Col. James M. Schoonmaker / William P. Snyder Jr.

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Thanks to Ted Wilush for identifying the ship as either the Col. James M. Schoonmaker or the William P. Snyder Jr. Both ships were built by the Great Lakes Engineering Works and primarily sailed for the Shenango Furnace Company. The Col. James M. Schoonmaker was launched July 1, 1911 and the William P. Snyder Jr. was launched January 27, 1912. The Col. James M. Schoonmaker was chartered to the Wilson Marine Transit Company for the 1965 shipping season. In 1969 the ship was renamed the Willis B. Boyer and sold to the Interlake Steamship Company. She was chartered by the Republic Steel Corporation and sailed for them until 1971 when she was sold to the Cleveland Cliffs Iron Company. They operated the ship until 1980 when she was laid up for the final time. In 1986 she was sold to the city of Toledo, Ohio for use as a maritime museum. She arrived at International Park in Toledo on June 25, 1987 and was restored. The ship was re-christened the Col. James M. Schoonmaker July 1, 2011 – 100 years to the day after she was first launched! The city of Toledo could no longer afford the upkeep on the ship and in October 2012 the Col. James M. Schoonmaker was towed to her new home at the National Museum of the Great Lakes. In 1966 the William P. Snyder Jr. was chartered to the Interlake Steamship Company and then sold to them at the end of the shipping season. The ship was sold to the Cleveland Cliffs Iron Company in 1971 who sailed her for several years before selling the ship in 1983 to American Bulk Shipping, Inc. of Los Angeles, California for use as a container vessel. The new owner defaulted on the payment and the ship was returned to the Cleveland Cliffs Iron Company. The William P. Snyder Jr. never sailed again and was sent to be scrapped in 1986. If you would like to see a photo of the Col. James M. Schoonmaker being towed to her new port, please click here. If you would like to see a color photo of the William P. Snyder Jr. taken by Harold Fricke, please click here.