U.S. Coast Guard Lightships
& Those of the U.S. Lighthouse Service
VESSEL DESIGNATION: LV 5
YEAR BUILT: 1864
BUILT AT: Williamsburg, LI. (NY)
APPROPRIATION: $150, 000
CONTRACT PRICE: ?
BUILDER: Thomas Stack
SISTER VESSELS: None
DESIGN: Wood - white oak, white & yellow pine; fastened with galvanized
iron & locust treenails; 2 masts; daymarks on both
LENGTH: 80'6" (lbp) BEAM: 21'6" DRAFT: 9'0" TONNAGE: 171 gross (shows 104 after 1914)
PROPULSION: Sail -schooner rig; fore and main carried on spencer masts
ILLUMINATING APPARATUS: Single lantern on main, 8 oil lamps w/reflectors
FOG SIGNAL: Hand operated 10001b bell, two hand operated fog horns
CONSTRUCTION NOTES - MODIFICATIONS - EQUIPMENT CHANGES & IMPROVEMENTS:
Upon opening bids, appropriation found sufficient to build 3 vessels-
Additional contracts awarded -1 earmarked for Frying Pan, others
unspecified-
1872: Rebuilt, frame and planking found to be "very rotten"-
1882: Recoppered at waterline due to ice damage-
1883: Rebuilt and salted-
1911: Fog signal changed from bell to 8" air whistle-
1919: Equipped with radio; discontinued 1922-
1920: Illuminant changed from oil to acetylene-
1923: Fog signal changed to 10" air whistle-
1925: Sails and associated spars apparently removed; listed as "no
means of
propulsion" 1925-1930
STATION ASSIGNMENTS:
1866-1867: Hen and Chickens (MA)
1867-1915: Cross Rip (MA)
1916: Relief (MA) ( awaiting assignment)
1916- 1923: Stonehorse Shoal (MA)
1923-1924: Handkerchief Shoal (MA)
1925-1930: Relief (MA)
(Prior to 1867 when No.5 was assigned, official records identify this
vessel as 'Hen and Chickens"
(Items in various Notices to Mariners indicate that LV 5 may have been used
as a Relief vessel during the period she was assigned to Cross Rip)
HISTORICAL NOTES:
1867 Oct 14: placed on Hen and Chickens (MA)-
1883: Reported 20,000 vessels passing Cross Rip station during the year-
"Passing" vessels collided with the lightship in 1874,
1885(2),1888, 1890,
1893(2),1895(2),1897,1899(2),1900,1901(2),1902(2),1903(2),1904 and 1906.
Many involved extensive damage to lightship-
Parted chain and went adrift 1877,1885,1889-
Carried off station by ice 1875,1888,1904-
1912 Mar 24: in collision with steamer MILLINOCKET-
1915 Oct/Nov: withdrawn from Cross Rip, assigned Relief temporarily-
1916 Jun/Jul: assigned to new Stonehorse station, fixed white light/air
whistle-
1923/24: Assigned to Handkerchief station-
1925-1930: Assigned Relief duty; seldom used during the period
More notes:
RETIRED PROM LIGHTSHIP DUTY: 1930
AGE: 65
SUBSEQUENT DISPOSITION:
Sold 1930
COMMANDING OFFICERS:
1890-1891: James Jorgensen, Keeper
1893-1894: Judah Berry Jr. , Master
1894: David E Ray, Master
1893-1894: Gustav Shringer, Mate
1894-1895: Alexander F Snow, Master
1895-?: Gustav Shringer, Master
1894-?: James G Remsen, Mate
?-1915: R E B Phillips, Master
?-1915: C C Nickerson, Mate
1916-1919: Abram E Bearse, Master
1916-1918: Zamera C McDonald, Mate
1918-1922: Zamera C McDonald, Master
1919-?: J Geer, Mate
1922-1924: William Kelley, Master
"CROSS RIP LIGHT-VESSEL, NO. 5, MASS." Scanned from the 1901 Light List, Plate X. Photographer unknown, no date listed (circa 1900).
Office of the Lighthouse Board. List of Lights and Fog Signals on the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of the United States. Corrected to June 30, 1901. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1901.
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