouse Service's List of Lights and Fog Signals
on the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of the United States [;] Corrected to
June 30, 1907, Plate XXI.
(Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1907).
Click on thumbnail image for a 300 dpi version.
YEAR BUILT: 1865
BUILT AT: Philadelphia (PA)
BUILDER: Vaughn & Fisher
APPROPRIATION: $150,000
($48,000 for LV 29 & 34)
(Jul 2, 1864 for 2 light-vessels, unspecified)
CONTRACT PRICE: $24,000
SISTER VESSELS: None
DESIGN: Wood - live oak, white oak & yellow pine; galvanized iron,
copper & treenail fastenings
LENGTH: 101'10" (loa); BEAM: 23'; DRAFT: 11'0"; TONNAGE: 218 displ, 150 gross
PROPULSION: Sail
ILLUMINATING APPARATUS: 2 lanterns, each with 8 fountain-burner oil lamps
FOG SIGNAL: Hand operated bell
CONSTRUCTION NOTES - MODIFICATIONS - EQUIPMENT CHANGES & IMPROVEMENTS:
1868: "Completely" repaired but "defects" found in
mast-
1872: Extensive repairs Jun 2 - Oct 29, Wilmington (NC)-
1886: July, badly worm eaten on both sides; repaired, recaulked, resheathed
and rolling keels replaced; new mainmast, new hawse pipes and new water
tanks-
1894: Repaired for damage by 2 hurricanes -- $1,800-
1898: November 16-December 27, major overhaul and refit-
1900: May 18, hauled for replacement of hull timbers-
1901: November 7-December 10, 4-HP oil engine, compressor, and 8" chime
whistle installed-
1904: Wireless equipment and operator supplied by USN; apparently
discontinued-
1916: February, fog signal changed to air diaphone (this was the first US
lightship to be equipped with a diaphone)-
1916: February, Illuminant changed from oil to acetylene-
1919: Equipped with radio; discontinued 1923
STATION ASSIGNMENTS:
1866-1876: Relief (6th District)
1871-1875: Frying Pan Shoal (NC)
1876-1880: Martins Industry (SC)
1880-1886: Rattlesnake Shoal (SC)
1887-1892: Martins Industry (SC)
1892-1894: Rattlesnake Shoal (SC)
1894-1924: Charleston (SC)
(1866 Mar 11 - 1868, temporary duty at Fishing Rip (SC)
(1894 May 31, Rattlesnake Shoal station moved and renamed Charleston)
(Prior to 1867 when No. 34 was assigned, official records identify this
vessel
as "Relief")
HISTORICAL NOTES:
1866: March 11, Placed "temporarily" on Fishing Rip while in
Relief status-
1866: November 3, lost anchor & 30 fathoms chain from loose shackle pin-
1872: July, "accidentally sunk" at Wilmington (NC) while being
repaired-
1877: "now on Martins Industry"-
1880: April 27, withdrawn for repairs; repairs completed August 1880 but
remained unassigned-
1880: December 29, placed on Rattlesnake Shoal (SC)-
1882: August 27, parted chain In hurricane; replaced on station Aus 31-
1886: July 26, leaking; withdrawn for repairs-
1887: July 23, placed on Martins Industry (SC)-
1892: Placed on Rattlesnake Shoal (SC); Aug 27/28 blown off station by
hurricane parting both chains and losing both anchors. Driven ashore at Long
Island Beach (SC), 40 feet above low water mark. While beached, damaged by a
2nd hurricane in Oct. Hauled off in 1894 and brought to Charleston for
repairs;-
1894: May 31, placed on Charleston (SC) (Rattlesnake Shoal station was
relocated and renamed Charleston at this time)-
1904: November, wireless telegraph equipment installed and operator provided
by Navy but apparently was later discontinued.
More notes:
RETIRED FROM LIGHTSHIP DUTY: 1924; AGE: 59
SUBSEQUENT DISPOSITION: Condemned and sold during 1924
OFFICERS: LV 34
1874-1893: John McCormick, Keeper
1894-1896: Antoni Neilson, Master
1896-1899: Carl F Kellin, Master
1906-?: Carl F Kellin, Master
?-1917: Antoni Nielson, Master
1917-1919: John W Fullwood, Master
1917: Mathew Slavich, Mate
1917: Joseph P Francis, Mate
1917-1918: Charles Rose, Mate
1918-1921: Victor Karlson, Mate
1919: George Larsen, Master
1919-1924: John A Jansson, Master
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