Digest>Archives> Jul/Aug 2015

Collecting Nautical Antiques

Lighthouse Tender Ilex

By Jim Claflin

Comments?    


You can see an enlarged version of this picture by clicking here.
>> Click to enlarge <<
The Ilex at Portland, stern view. Note her two ...

We recently obtained a wonderful lot of photographs relating to the Lighthouse Service tender Ilex, a lesser known vessel of the U.S. Lighthouse Service.

You can see an enlarged version of this picture by clicking here.
>> Click to enlarge <<
The Ilex at Portland in 1924, bow view. Note the ...

Lighthouse tenders were the lifeline to the keepers of America’s lighthouses and lightships. Tenders towed lightships, tended buoys, carried necessities and saved lives day and night, in weather fair or foul. Without these services the keepers

You can see an enlarged version of this picture by clicking here.
>> Click to enlarge <<
In August, 1939, while working the Kennebec River ...

We recently obtained a wonderful lot of photographs relating to the Lighthouse Service tender Ilex, a lesser known vessel of the U.S. Lighthouse Service.

Lighthouse tenders were the lifeline to the keepers of America’s lighthouses and lightships. Tenders towed lightships, tended buoys, carried necessities and saved lives day and night, in weather fair or foul. Without these services the keepers of America’s lighthouses and lightships could not have survived.

Many lighthouse tenders were named for various trees or shrubs, in this case the genus Ilex; holly.

The vessel was built in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and commissioned the General Edmund Kirby for the U.S. Army in 1919.

She was a Speedwell-class mine planter built for the U.S. Army for use in World War I. Following the war, in 1922, six mine planters were transferred to the U.S. Lighthouse Service at no cost. Other tenders in this class included the Acacia, Lotus, Lupine, Speedwell, and Spruce.

The original intent was for these vessels to serve a dual purpose: mine-planter in case of a war, and lighthouse tender during peacetime. Unfortunately, this conversion proved to be impracticable and too expensive and they were modified exclusively for service as tenders at a cost of between $41,022 to $110,963. Each had a turtleback forecastle installed and their anchors were mounted high to prevent the ship from being hung up on a buoy she was servicing. A steel main deck was added forward; new windows were installed in the pilothouse, and a new refrigerating plant was added. All vessels were then commissioned from 1923 to 1927 with new names.

Ilex was built by the Fabricated Shipbuilding Corporation and Coddington Engineering Company, Milwaukee, WI. She had a length of 172’. beam 32’, draft: 11’ 6”. She was commissioned in the Lighthouse Service as the Ilex in 1924. Her complement in 1930 was 27.

Ilex was assigned to the 1st Lighthouse District and was based out of South Portland, ME, where she serviced aids to navigation. Tenders were the main connection to supplies and communication to the mainland and the keepers and their families relied heavily on the abilities and perseverance of their crews.

Matinicus Rock Light Station was one of the most remote light stations in the First District. In 1943, the Keeper’s wife, Mrs. Roscoe L. Fletcher, noted in a newspaper interview (reprinted Lighthouse Digest June 2005 ) that: “We are now at Matinicus Rock Light Station, which is about 25 miles from Rockland, the nearest mainland. An island, Crie Haven, which has a general store and post office, is three and one-half miles from here, and Matinicus Island, five miles from the Light, also has a general store and post office to which the government mail comes. We get our groceries from both of these islands.

“The Lighthouse Tenders, Hibiscus and Ilex, visit here several times a year, were bringing us water, oil and gasoline. Usually our inspectors come on these boats twice a year.“Boats land on a boat slip. There are times in winter, spring, late summer and fall when we are unable to get any mail for two or three weeks at a time. I would call once a week, the average for receiving mail. All through the year, each mail day, all of the families gather at the boathouse when the station boat is returning with the mail and supplies. On that day, too, a difference in menu is enjoyed for, having no refrigerators, our supply of fresh and green foods is naturally very limited.“We are obliged to depend much on canned foods. For instance, since we have been in the Service, we have had salt fish, canned salmon or mackerel at Christmas and Thanksgiving dinners. The reason of course has been the weather conditions at this season of the year.” In 1939 the Ilex was involved in an incident that would be argued in the courts for years to come.

In August, 1939, while working the Kennebec River in Bath, Maine, strong currents took control of the Tender Ilex and forced her beneath the metal superstructure of the iron Carleton toll bridge, “jamming her” beneath the structure and causing considerable damage to the vessel’s stern superstructure. The ship was trapped when it attempted to turn back while going down stream at low tide.

Workers labored with cutting torches for hours in a successful attempt to free her before she was crushed by the rising tide. Damage to the bridge was listed at $6,836 and soon a lawsuit was brought by the District of Maine to recoup the damages. The matter was in the courts until finally the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts declared that courts had no jurisdiction, as the United States still retained immunity from damages caused to land structures. The Ilex was returned to duty after some repairs.

During World War II, from 1941 thru 1945, Ilex was assigned to the 1st Naval District and stationed at South Portland, Maine. She was used to service submarine nets in addition to aids to navigation duty. During the War she was assigned a compliment of 44 men. In 1942 after the Coast Guard was taken over by the Navy for the duration of the War, she received the hull number and designation WAGL-222.

Lighthouse tenders performed rescue work when able in addition to their ATON duties. On May 5, 1943 the freighter Hartwelson ran aground on Bantam Rock at Sheepscot Bar, Maine (8 miles south of Boothbay Harbor) and foundered. The Ilex was dispatched to the area and was able to rescue 35 crewmen from the grounded freighter and return them to Portland. The freighter soon broke up and sank.

At some point during the War the Ilex operated out of Galveston, Texas, before returning to Portland.

The Ilex was decommissioned in 1947 and replaced by the USCGC Heather, another former Navy mineplanter of a different class (Peterson p.114). The Ilex was sold to a Canadian citizen in 1948 who operated her until she caught fire and was unceremoniously beached and burned.

If you would like more information on tenders of the Lighthouse Service, a great resource is U. S. Lighthouse Service Tenders, by Douglas Peterson (U.S.C.G. Retired). Published by Eastwind Publishing in 2000, this is the first book to feature all of the lighthouse tenders and auxiliary craft of the United States Lighthouse service from 1840 until 1939. Lighthouse Tenders, the lifeline to the keepers of America’s lighthouses and lightships, towed lightships, tended buoys, carried necessities and saved lives day and night, in weather fair or foul. Without these services the keepers of America’s lighthouses and lightships could not have survived. More than 150 years ago the first tender was launched, to be followed by 300 ships of varying design used for lighthouse service-all of which are presented in this thoroughly researched book. Vintage photographs, drawings, plans and statistics illustrate the historic profile of each ship. With over 175 b/w photos and plans, this book would be a fine addition to any lighthouse library.

Another little known account is: All Among The Lighthouses Or The Cruise Of The Goldenrod, by Mary Bradford Crowninshield (Boston. 1886. 392pp.) With beautifully illustrated embossed covers, this is a story based on the operations of the U.S. Lighthouse Tender Iris as she tended lights in the First Light House District in the 1880s. Dedicated to the crew of the Tender Iris, this makes fine reading and should be included in every lighthouse library. Included are excellent b/w illustrations as well as a color USLHE First District map with her route indicated.

Like our column? Have suggestions for future subjects?

Please send in your suggestions and questions, or a photograph of an object that you need help dating or identifying. We will include the answer to a selected inquiry as a regular feature each month in our column.

Jim Claflin is a recognized authority on antiques of the U.S. Lighthouse Service, Life-Saving Service, Revenue Cutter Service and early Coast Guard. In addition to authoring and publishing a number of books on the subject, Jim is the owner of Kenrick A Claflin & Son Nautical Antiques. In business since 1956, he has specialized in antiques of this type since the early 1990s. He may be contacted by writing to him at 1227 Pleasant Street, Worcester, MA 01602, or by calling 508-792-6627. You may also contact him by email: jclaflin@LighthouseAntiques.net or visit his web site at: www.LighthouseAntiques.net

This story appeared in the Jul/Aug 2015 edition of Lighthouse Digest Magazine. The print edition contains more stories than our internet edition, and each story generally contains more photographs - often many more - in the print edition. For subscription information about the print edition, click here.

All contents copyright © 1995-2024 by Lighthouse Digest®, Inc. No story, photograph, or any other item on this website may be reprinted or reproduced without the express permission of Lighthouse Digest. For contact information, click here.


Subscribe
to Lighthouse Digest



USLHS Marker Fund


Lighthouse History
Research Institute


Shop Online












Subscribe   Contact Us   About Us   Copyright Foghorn Publishing, 1994- 2024   Lighthouse Facts     Lighthouse History