U.S. Coast Guard Lightships
& Those of the U.S. Lighthouse Service
VESSEL DESIGNATION: LV 19
YEAR BUILT: 1845
BUILT AT: New York (NY)
BUILDER: Henry Eckford
APPROPRIATION: $20,000 (Approp. Mar 3, 1823 "for 2 lt-vessels for Delaware Bay")
CONTRACT PRICE: ?
SISTER VESSELS: None
DESIGN: Wood - white oak framed and planked; double ended hull with bowsprit; 2 masts, oval daymarks at both mastheads
LENGTH: 85' (lbp), BEAM: 25', DRAFT: 9', TONNAGE: 150 (enlarged twice)
PROPULSION: Sail
ILLUMINATING APPARATUS: 1 lamp, 12 cylindrical wicks
FOG SIGNAL: 900 lb-bell, hand operated
CONSTRUCTION NOTES - MODIFICATIONS - EQUIPMENT CHANGES & IMPROVEMENTS:
Records are not conclusive on early history of this vessel. It appears
that she may have been first built at 120 tons as lightship "X" in
1823; rebuilt and enlarged to 130 tons in 1845 which was very probably a
rebuild of lightship "X"; then rebuilt in 1854, and again rebuilt
and enlarged to 150 tons in 1876 at Wilmington DE at a cost of $11,000-
1848: Second lamp added with 12 cylindrical wicks-
1868: Lamps converted to reflector type-
Extensive repairs 1860,1863, 1868
STATION ASSIGNMENTS:
1845-1875: Cross Ledge (Upper Middle) (DE)
1876-1886: Fourteen Foot Bank (DE)
1886-1894: Ram Island Reef (CT)
1894-1900: Relief (CT) - laid up at New London during entire period
(Prior to 1867 when No. 19 was assigned, official records identify this
vessel as "Upper Middle", "Upper Middle No. 2", and/or
"Cross Ledge")
(Cross Ledge station discontinued Dec 8, 1875)
(Four-teen Foot Bank station established Aug 22, 1876)
HISTORICAL NOTES:
1875: Dec 9, Withdrawn from Cross Ledge; station discontinued when Cross
Ledge Lighthouse activated-
1875: Oct 29, Mate and 2 crewmembers drowned during passage in liberty boat
from Little Creek Landing (DE) to the lightship-
1875: During service in Delaware Bay, nearly every winter moving ice caused
LV 19 to be either driven off or withdrawn from station for several months
at a time - "such absence of light is a great Injury to commerce"-
1876: Aug 22, reassigned and placed on Fourteen Foot Bank (DE)
1886: Dec 1, removed from Fourteen Foot Bank, transferred to 3d District-
1886: Dec "9 stationed on Ram Island Reef (CT)-
1894: Dec 8, "permanently" removed from Ram Island Reef &
assigned Relief status-
1895 "Rotten" and "weak and worn in every part";
"unfit for economic 1 repair-
1896, 97: "occupies needed space" and "only in the way"
at New London dock
More notes
RETIRED FROM LIGHTSHIP DUTY: 1894 AGE: 49?
SUBSEQUENT DISPOSITION:
Turned over to Navy Department Oct 31 1900 for use as target ship
COMMANDING OFFICERS:
1893-1895: Nicolas Nelson, Mate
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