The Swallow was a wooden steam barge built in 1873 in Trenton, Michigan, by Alvin A. Turner. David C. Whitney and James Chase, of Detroit, were the original owners of the vessel. It was 133.8 feet in length with a 25.8-foot beam and was 10.8 feet in depth.
It was launched from Trenton, Michigan July 2, 1873. By April 25, 1879, Swallow was owned by Simon J. Murphy, Joseph Heald and Ernest E. Crepin of Montague. They were owners of the Heald, Murphy, Crepin mill located on the north side of White Lake in the Maple Grove area.
On May 20, 1886 the vessel was owned by E. E. Crepin of Chicago, and Capt. Andrew Flagstad of Montague. It was damaged in Lake Michigan during a squall in June 1886 and sank in Chicago. It was raised, repaired and readied to be put back into service.
On March 24, 1887, it was reported that Capt. Flagstad had sold the propeller Swallow to Messrs. H. W. Cook and Alex Campbell of Michigan City. Over the years she was bought and sold several other times.
On Oct. 5, 1900, the Swallow sank in a collision with Sir William Siemens in the St. Clair River laden with cedar posts and shingles. She was raised Oct. 18, 1900.
In May 1901, William E. Lennac of Detroit purchased Swallow. She foundered in Lake Erie Oct. 19, 1901 in a heavy gale while hauling lumber and shingles. The crew was rescued by her tow barge. They were picked up by the steamer Walter Scranton after 39 hours.
The M. T. Greene was classified as a steam barge. It served as a bulk carrier and a tow vessel.
The M. T. Greene was built in 1887 in Gibraltar, Michigan, by R. W. Linn for the Chicago Lumber Company.
The wooden-hulled vessel was 155 feet in length and 30 feet wide. It was 11.6 feet in depth. It had two masts.
The 20 + 36 x 36”, 400hp at 96rpm engine was built by Wilson & Hendrie of the Montague Iron Works. The nine feet by 151 inch, 110psi fire box boiler was also built by the Montague Iron Works.
The vessel was originally owned by the Chicago Lumber Company and Capt. Andrew Flagstad from October 1887 until May 1897, when it was sold to Waldo Avery of Detroit. There were several other owners after that. It was last owned by the Diamond Gravel & Navigation Company, Buffalo, N.Y. in 1928. On May 3, 1928 it was burned.
