NC Business History - North Carolina Steamboats 1850

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List of Merchant Steamboats in NC (1850 -1860)
The first steamboats or steamships began plying North Carolina's sounds and rivers in 1818. The state's outer banks and difficult river navigation posed significant barriers. A local steamboat construction industry started in Fayetteville, Wilmington and Washington, NC. Additional material will be added to this section. Please provide any information for changes to this list to Ron Vinson.

The steamboat transportation industry was much larger than previous reports. We have identified about 100 (at present) steamers plying North Carolina rivers, canals and sounds prior to 1861, with an additional 80+ such boats (excluding steamer flats and tugs) built and operating between 1861 and 1899. The list is expected to grow. This comprehensive listing does not contain the occasional ocean-going steamship that once or only a few times on an irregular basis stopped at Wilmington or Smithville (now Southport) or other NC seaports. The intent is to list cargo and passenger steamers, not tugs. Note: There were many lighters — large flat-bottomed barges — that are not included in this list, as these vessels were not considered "Steam Boats" by contemporary sources. Links are provided to some steamers to provide additional information and drawings/photos, where available. More information on specific steamers is constantly being added. Steamers in North Carolina from 1812 to 1849 (click link) are contained in this list. Steamers in North Carolina from 1850 to 1860 (click link) are contained in this list. Steamers in North Carolina from 1861 to 1880 (click link) are contained in this list. Steamers in North Carolina from 1881 to 1899 (click link) are contained in this list. Listing of Steamboats (Cargo and/or Passenger) on NC rivers and sounds (does not include tugs) Wheel types - P (sidewheel); W (stern or center); S (screw drive); Service - f (ferry)
Year Built	Name of Vessel	Wheel Type	Tons	Built In	First Home Port	NC River/Sound Routes/Dates	Final Disposition
1850	Chatham	P	57	New Bern, NC	New Bern, NC		Burnt 3/14/1865²Fayetteville, NC
1850	New Wayne	P	50	New Bern, NC	New Bern, NC	Neuse & Trent	Abandoned 1852
1850	Union	P	40	Wilmington, NC	Wilmington, NC		Abandoned 1857
1850	A. H. Shultz	P	164	New York, NY	New York, NY	Blackwater, Chowan & Albemarle Sound	Destroyed in War 1864/65
1851	Fairy	P	54	New Bern, NC	New Bern, NC		Abandoned 1857
1851	Major William Barnett	P	116	Camden, NJ	Philadelphia, PA	Cape Fear 1853	Abandoned 1860
1852	Chatham³	P	235	Fayetteville, NC	Wilmington, NC	Cape Fear	Confederate control 1861
1852	Fayetteville	P	264	Fayetteville, NC	Wilmington, NC	Cape Fear	Exploded 5/18/1853 Smithville, NC
1852	Spray	P	106	Wilmington, DE	Wilmington, NC	Wilmington - Smithville* 1853 - Oct. 1857	Confederate control 1861
1852	Deer	P	130	Hoboken, NJ	New York, NY		Burnt 2/26/1879 New Bern, NC
1852	Brothers		125			Deep River -1856-	1870s
1852	Zephyr	P	123	Wilmington, DE	Wilmington, DE	Cape Fear	Confederate control 1861
1852	Southerner	W	51	Fayetteville, NC	Wilmington, NC		Confederate control 1861
1853	Fanny Lutterloh	P	50	Fayetteville, NC	Wilmington, NC	Cape Fear	Collision, sank in 1854, raised/repaired; Abandoned 1860
1853	North State	P	51	New Bern, NC	New Bern, NC		Abandoned 1855
1853	Sam Beery	P	185	Wilmington, NC	Wilmington, NC		Stranded 1/12/1856 Masonboro Inlet, NC
1853	Parkersburg - originally Henry B. Beach; renamed on 2/19/1857	S	468	Saybrook, CT	Middletown, CT	Wilmington - New York - June 1860	Sold to foreign owners 1865
1853	Sun	W	61	Fayetteville, NC	Wilmington, NC	Cape Fear	Abandoned 1855
1853	Concord	S	155	Gloucester, NJ	Philadelphia, PA		Burnt 2/20/1886 Washington, NC
1853	J.S. Underhill	S	123	New York, NY	New York, NY		Burnt 12/24/1878 Wilmington, NC
1853	Eliza			Wilmington, NC		Singletary Landing & Wilmington; Express Line
1853	John H. Haughton	P	54	Wilmington, NC	Wilmington, NC	Cape Fear & Deep River Nov. 1853 -	Sunk above Lockville after 1860
1854	Black River	P	67	Wilmington, NC	Wilmington, NC		Confederate control 1861
1854	Caledonia^{1 (renamed Beaufort during Civil War)}	S	85	Wilmington, DE	Edenton, NC		Confederate control, renamed Beaufort; Converted to sail 1878
1854	Flora McDonald	P	95	Wilmington, NC	Wilmington, NC		Confederate control 1861; burnt 1864
1854	Mariner⁹	S	134	Philadelphia, PA	Wilmington, NC		Confederate control 1861
1854	Mohawk Chief	S	85	Newburgh, NY	Troy, NY	Dismal Swamp 1850s	Abandoned 1864
1854	North Carolina (IV)	P	672	Philadelphia, PA	Philadelphia	Philadelphia - Wilmington -freight	Lost 1855
1855	Kahukee⁷	S	91	Wilmington, DE	Plymouth, NC		Confederate control 1861
1855	Lillian⁸		55	Wilmington, NC	Wilmington, NC		Abandoned 1868

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