Built as a steam yacht for William Rehburg (Put-in-Bay, Ohio) in 1891 (registered as US 141143).
In May, 1894 the yacht was seized by the Canadian Government for infringement of fishery laws (subsequently released on June 12).
In 1905 ownership changed to H.D. Rehburg (Toledo, Ohio).
Ownership changed to J.E. McQueen (Amherstburg, Ontario) in 1910 and was converted to a tug (registered as C 116320).
In 1925 the tug was dismantled in Amherstburg, Ontario, rebuilt as a steam tug and renamed Henry Stokes. Dominion Sugar Co., Ltd., (Chatham, Ontario) owned and used the vessel to haul sugar beet barges.
The tug was rebuilt again in 1954 and renamed Aburg, for McQueen Marine Ltd. It was then re-powered with a 225 hp diesel in 1960 and the beam was widened from 14.6' to 17.5'.
In 1978 William E. Smith (Amherstburg, Ontario) purchased the tug and used is as a pleasure craft. Ownership then went to Subservices Ltd, Garnet Cheney (Pentanguishene, Ontario) in 1980 and then to Carol Baker (Pentanguishene, Ontario) in 1981, who renamed the tug Dawnlight and operated it as a dive boat.
The tug was refurbished in 1984, for excursion tours, and then repowered in 1988 with a Catapillar diesel (365 hp). |