The Kelley family had a steamer built for them in 1846. She was called the ISLANDER. She was the vessel that made the Island and Sandusky route. In 1853, the vessel was too small for the growing business, so Eveline Bates designed a new vessel. Daniel Diffle, the master builder and shipwright of Sandusky, was hired to build the new boat.

The ISLAND QUEEN held 167 tons and was 110 feet at the keel. She was 121 feet 6 inches long. Her beam was 20 feet 6 inches. The overall paddle guard was a 32 foot span. She had a 5 foot draft. The keel was laid in July 1854 and by November 4, 1854; the construction of the new hull was well underway. She was built about six rods west of the main dock, which was at the foot of Division Street. This is about where Liz Martin's house stands today.

The boat was made of white oak. The cabin on the main deck was made of red cedar from Kelleys Island. She was to be finished on Thanksgiving Day, but she was never completed until December 2, 1854. The boat was christened the ISLAND QUEEN. The Sandusky paper wanted her to be called the DATUS KELLEY.

She froze at the Kelleys Island dock and didn't get free until January 7, 1855. The steamer ARIEL towed her to Decatur Street in Sandusky. N. G. Olds and Company installed her engine. The engine was an upright saw gate type with high pressure. The cylinder was 22 inches and had a 5 foot stroke. On June 1855, she made a run from Sandusky to Kelleys Island in 61 minutes.

On September 14, 1857, the ISLAND QUEEN towed six new sailing Revenue Cutters from Huron to Sandusky. These cutters were built at Milan. She picked up wheat at Venice and carried it to Sandusky. She stopped at Middle Bass on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. On Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, she ran to Port Clinton. She would leave Port Clinton at 6:00 P.M. She stopped at Moore's Dock on Catawba Island and then proceeded to Kelleys Island.

Captain Orr resigned in 1865.  George Magle, the mate of the boat, replaced Captain Orr.  She was sold on August 21, 1866, to A. D. Dickinson for $10,000.00. She made trips from Detroit to Ontario and later replaced the CITY OF SANDUSKY.  She stayed on her route until July 6, 1868.  The JAY COOKE replaced her.  On July 11, 1875, she was taken apart and was made into a barge.  On June 28, 1876, the barge was sold to Nathan Englemen.  She was sold to Farnhan White of Michigan on July 18, 1876.

Captain Hamilton’s father was one of the soldiers aboard the ISLAND QUEEN.  His uncle, Erastes Huntington, was the first sergeant of Company K and his great-uncle; William Hamilton was the clerk of the ISLAND QUEEN.

Excerpts from an article by Captain Hamilton. Courtesy of Rutherford B. Hayes Memorial Library.