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Shipping 1877, 1895, 1910, 1912, 1915 and 1918; Canadian Heritage Ship Information Database; Inland Lloyd's Vessel Register Canadian Hulls 1892 and 1897; Marine Museum of the Great Lakes Canadian Ship Registers on line; Mercantile Navy List 1892, 1897 and 1919; Mills Barges and Scows Before 1890; British Whig 30 June and 2 July 1880, 25 March 1881, 28 May 1895 and 2 April 1896; Canadian Railway & Marine World April 1906 and June 1917; Kingston Daily News 30 June, 18 July and 9 October 1876, 1 June and 25 September 1877; Montreal Herald 4 November 1889. 68 J.R. EDWARDS lake barge ex schooner (C 141753 ex U 76393). 1918-21. Original: 435 tons gross, 413 tons net. Later: 453 tons gross, 422 tons net, 175.16' (US), 175.66' (Can) (between perpendiculars). Bascom & Gillham said 183' but that might have been overall. Capacity 680,000 board ft. Originally three masts, later two. Square stern. Built 1883 by David Lester of Marine City Michigan. A sister ship of MINNIE E. ORTON. Crew of six as a schooner. 1907 valued at $6,000 and rated A2. 1913-21 insurance rating = 80 coarse freight only [see definitions]. The 1889-1917 owner of this barge was H. McMorran who appears to have registered her first under the Toledo and Saginaw Transportation Co. and used her in the lumber trade. In 1900 she and two other barges were being towed by PAWNEE (U 150455, 639.9 tons gross, later Montreal Transportation Co.'s MAPLEGULF) when PAWNEE went aground on Gull Island reef. None of the barges were harmed. Of the three barges, both J.R. EDWARDS and MINNIE E. ORTON were later owned by Montreal Transportation Co. EDWARDS' bottom was caulked in 1892. In 1898-1900 her registered owner was the Pawnee Boat Co. that was owned by McMorran. She was docked in 1903. In 1917 or 1918 she was bought by Reid Towing of Port Huron Michigan that was by then controlled by R.M. Wolvin who was, in turn, associated with Montreal Transportation Co. and Canada Steamship Lines. Montreal Transportation Co. bought EDWARDS from Reid in 1918. Montreal Transportation Co. sold her to Thomas Ranger Enderby of Canada Steamship Lines and she was operated by Century Coal Co. (a subsidiary of Canada Steamship Lines) 1921-25. She was laid up by 1926. Reid Towing and Wrecking Ltd. of Sarnia Ontario (by that time a subsidiary of Canada Steamship Lines) took her over for possible continued use but broke her up instead in 1928. She was removed from the register in 1934. She was named after the son of one of the men who financed her. The son eventually became a Rear Admiral USN. Alpena Public Library Great Lakes Maritime Database; American Bureau of Shipping Great Lakes Register 1919 and 1921; American Shipmaster's Association Record of American and Foreign Shipping 1898 and 1900; Bascom and Gillham Early Ships of Canada Steamship Lines; Beeson Steam Vessels of the Northwestern Great Lakes; Bowling Green Great Lakes Vessels Online Index; Bureau Veritas Great Lakes Register 1913; Collard Passage to the Sea; Green's Marine Directory of the Great Lakes 1916; Greenwood Namesakes 1920-29; Lloyd's Inland 140