Henry Eckford-- Part 2: The Choice to Build U.S. Navy Great Lakes Ships

Henry Eckford ran in the big circles in New York City with Mayor DeWitt Clinton and John Jacob Astor.

The first ships he built for the U.S. navy were the Jeffersonian coastal gunboats.  In July 1808, he built the US Navy brig Oneida at Oswego, New York, on Lake Ontario.

During his career, he employed many apprentices who went on to great success.

WAR OF 1812

  Eckford offered his services to the U.S. Navy and Commodore Isaac Chauncey, placed in command of the naval forces on the Great Lakes, had been the master of an Eckford-built ship, the Beaver from 1806 to 1807 and had supervised construction of the gunboats, hired him to build his ships.  Plus, Eckford already had experience building ships along the Great Lakes.  Eckford was the obvious choice for shipbuilder.

--Brock-Perry