Contractor (Sloop, 1803)

Description

Identification

Construction and Ownership

Built at:: Oswego, New York*
Vessel Type:: Sloop
Hull Materials:: Wood
Bow Type:: Plain Head
Builder Name:: Porter Barton
Ownership Notes:: Porter Barton, (1803-1812); United States Government, (1812);
Master(s):: Lee, William, (1803-1809); Beard, James, (1809-1812); Holdup, Lieut. Thomas, (1813);

Power

Tonnage

History

Classification:: a. Sloop, Contractor (1803-1813);
b. Schooner, Trippe (1813-1813)**
Nationality:: American (1803-1813)
Chronology:: 1. 9/10/1813, South Bass Island, Lake Erie, captured the British schooner "Chippewa" trying to escape during
the Battle of Lake Erie
2. 10/26/1813, Buffalo, ashore;
3. 12/19/1813, Buffalo, burned by a British boarding party;

Notes

General notes:: *Some resources state that she was built at either Black Rock or Buffalo, New York;
1812, sold to the United States Government and refitted by Lieut. Elliott. She was armed with one long 24 pounder.
**Renamed "Trippe" after Lieut. Trippe, who under Decatur's command overpowered a Turkish Boat in the Harbor of
Tripoli, in August of 1803;
Entered Erie, Pennsylvania: 8/22/1803 (admeasured), 6/10/1804, 4/20/1805, 5/12/1805, 7/26/1805 (with a sick seaman);
Cleared Erie, Pennsylvania: 8/22/1803, 8/24/1803, 6/10/1804, 4/20/1805, 5/12/1805, 7/29/1805, 8/29/1806,
6/5/1810, 9/25/1810, 10/11/1810, 10/21/1810, 11/5/1810;
She is noted as being of Black Rock, New York, in 1810;
*Built (1802)?; **(EX)- Sloop Contractor; 1-gun-(1812)
Sources:: 1. J. H. Beers, History of the Great Lakes, Vol. I, p. 132;
2. Michigan Pioneer Collection: Vol. I, p. 406, Vol. 8, p. 548;
3. John Poole's notes;
4. Detroit Free Press: 4/7/1846;
5. Buffalo Gazette: 11/5/1811, 8/17/1813, 10/26/1813, 11/2/1813;
6. Kingston Gazette: 11/6/1813;
7. Burton Historical Collection, Vol. II, p.192;
8. J. R. Prentice, History of Perry's and Captured British Ships, unfinished manuscript;
9. Erie, Pennsylvania, Custom House records;

Contact

Wisconsin Maritime Museum

Email:[email protected]
Website:

Agency street/mail address:

75 Maritime Dr.
Manitowoc, WI,54220
920-684-0218