Hamilton Evening Times (Hamilton, ON), November 26, 1867

Launch At Port Nelson - On Saturday last a staunch little craft was launched at Port Nelson, built by Alex Leclair for W.J. Douglass, the whole work having been completed since the 1st of September, as the timeber was standing in the tree at that time. She is seventy feet on deck, twenty feet beam, and six feet in the hold, and will carry from 90,000 to 100,000 feet of lumber. The launch was a complete success, as she had to slide over one hundred feet on account of the lowness of the water. It being three feet lower than it usually is. There was quite a gathering of spectators, and as she began to move the name was given (Ionia), and the owner received a great many wishes of success from those present.