Steamer LeGrand DeGraff, Weston Transit Co., photo s(c.1908).jpg
Dublin Core
Title
Steamer LeGrand DeGraff, Weston Transit Co., photo s(c.1908).jpg
Description
Gemini AI Overview:
The LeGrand S. DeGraff was a massive steel bulk freighter built for the Great Lakes merchant trade in 1907. Commissioned by the North Tonawanda, New York-based Weston Transit Company, the ship was named after LeGrand S. DeGraff (1871–1960), a prominent North Tonawanda industrialist, civic leader, and local manager of the A. Weston & Son lumber empire.
Vessel History & Details
• The Record Breaker: Measuring roughly 606 feet in overall length, the LeGrand S. DeGraff was one of the largest freighters operating on the Great Lakes when it entered service. It quickly earned notoriety for its massive cargo capacity, famously setting records by carrying over 420,000 bushels of grain in a single shipment.
• The Weston Fleet Connection: The ship's launch immediately followed the completion of a sister vessel, the 569-foot Charles Weston (built in 1906 for the sister firm Tonawanda Transit Company). Charles Weston was LeGrand DeGraff's brother-in-law.
• Later Renaming: The freighter had a long career on the lakes. It was transferred to the Frontier Steamship Company in 1910, then sold in 1911 to the Pittsburgh Steamship Company, where it was renamed the George G. Crawford. It was eventually rebuilt in 1937 and served the iron ore and coal trades for decades.
The LeGrand S. DeGraff was a massive steel bulk freighter built for the Great Lakes merchant trade in 1907. Commissioned by the North Tonawanda, New York-based Weston Transit Company, the ship was named after LeGrand S. DeGraff (1871–1960), a prominent North Tonawanda industrialist, civic leader, and local manager of the A. Weston & Son lumber empire.
Vessel History & Details
• The Record Breaker: Measuring roughly 606 feet in overall length, the LeGrand S. DeGraff was one of the largest freighters operating on the Great Lakes when it entered service. It quickly earned notoriety for its massive cargo capacity, famously setting records by carrying over 420,000 bushels of grain in a single shipment.
• The Weston Fleet Connection: The ship's launch immediately followed the completion of a sister vessel, the 569-foot Charles Weston (built in 1906 for the sister firm Tonawanda Transit Company). Charles Weston was LeGrand DeGraff's brother-in-law.
• Later Renaming: The freighter had a long career on the lakes. It was transferred to the Frontier Steamship Company in 1910, then sold in 1911 to the Pittsburgh Steamship Company, where it was renamed the George G. Crawford. It was eventually rebuilt in 1937 and served the iron ore and coal trades for decades.
Date
1908
Collection
Citation
“Steamer LeGrand DeGraff, Weston Transit Co., photo s(c.1908).jpg,” North Tonawanda History, accessed November 9, 2026, https://nthistory.com/items/show/5098.