The Ships - TUG Thomas F. Madden

Built by O'Grady and Maher in Buffalo NY, the tug Thomas F. Madden was 47" long, 13"wide and had a hold depth of 6.33".  Built of wood with a gross tonnage of 17.85 and a net tonnage of 8.93 she was first enrolled (US 145582) on 23 April 1891.

There is no evidence that the TF Madden was ever owned by Thomas F. Madden or any other Madden.  It is listed here as another of the mysterious connections with shipping on the Great Lakes.

• Around the Lakes 1894 (1) lists the owner of the Thomas F. Madden as Pat Tirnan of Tonawanda.
• 1901 BlueBook of American Shipping, Marine and Naval Directory of the United States lists the owner of the TF Madden as JB Donnelly of Buffalo.
• In 1902 there was a company Madden and Donnelly in Saginaw MI.
• In 1903 (2) the Blue Book shows no owner for the TF Madden.
• The final enrollment was surrendered at Buffalo on 2 April 1906 and endorsed "laid up."  No other enrollments have been discovered and the TF Madden was dropped from the List of US Merchant Vessels in 1914.

Great Lakes Vessels Online Index

1. Around the Lakes 1894, Detroit Dry Dock Co. Cleveland, OH: Marine Review Print 1894
2. 1903 Blue Book of American Shipping:   Statistics of Shipping and Ship Building in America. Lists of Ship Owners, Ship, Engine and Boiler Builders, Naval Architects, Vessel Masters, and members of various organizations made up from the Navy and Merchant Marine. Particulars of American and Canadian Steam and Sail vessels with names and addresses of owners. Cleveland OH: Marine Review Publishing Co. 1903 p176