Moran, Michael, (1834-1906) Ireland, India Wharf

In March 2019 Tom Dwyer, a Moran descendant, suggested I read TUGBOAT - THE MORAN STORY published in 1956 and written by Eugene F. Moran and Louis Reid. I found a copy on Archive.org . It is an interesting read.

Information from TUGBOAT the Moran Story

Michael Moran, the founder of Moran towing was born in 1833 in Killara, county Westmeath, Ireland to Thomas Moran, stonemason, and his wife, Mary. The family included three sons and four daughters: Julia, Elizabeth, Peter, Michael, Richard, Honora (listed as Anna in the censuses - MLB) and Marie.

The family immigrated to the United States October 30 1850 from Liverpool to New York on the William Hitchcock. Mother Mary died of a heart attack at sea. Thomas, Julia age 24, Elizabeth age 20, Peter 18, Michael age 1 7, Richard 14, Honora 7 and Marie age 5 took the train from New York City to Frankfort, New York where they had relatives, the Farrells. Blue eyed, black hair Michael worked on the tow path of the Erie canal from 1850 to 1855.

In the summer of 1855 Michael, age 22, bought a packet boat in Albany. He then bought another. Steamships were becoming common and New York City was developing into an important international port in part due to the opening of the west with the Erie Canal. By the 1860s Richard Moran, aka Dick, bought a sloop that operated between Connecticut and New York. Michael joined his brother in NYC in 1860. His first steamboat was the 42 tons, 60 feet long Ida Miller for which he paid $2,700 for a half interest. Michael rented a "desk room" at No. 13 South Street on November 10, 1860 for $10 a month and contracted to tow canal boats down the Hudson from Albany. In the fall his boats tied up in Brooklyn for the winter at the Atlantic Docks. To be near his boats he rented a house at 27 William street in Red Hook.

"They were conscious of the smoke and din of foundries, of stove and glass and chemical factories furiously filling war orders. Grain elevators and storage warehouses were pushing up into the sky. All around them men were busy with hammer and saw and trowel, with lather and lever."

Michael married Margaret Haggerty circa 1862. He always called her Maggie. As the family grew they moved to a larger house at 107 Williams (now Pioneer). They had: Thomas F. (1863), Richard J (1869), Eugene (1872) Agnes (1874), William J (1876) and Joseph (1878). In March 1888 at the time of the great blizzard the family lived at 143 Summit street. Richard (Dick) became a captain/ pilot at the age of 18. However he contracted TB and died the day after Christmas December 1894 at the age of 26.

In addition to regular tow work boats towing two decker barges were used for pleasure excursions.

Eugene Moran described his father: "a large-framed man of medium height" who wore side burns on his face and a heavy watch chain over his belly. He had twinkling blue eyes and he laughed a lot.

1870 liquor license, Moran, M., India Wharf MISCELLANEOUS - Note: It is highly likely that there was more than one Michale Moran living in Red Hook - Carroll Gardens in the 1870s so I do not know if Michael with the liquor license in 1870 was "himself".

No Michale Moran was listed in the 1870 directory.

Occupations:

Michael Moran was a mule driver on the Erie Canal

Note: There is a lot on the internet about Michael Moran and the tow barge on the Erie Canal and the tow company in New York City.

Tug boat owner.

Marriage: Circa 1862. Margaret Haggerty born Ireland circa 1842. According to several articles on the Moran family, she was from Albany, New York and they married at St. Mary's church in Albany in 1862.

Mother of Margaret Haggerty: Catherine born Ireland circa 1805-1808. She was in the 1875 and 1880 censuses with the Moran family.

Sister: Kate Haggerty born Ireland circa 1852.

Godparents to the Moran children: Peter Haggerty and John Haggerty

Probate: None for Haggerty.

Michael Moran in the Brooklyn and NYC directories:

Michael Moran was in Brooklyn by 1863 when his son Thomas was born. While I have not found the actual birth record, a daughter Catherine was born in 1866 and the parents were listed as Michael Moran and M. Haggerty. So the Moran family was in Brooklyn at least by 1866. Moreover all of the children born between 1863 and 1874 are listed as born in Brooklyn in the 1875 census. The 1862 directory lists one Michael Moran in Red Hook, laborer h[ome] Tremont n Van brunt. The 1863 and 1864 directories list two Michael Morans: 1. laborer h[ome] Van Brunt and Tremont 2. liquors, Summit and Imlay. 1865: only Michael liquor Summit and Imlay. 1866: does not list either of these Michael Morans. 1867: Michael liquor Imlay and Summit. 1869: Both were listed. 1870: only Michael, laborer, home "1" Van Brunt. 1871: Michael Moran, home, 24 William street, boatman, and liquor, India Wharf. 1872: laborer, home 230 Van Brunt. 1873: boatman home 105 William. 1874: 107 William st. agent and 101 Tremont laborer. 1876: Michael agt 14 south N. Y., home 107 William and laborer 101 Tremont, no more listings for liquor. Conclusion: The person on Tremont is not Michael Moran who founded Moran Towing. Question: Is Michael Moran "liquor" the Michael Moran who founded Moran towing? Many Red Hookers who owned liquor stores went on to other occupations. Michael Moran was in Red Hook from at least 1863 and he does not show up as a boatman or on William street until 1871, 8 years later. According to TugBoat - the Moran Story the Morans lived at 107 Wiliams Street (now Pioneer street) after Michael married Maggie, this would be in circa 1862. 107 Williams street is in the middle of he block between Imlay and Richards streets. Summit street is on the north side of Hamilton Avenue - several blocks away. Many Red Hookers were listed more than once and at more than one address and occupation in a given year in the directories. This is hard to sort out with the common Irish names but apparent with the less common German names.

There were no listings in the NYC directories for Michael Moran agent, boatman or South Street from 1868 to 1879.

The first listing was in 1880: Moran, Michael, agent, 14 South Home Brooklyn

1855: New York Census Frankford, Herkimer, E. D. 1, Thomas "Morin" age 66, laborer, Peter, age 23, boatman, Michael 21, boatman, Richard 21 boatman, Anne age 15, Marie age 12 all born in Ireland

1860: Herkimer, Frankfort, Thomas Moran, age 72 day laborer, $125, $100, Julia 35, Eliza 30, Peter 28 boatman, Michael 26 boatman, Richard, 24 boatman, Anna 18, factory ---- Mariah 17 factory ---

1870: Ward 12, Michael Moran 36, boatman $6,000, born Ireland, Margaret Moran 28, Thomas Moran 7, Alice Moran 4, Richard Moran 1, Hagerty, Kate 18, Hagerty Catherine 67

1875; Brooklyn 12th ward, Williams street, brick $3,000 Michael Moran age 40 born Ireland, boat agent, New York Mararet age 32, wife born Ireland, Thomas 12, Richard 7, Eugene 4, Agnes 1 Catherine Hagerty mother in law, born Ireland age 67

1880: 107 Williams street, Brooklyn, Moran Michael, age 46 merchant born Ireland, Margaret 37 born Ireland, Thomas, 16, Richard 11, Eugene 8, Agnes 6, William 2, Joseph 1, Carroll Eddie 2 nephew, Keegan, Mary 17 niece, Haggerty, Catherine, 72 mother in law

1882: Moran, Michael towing, 14 South, home 143 Summit Brooklyn

1884: Moran, Michael towing, 12 South, home 143 Summit Brooklyn

Children:

1. Thomas Moran 1863-1902

   Born c 1863 Brooklyn, died 1902 age 37

   Marriage: Thomas F Moran Date: 2 Apr 1895 Kings, New York, USA Spouse: Minnie Linehar Certificate Number: 1346

   Children:

   1. Edmond Joseph Moran 1896 - 1993

      Edmond Joseph Moran son of Thomas Moran was born in 1896

      Married Alice Laux

      Edmond Moran, his wife Alice Laux, and their daughter, Nancy, were present in 1944 when the U. S. Government honored Michael Moran with the Liberty ship Michael Moran".

      WWI Record: Edmund Joseph Moran Birth Place: Brooklyn, New York Birth Date: 13 Oct 1895 Service Start Date: 15 Jun 1918

      1920: Brooklyn, Thomas Reynolds 61, port captain transportation Minnie Reynolds 47 Edmund Moran 23, step son, vice president transportation company

      1940: Darien, Fairfield, Connecticut Edmond J Moran 42, Vice President Alice L Moran 36, Thomas E Moran 14, Kevin Moran 12, Nancy A Moran 10, Margot Moran 6, Sheila Moran 1, Gudreen Landa 33, servant, Tryvge T Landa 35, servant, Julia Kalai 25, servant

      1993: Edmond Joseph Moran Birth Date: 13 Oct 1896 Death Date: 15 Jul 1993 Cemetery: Lakeview Cemetery Burial or Cremation Place: New Canaan, Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States of America Spouse: Alice Laux Moran

      "Retired Rear Adm. Edmond J. Moran, a major figure in the shipping industry and commander of the tugboat fleet that enabled Allied forces to carry out the surprise D-Day invasion at Normandy on June 6, 1944, died at home on Thursday. He was 96 and lived in New Canaan, Conn."

      See New York Tiems for full obituary

   2. Margaret circa 1897

   1900 Census Henry street, Thomas Moran, age 35, steam boat man, Minnie 29, born French Canada, Edmond son age 4, Margaret daughter age 3,

   Death: 1902: On Wednesday August 13, at his home on 105 Carroll st age 38. Mass at St Stephens Summit and Hicks burial Holy Cross August 16.

   Thomas F Moran Age: 38 Birth Year: abt 1864 Death Date: 13 Aug 1902 Death Place: Kings, New York, USA Certificate Number: 14759

   Age 37. - Every tug in the harbor had it's flag at half mast acknowledging the death of Thomas Moran of 105 Carroll street, son of Michael Moran "one of the largest towboat owners in the port."

2. Alice Moran, c 1866 - Listed with the family in the 1870 census in Brooklyn

3. Richard J. Moran 1869-1894

   Birth c 1869 - died 1894 age 26 without issue

   Captain Richard J Moran, died of consumption at his home at 143 Summit street on Christmas Day. He as only twenty six years old. He was the popular captain and harbor pilot. He had been captain of the R. C. Veit when she made one of the longest tows then on record; from New York to Maine and then to Florida and return. December 27, 1894 (NY Times)

   He received his harbor pilots license at age 16.

   Richard J Moran Burial 1894 Brooklyn, Kings (Brooklyn), New York, United States of America Death Date 28 Dec 1894 Affiliate Record Identifier 174122513 Cemetery Holy Cross Cemetery

4. Eugene Francis Moran (1872-1961)

   Birth: 24 Mar 1872 (WWI Navy Card) - born in Red Hook per 1951 article in the Brooklyn Eagle.

   Marriage: Julia Clare Irene Browne daughter of Mrs. Julia Brown married Eugene Moran at St. Stephen's R. C. church, Hicks and Summit. The bride was given away by her brother, James. Her father, Timothy, was a well known furniture dealer in Brooklyn.

   Children:

   1. Helen*

   2. Clare*

   3. Eugenia*

   4. Eugene* c 1903

      1971 Death:

      BRIGHTWATERS, L. I., April 6 - Eugene F. Moran Jr., a vice president of the Moran Towing and Transportation Company established by his grandfather, died yesterday in Southside Hospital, Bay Shore, after a long illness. He was 68 years old and lived at 235 Lake View Avenue West.

      Mr. Moran began working for the major towing company even before his graduation from Lehigh University in 1925. He was a member of the Knights of Malta, a past president of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick and a vice president and director of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce.

      He leaves his wife, the former Marie Josephine Staudt; three sons, Eugene F., 3d, Michael A. and Peter J.; two daughters, Marie Ann and Christine S. Moran; a brother, Joseph H., 2d; three sisters, Mrs. Helen Warren, Mrs. Eugenia Dwyer and Mrs. Claire Epp, and seven grandchildren."

      April 7, 1971 NYT

   5. Joseph H. II born circa 1911 - son of Mr. Eugene F Moran and the Late Julia C. Moran was engaged to Polly Cotter in November 1945. Joseph was a graduate of Williams College class of '33 and Harvard Law class of '36. Obit of Joseph H. Moran

   *1910 census

   1905 Census: 16 First Place, Eugene Moran, 33y, towing business, United States wife Julia C Moran 30y United States daughter Hellen Moran 6y United States daughter Claire Moran 4y United States daughter Eugenia Moran 4y United States son Eugene Moran 2y United States servant Sarah Rowell 29y

   1909: February 17 The 71st Emerald Ball held by the Emerald Association for the Roman Catholic Asylum of Brooklyn was held at the Waldorf Astoria's grand ballroom. Near the top of the list of women in magnificent gowns was Mrs. Eugene F. Moran in white crepe meteor a la directoire hand embroidered; diamonds and pearls.

   1910: Eugene Moran M 38y New York, wife Julia Moran F 28y New York, dau Helen Moran F 11y New York dau Eugenia Moran F 9y New York dau Claire Moran F 9y New York son Eugene Moran M 7y New York Ochia Gallagher F 20y Ireland

   Chairman of the board of Moran Towing. Commission of the Port of New York.

   Eugene F. Moran Sr., chairman of Moran Towing and Transportation Co., New York, died last month. He was 89. Moran, the son of company founder Michael Moran, became president of the company in 1906. He served on the Rivers, Harbors and Piers Committee of the Maritime Association of the Port of New York for 50 years.

   Work Boat

5. Agnes M Moran 1874-

   Agnes M. Moran c 1874 - Married Frank Belford who worked for Moran Towing. (Tugboat -the Moran Story)

   1925 Brooklyn: Frank J Belford 50, tow boats, Agnes A Belford 45, Margaret Belford 20, Frank Belford 15, John J Belford 13, Helen Best 28, Maid

6. William J. Moran 1878 -1904

   William J. Moran c 1878 died 1904 without issue.

   1904: 13 March, Death of William J. Moran son of Michael Moran, tug boat owner, died at the residence of his father 143 Summit street. William had been at Saranac Lake from June until two weeks before his death. Michael Moran had been spending the winter in Kissimee, Fla. and returned home to Brooklyn after his son's death.

   William Moran Death 10 Mar 1904 Brooklyn, Kings, New York, United States Address 143 Summit Age 26 Marital Status Single Occupation Clerk Birth Year (Estimated) 1878 Burial Date 12 Mar 1904 Burial Place, New York, New York Cemetery Holy Cross Father's Name Michael Moran Father's Birthplace Ireland Mother's Name Margaret Hagerty Mother's Birthplace Ireland

7. Joseph H. Moran 1879-1940

   Joseph H. Moran born February 23 1879 (WWI Draft Registration) - died 1940

   Married - Susan Lavin of Brooklyn

   Children: None

   Joined Moran towing in 1904. (Tugboat - the Moran Story)

   1910: Brooklyn Ward 22, Joseph H Moran 31, office worker, transportation, Susan A Moran 28, Kathryn M Mannix 34, servant

   1920: Joseph H Moran age 40 towing, Susan A Moran age 33, Brooklyn AD 12

   December 27, 1940 Joseph H. Moran, husband of Elizabeth W and brother of Eugene F Moran; after a short illness at Battle Creek, Michigan.

   Joseph H. Moran, son of the late Michael and Margaret Moran, born in Brooklyn February 23, 1879, died at age 61 in the Battle Creek Sanitarium, Battle Creek Michigan. He was survived by his widow, Elizabeth Williams Moran and his brother, Eugene F Moran. He had joined the Moran Corporation in 1904. He had lived for many years in Park Slope. The funeral was from the home of his brother-in-law, J. Frank Belford.

   The funeral of Joseph H Moran 61 of New York husband of the former Miss Elizabeth Williams of Brooklyn. A requiem mass was celebrated at 11 A.M. in the Church of the Nativity at Brooklyn. Interment w Holy Cross. Mr Moran was secretary and treasurer of the Moran Towing and Transportation and formerly was president. He started his career "in the marine department of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad and in 1904 joined the Moran organization which was founded by his father in 1860." Evening Independent (Newspaper) - December 30, 1940, Massillon, Ohio

1850: Immigration of Michael Moran and his parents: Circa 1850 per 1900 census

Records connected with Michael Moran and Liquor:

Civil War Draft Registration: Moran, Michael, age "34", liquors, unmarried born Ireland, Summit near Van Brunt.

1863 Directory Michael Moran, liquors, Summit and Imlay.

1864 Michael Moran, liquors, Imlay corner Summit.

1866: "Michael Moran Summit and Imlay, rather a bad crowd visit the place. Reserved."

1866 licence review: M Moran corner Imlay and Summit place reported as the resort of rough characters, was arrested for dog fighting but acquitted. Promises to expel roughs and his licence was granted.

1869 Directory Michael Moran, liquors, Summit and Imlay.

1871 Michael Moran liquor India Wharf

The tug Ida Miller: Michael Moran the founder of a large tug company started with a half ownership in one tug, the Ida Miller, which he bought into in 1863 for $2,700.

Moran Towing

1873: "105 William" Brooklyn, New York Boatman Brooklyn, New York, City Directory, 1873.

Michael Moran 1874, 1876, 1877, 1878, 1879, 1880, "107 William" Agt (Agent) Brooklyn, New York, City Directory

1881: Directory - back to Boatman.

1882, 1885, Michael Moran, tugboat, 14 South NY home "143 Summit."

1870: Ward 12, Michael Moran 36, boatman, $6,000, Margaret Moran 28 Thomas Moran 7 Alice Moran 4 Richard Moran 1 Kate Hagerty 18, Catherine Hagerty 65, Mary Wyse 9

1875 Census: Brick $3,000, Michael Moran 40, boat agent, Ireland, naturalized, owned building, Margaret Moran 32, Thomas Moran 12 Richard Moran 7 Eugene Moran 4 Agnes Moran 1 Catharine Hagerty 67, mother-in-law

1876: Members of the New York Produce Exchange, Michael Moran 107 William Street.

1880: 107 Williams Street: merchant, Michael Moran 46 Margaret Moran 37 Thomas Moran 16 Richard Moran 11 Eugene Moran 8 Agnes M. Moran 6 William Moran 2 Joseph H. Moran 1 Eddie Correlle 2, nephew, Mary Keigan 17, niece, Catharine Haggerty 72, mother-in-law

1881: When she was launched the Maggie Moran was one of the fastest tugs in New York Harbor. She was the first tug built specifically for the Moran towing company and the first to bear the family name. Captain Michael Moran the owner of the Maggie Moran was on board the Ida Miller when the Maggie was launched into the Gowanus Bay in August 1881. She was named for Michael's wife, Margaret (Maggie) Moran. At the time Michael Moran also owned the Mary N Hogan, the George L Garlick, the Edgar Baxter, the General Rosecrans and the Ida Miller. The Maggie Moran was a wooden boat, 60 feet long and was built at Frank Bates shipyard at the foot of 37th street and the Gowanus bay at a cost of $8,000.

1883/4: Death of Margaret Haggerty Moran - two years after the launch of the Maggie Moran, age 42. - Moran Margaret, age 43, October 5, 1884 Kings #10824

It was said she died of a "lingering illness".

1888: On May 1, 1888 the active management of Moran Towing was assumed by Eugene F. Moran, the third son of Michael and Maggie born in 1872.

1888: The Telegraphic Journal and Electrical Review, Volume 23

"A New York contemporary, under the heading "Looks Like a Grab", prints the following : - Emboldened by their success in other matters, the gentlemen from Pittsburg, Cincinnati, St. Louis, and other inland towns, who with the superintendents of railroads centreing in New York form the Board of Steam Navigation, have started a movement to do away with all electric lights along the harbour and rivers, including the torch of the Goddess of Liberty and the beautiful crescent of light that defines the Brooklyn Bridge at night. Captain Michael Moran complained that the lights on the bridge and the torch of the Goddess interfered very much at night with navigation, especially with his tug boats that tow out the mud scows. It is proposed to have a law passed imposing a fine of 40 (pounds) for every electric light that is exposed unshaded in the harbour or rivers, and a committee has been appointed to have such a law enacted."

1890: Michael Moran was a known tugboat owner of 143 Summit street, South Brooklyn.

1890: Michael Moran of 144 Summit street was owner of the M. Moran which went to the aid of the English clipper ship, Bay of Naples, which was laying of Bedloe's Island with a lost of case oil for Japan when a fire broke out.

1891: Michael Moran was a "well known towboat owner of Summit street" who was owed a few thousand for towage.

1891: Michael Moran was suing another tug for colliding with his tug F. W. Vosburgh

1892: The tug James A Dumont, belonging to Michael Moran and captained by Loren Gross left the Atlantic Dock shortly after midnight headed out to sea. It collided with a garbage scow which was made fast to the dock. Both vessels had large holes in them and quickly filled with water and quickly sank. It was very foggy and the tug's lights were visible and she kept blowing her whistle. The tug's crew included: the captain, an engineer, a fireman, a deck hand and a steward. The scow had two men on board. All made it to safety. Michael Moran of 143 Summit had offices at 12 south Street, New York. The tug had only been in service for 5 years. Estimated damage $10,000. The tug had been making regular runs to Sandy Hook. Michael Moran and his son, Thomas F. Moran, were said to own several tugs. They had a contract with the Inman and White Star lines to bring the steamers from Sandy Hook to the New York docks. An effort would be made to raise both vessels.

1892: Ward 6 ED 23, Michael Moran 46, Ireland towing, Thomas 28, clerk, Richard 23, pilot, Eugene 20, clerk, William 15, Joseph 12, Agnes 17

1893: Michael Moran's powerful ocean tug the R. C. Viet while lying in the Commercial wharf on February 21, 1893 looked like a miniature iceberg. She had towed a bark from Nassua to Brooklyn but lost the bark in a gale. The bark was probably alright and would turn up in a day or two.

1894: Marriage to Catherine McComich of Albany in 1894 (Tugboat - the Moran story)

1894: July 7, Michael Moran of 143 Summit street and Charles Cohen, a shoe merchant of 335 Hudson street New York, reported that a diamond stud valued at $125 had been stolen from them when they were at Coney Island in fount of the Sea Breach Palace on July 4th. Mrs. Moran was called to identify the stud which the police had recovered. This must have been the second Mrs. Moran.

1897: Satan's Invisible World Displayed: Or, Despairing Democracy By William Thomas Stead

"One Michael Moran, who was engaged in the towboat business, towing garbage under the Street Cleaning Department, made various subscriptions of from $50 to $150 to Tammany Hall. He was asked why he did so. He replied that Mr. Croker was the treasurer of the organization he was doing some work for. "Tammany Hall, you mean?" asked the chairman. "Well, I guess so," replied Moran. "Don't you know there is a distinction between the city and the organization known as Tammany Hall?" asked the chairman. There was no reply. But Moran evidently did not. Tammany Hall was the organization that stood for the city. For him it was the city, and Moran said to subscribe to Tammany was the natural feeling among everybody that worked for the city; "one done it and I didn't want to be left behind by anybody else; I thought I would hold my own end up."

1900: Michael Moran of Brooklyn, owner of the tug M. Moran, was sued for $75,000 in damages for the lose of a steam dredge and scow off Cape Hatteras in September 1900

1900 Census: 141 Summit street, Michael Moran 65 Ireland, married 5 years no children, immigrated 1850, steam boat, wife Katie Moran 45 Ireland, married 5 years, no children, immigrated 1870, daughter Agnes Moran 25 New York, son Wm Moran 23 New York, collector, son Joseph Moran 22 New York, clerk, servant Sarah Mchale 20 Ireland

Death of Michael Moran: June 29, 1906 Deaths

OBITUARY MICHAEL MORAN

Michael MORAN, president of the MORAN Towing and Transportation Company, who was familiarly known as Commodore among transportation men, died yesterday at his home, 10 First place, in his seventy-second year. He came from Ireland with his parents, and when 9 years old worked as a driver on the Erie Canal. He finally became the owner of a canal boat. In 1860 he started as a towboat owner in New York. He was a member of the Maritime Exchange and the National Board of Steam Navigation. The Association for the Protection of Commerce held a meeting at noon to-day in the Chamber of Commerce and took action on Mr. MORAN's death. He leaves two sons and a daughter. The funeral services will be held to-morrow morning at St. Stephen's R.C. Church, in Hicks and Summit streets.

Roots Web

The New York Tribune said Captain Morgan was born in Westmeath, Ireland and came to the US when he was four. His family settled in Herkimer County, New York. At the time of his death he owned one of the larges sea going fleets of tugs on the Atlantic Coast.

Will of Michael Moran: Matter of Moran 136 Misc. 615, 617 (N.Y. Misc. 1930)

Moran Towing:

The official Moran story of the founding of the company says that Michael Moran immigrated from Ireland, worked on the Erie Canal, and saved enough money to buy a $2,700 half share in the Ida Miller, a steam tug, in 1863.

In a 1976 article published in several newspapers including the Cumberland Times on November 7th, Thomas F Moran said that his family and other tug owners all had offices on South Street in Manhattan. The tug captains hung out in a local saloon. When a boat was arriving they would all get in their tugs and race to Sandy Hook and haggle over prices. Thomas F Moran said Michael Moran was from West Meath.

The Moran towing history has been told numerous times in various articles and books. The "partner" in the purchase is never mentioned. All agree that Moran's first tug was the Ida Miller circa 1863. Other articles say he owned the Ida Miller and the General Rosecrans, both "second hand" tugs, when he built the George L Garlick in 1878 and the Maggie Moran in 1883.

1901 Eugen Moran of 211 President street, Tug boat "Peter Cahill" of the Moran Towing Company.

1908: The Master, Mate and Pilot, Volume 1

A POPULAR TOWING COMPANY

The Moran Towing and Transportation Company possess a fine fleet of tugs, consisting of the Eugene F. Moran, the Julia C. Moran, the Edmund Moran, the Arthur W. Palmer, the Catherine Moran, the M. Moran and the Joseph H. Moran.

These tugs are fitted complete with Fire and Steam Pumps and all necessary wrecking apparatus. Water is supplied to shipping by the propeller Joseph H. Moran.

Tugs, Scows and Barges are furnished at short notice by day or night.

The offices of the Moran Towing and Transportation Company are at 17 Battery Place, New York City.

1925: July 20, death of Catherine Moran, widow of Michael Moran, in Hot Springs Va. Funeral from her late residence 10 1st place. Mass St Stephen's Church, Summit and Hicks.

Miscellaneous baptism for children of Michale Moran and Maggie Haggerty:

1. Baptism: Fran Moran Birth Date: 1 Mar Baptism Date: 10 Mar Father: Michael Moran Mother: M Hagerty God Parent: Peter Hagerty God Parent: M A Kennedy, no year.

2. Baptism: Cath Moran Birth Date: 16 Jan 1866 Baptism Date: 25 Jan 1866 Father: Michael Moran Mother: M Hagerty God Parent: Jno Hagerty God Parent: Brid Mc Alister

   Maybe child known as Alice

1950: When Eugene F. Moran, Sr. celebrated his seventy-eighth birthday on March 24th, 1950 he was "Master of the world's largest fleet of tugboats, and of the biggest towing company in the world, he has carried on, as well as himself re-established a tradition that was begun by his grandfather, who worked on the digging of the Erie Canal." (Marine News vol 36)

1951: In November 1951 Moran Towing launched their 50th tug boat, the Eugene F. Moran. Not all tugs stayed close to the coast in 1951 the ocean-going tug, Eugenia Moran, towed a dredge from Guam to New Orleans. and in 1944 an ocean going Moran tug towed a boat from New Orlean to Guam (BE, 21 December 1951).

Moran Towing had the exclusive contract for towing the city's garbage out to sea. They also moved much of the excavated dirt and rocks from the construction of the first subway tunnels.

Image from Tom Dwyer - May 2019

1855: Frankfort Herkimer, New York, Thomas "Morin" 66, laborer, Peter "Morin" 23, boatman, Michael "Morin" 21, boatman, Richard "Morin" 18, boatman Anna "Morin" 15, Maria "Morin" 12,

1860: Frankfort Herkimer, New York, Thomas Moran 72, day laborer, $125 (value of real estate), $100 (value of personal estate), born Ireland Julia Moran 35, house keeper, Eliza Moran 30 --rter Moran 28, boat man, Michell Moran 26, boat man, Richard Moran 24, boat man, Anna Moran 18, factory (cannot read word) Mariah Moran 17, factory (cannot read word)

1865: Frankfort, Herkimer, New York, Shanty, Thomas Moran 76, born Ireland, laborer, Anna Moran 24, born New York, Maria Moran 21, born New York (Note: the young women were born in Ireland,.

1870: Frankfort Herkimer, Moran, Maria age 26, keeping house, $1,000 $200, Thomas age 81 no occupation

1875: Frankfort Village, Frankfort, Herkimer, New York, USA Peter Moran 47, tavern keeper, Catharine Moran 38, wife, Mary Ellen Moran 10, daughter, Harriett Moran 8m, daughter, Morris Burton 21, boarder, common laborer, Joseph Geon 40, boarder, barber, Eliza Geon 25, boarder, servant

In 1870 Peter was listed as a hotel keeper. He died in 1901.

Some Moran Tugs

In the late 1860's, Michael Moran bought two second-hand tugs, the Ida Miller and the General Rosmcrans. In 1878 he built a brand new tug, the George L. Garlick. In 1881 he built the Maggie Moran.

The Ida Miller

Built in 1863 at Chester, Pennsylvania - 60 feet long and 42 tons - this was the first tug owned (or partially owned) by Michael Moran

1873: November 1, Evening Post,

"Serious Ferryboat Collision

The new iron ferryboat Erie and the Deleware of the Pavonia ferry line came into violent collision in the middle of the North River at 5:30 o'clock yesterday afternoon. One of the wheelhouses of the Deleware was destroyed and her hull was also so badly injured that the vessel began to leak badly. A terrible panic arose amont the passengers, but fortunately all were safely taken on board a passing canal boat and carried to the Erie Railroad depot. The Delaware was towed to Pier 42 North River, when she ran into and sank the tug Ida Miller, after which she herself sank. Two express wagons full of valuable goods, and a number of horses were on board at the time of the accident.

1874: NY Times The engineer of the tug boat Ida Miller drowned after he jumped overboard following a collision with the steam-boat Plainfield of the New Jersey Central Railroad. Another man had jumped but was rescued when a rope was thrown to him.

1879: October 14 The South ferry boat Columbia ran into the tug Edgar Baxter. Four men jumped off the Edward Baxter - the captain remained on board. The tug Ida Miller rescued the men who jumped into the water. (BU)

1879: George Miller was captain of the tug Ida Miller in October 1879 when he pulled a body out of the water in the Atlantic Basin

1879: A fireman* who was drunk fell overboard attempting to board a tug. He immediately drowned. The body was recovered by the captain of the Ida Miller.

*A person who stoked the fires that produced the steam that propelled the tug.

1882: Two side lights worth $10 were stolen from the Ida Miller while she was moored at the Atlantic docks. (BE)

1884:

Tug "Ida Miller" and tug "America" collided off Pier 5, East river, 6 P. M. The damages to the vessels were but trifling, but the cook of the "Ida Miller" was drowned. August 31. (Proceedings of the ... Annual Meeting of the Board of Supervising ..., Volume 32 By United States. Steamboat Inspection Service)

1885: "Shortly before 2 o'clock this morning fire was discovered on the tugboat Ida Miller owned by Michael Moran and lying at the foor of twenty-third street. The damage - about $2000 - is fully covered by insurance." (Brooklyn Daily Eagle May 28 1885)

1886: The accident went to court where it was decide that it was the duty of the America to pass under the stren of the Ida Miller and not go across her bow. The fault lay with the America.

1886: Michael Moran was paid $37 for "excess of water on the tug boat Ida Miller". March 17 (BE)

The General Rosecrans

General Roscrans was a Civil War general. The tug General Rosecrans was built in Philadelphia in 1866. It is listed by Moran company sources as one of the early tugs owned by Michael Moran before he had the Maggie Moran built in 1881.

1884: NY Times April 20, 1884 - an empty sailboat was found floating bottoms up in the Narrows and brought to the city by the tug General Rosecrans. Three people who were out for a pleasure sail were believed drowned.

1887: January 5 -

"As the steamboat St. Johns was opposite Pier No.1 North River, on her trip from Sandy Hook to this city about 1 o'clock yesterday afternoon, she ran into the canalboat Stephen A. Pyatt, which the tug General Rosecrans was towing toward the foot of Twenty-fourth-street, North River." (NY TIMES)

The Steam tug Edgar Baxter

The tug, Edgar Baxter, built at Chester, Pennsylvania in 1869 - acquired by Moran towing in 1873 - length 68.2. - believed destroyed by fire in 1924

Tugboat Information

1871: The barque Henry P Lord of Harpswell Maine, on its way from Philadelphia to Portland loaded with 450 tons of coal floundered at sea in gale 35 miles east of Barnegat. The cargo shifted between decks and the vessel went down. The crew took to the life boats and were rescued by the barque Rachael Norton who took them on board and transfered them to the steam tug Edgar Baxter off Sandy Hook. The Edgar Baxter brought them into the port of New york. (Philadelphia Inquirer, November 18, 1871 )

1875: May 30 - On Sunday morning the sound steamer State of New York was passing through Hell Gate when she met a tow of two large mud scows. In trying to pass the scows the State of New York ran aground on the rocks; puncturing a hole in her starboard bow. Filling rapidly with water she ran ashore on the flats off Woolsey Point just as her fires went out. She sank in 30 feet of water at high tide. The tug Edgar Baxter with scows in tow left her scows at Point Morris and went to the aid of the steamer transferring her 50 passengers safely to the tug and bringing them to New York. The freight was transferred to a passing schooner. The lighthouse keeper on North brother Island rendered assistance by keeping scavengers at bay. (The Boston Post, 31 May 1875)

1875: The participants of the annual pic-nic of the Kent Street Reformed Church were carried from the foot of Noble street to Oriental Grove aboard the "commodious" barge Caledonia in tow of the "powerful" tug Edgar Baxter. (28 June 1875 Times Union)

1879: On October 14, 1879 the ferry boat Columbia collided with a Norwegian bark, Laura, in tow of the tug, Edgar Baxter. The ferry had many passengers on board - fortunately no one was hurt. Both vessels were badly damaged. (Times Union 14 October 1879)

1879: In 1881 a decision was handed down in the case of the ferryboat Columbia and the tug Edgar Baxter by the U. S. District Court. The two vessels collided on June 14, 1879 near South Ferry. The tug ran between the ferry and the slip she was about to enter. The ferry struck the tug, the vessel in tow of the tug struck the ferry and the ferry struck a lighter at the end of the pier. The tug was held in fault of the whole chain of events. The ferry was not held in falt of hitting the lighter. Brooklyn Union - 15 June 1881

1883: Around midnight on March 28 a fire started in the engine room of the tug Edgar Baxter, owned by Michal Moran and lying at the foot of Baltic street. Flames shot up from the engine room to the deck. The crew under the direction of the captain, Martin McDonald, was able to bring the fire under control before the fire department arrived. The fire was caused by the overheating of the woodwork in the engine room. Damage was estimated at $500. (The Brooklyn Daily eagle 28 March 1883.

1885: On October 14, 1879 the ferry boat Columbia collided with the bark, Laura, in tow of the tug, Edgar Baxter. A claim for $2,500 was made against the Union Ferry company. It took six years to settle the case but in the end the judge ruled against Union Ferry Company for the full amount.

1886: "libel of the owners of the bark Heinrich and Tonio against the steam-ship Galileo and the tug Edgar Baxter, filed to recover damages sustained by a collision between the bark while in tow of the tug and the steam-ship".

On April 5, 1885, the Heinrich and Tonio had been lying at Bayonne, New Jersey, where she had taken on a full cargo of refined petroleum, in barrels, for a voyage under charter from New York to Bremen, Germany. Shortly after 9 o'clock A. M., said bark was taken in tow by the tug Edgar Baxter, upon a 50-fathom hawser astern to be towed to sea."

....

When the bark passed out of the Kills and headed down for the Narrows, while being towed as aforesaid, she set her staysails and jibs, but remained otherwise without any propelling power of her own, and was towed by the tug at a speed of about five miles an hour. Her own speed, by the aid of her sails, irrespective of the momentum imparted to her by the tug, was little more than sufficient to overcome the tide.

..............

The steamship Galileo had come in from sea, and had been visited by the health officer at Quarantine, and was about to proceed on her way up the bay. ....

Astern and below the Galileo, a large vessel was being towed in from sea by the tug Cyclops, which was heading northerly and to the westward of the Galileo and on the starboard bow of the Edgar Baxter and the bark. The Edgar Baxter and her tow were keeping a straight course midway between the tug Cyclops and the stern of the Galileo.

..............

At the time the Galileo blew her first whistle to the Edgar Baxter, which was about two or three minutes before the collision, her engines had been backing, and they were not set ahead until so near the moment of collision as to be ineffectual to stop the Galileo's sternway.

............ "Jarvis Masters, Peter Cahill, and the executor of Margaret Moran, deceased, claimants and appellees in both above actions, are, and were on April 5, 1885, the owners of the steam-propeller Edgar Baxter, a tug-boat engaged in towing vessels in and about the harbor of New York.

(The Federal Reporter, Volume 28 and Reports of Cases Argued and Determined in the Circuit Court of ..., Volume 24 By United States. Circuit Court (2nd Circuit), D. W. ) Reports of Cases Argued and Determined in the Circuit Court

1890:

MORTGAGE SALE OF STEAM TUG EDGAR BAXTER Notice is hereby given that under and by virtue of a certain mortgage dated December 5, 1888, made by ROWENA W. PARKS, the owner, to HUGH STEWART, to secure the sum of five thousand ($5,000) and interest recorded in the Custom House at New York in liber 23 folio 100. I will expose for sale at PUBLIC AUCTION on the FIRST DAY OF JULY 1890 at 2 o'clock AT ARNOTT'S DOCK foot of twenty-seventh st, South Brooklyn THE STEAMTUG EDGAR BAXTER her tackle, furniture and apparel of every description. Dated June 24, 1890 DANIEL LAKE , Attorney for Mortgagee (30 June 1890 - the Brooklyn Daily Eagle)

1904: Due to lack of wind and a flat calm the Edgar Baxter towed a new 21 feet sailing yacht, the Dorothy, down the Long Island Sound to Governor's Island and on to Gravesend Bay headed for the Old Mill Yacht Club at Jamaica Bay (The Standard Union 11 October 1904)

1905: City Island, New York - The Bark Hattie G. Dixon from Halifax with plaster for Oak Point in tow of the Edgar Baxter "struck" on Oak Point Reef near the dock. Was hauled off by a wrenking steamer and docked. She was leaking "badly". (Philadelphia Inquirer 08 May 1905)

1913: The Baltimore tug Tormenter had a barge in tow off Sandy Hook when she caught the hawser in her propeller. The barge was anchored and later taken in tow by the Edgar Baxter. (The Baltimore Sun May 9, 1913)

1920: Edgar Baxter steam screw, 30 tons transfer from a large group of individuals to Ronald H Mercereau. (Marine Journal)

1921: The steam tug Edgar Baxter was "arrested" by the U. s. Marshal of the United States Eastern District Court and her boilers, engines, etc were libeled by James Shewan & sons "for supplies $893.77". All persons interested were ordered to appear in court on October12, 1921 and present their claims "or be defaulted and the said steam tug condemened and ordered sold." (The Brooklyn Citizen, 06 October 1921)

(The Edgar Baxter had been at the firm of James Shewan & Sons 24th to 27th street Brooklyn for painting and repairs in the summer of 1913.) 1923: The Edgar Baxter was set to be actioned by the U. S. Marshal on January 10th 1923 between piers 7 and 9 at the foot of Furman street Brooklyn. (Brooklyn Citizen 05 January 1923)

1924: Linden, N. J. A fire destroyed three vessels at the Sinclair Refining Company. Twenty-five thousand gallons of gasoline stored in the forward hold of the oil tanker William Boyce Thompson burned for a week. There were explosion and it was feared that the tanker, valued at nearly $500,000, could not be saved. From three to six men from the crew the tug Edgar Baxter were reported missing and no bodies were recovered. The police gave up the search for the missing men on November 23. The men had dived or were blown overboard into the icy waters when the tug and two barges caught fire and set fire to the tanker resulting in several explosions. The names of the men wer not given. An investigation was initiated. There was an estimated $4,000,000 in property damages. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle stated in a November 21 article that the tug Edgar Baxter belonged to the F. J. Bower towing Company of Brooklyn. The names of the five (of seven) men reported missing were released. The tug was destroyed in the fire but the BowerTowing Company hope to raise it in "hopes of finding trace of the seven missing members of its crew". (20 November The Courier News) and (November 23 New York Times) the (Brooklyn Daily Eagle 21 November) and others

The George L Garlick

Built at Newburgh in 1878 for the Moran towing Company. 1880: The steam tug George L Galrick came to the aid when a 54 feet high grain elevator called the Telegraph capsized in the North River during a squall. The entire crew of 14 men escaped with the aid of the Garlick and other tugs who picked up men who had gone overboard and rescued others stil clinging to the overturned elevator. The Garlick then towed the partially sunken elevator to the nearest ship yard in Jersey City. The Garlick also pumped water from the hold. (New York Times Feb 4 1880)

1890 The steamer George L Garlick was owned by Peter Cahill, Jarvis Masters and Michael Moran when on June 14, 1890 the stem of the tug (which was boud up stream) with a partially loaded car float on her port side collided with the projecting bow of the barge Cottingham loaded with sugar towed on the starboard side of the lighter General Digel (bund downstream) on the east River. The Cottingham sank and the fireman on the Sigel "was killed or drown." Several claims were made against the Garlick.

Mary N Hogan

Built in 1872, at Greenport, New York as the Mary N. Hogan. Acquired by Moran towing in 1880. Sold in 1889. Later known as the Sylvia.

The Maggie Moran

The Maggie Moran named for Michael Moran's wife was built in 1881 in a shipyard at 37th street and 3rd avenue. Seventy fet long it was constructed entirely of wood and cost $8,000.

"The "Maggie Moran" was the fourth tug to come under the ownership and management of Michael Moran" (The Marine news, Volume 38, 1951).

She was the first to carry the name of a Moran family member and the first whose smokestack was adorned with the trademark white block letter "M".

1882:

Lost and found - five pieces of timber picked up by the Maggie Moran - November 16 in Atlantic Dock - M Moran, No 14, South st, New York - Brooklyn Daily Eagle 21 December 1882

1883:

May 14, NY Times - A new 91 feet centerboard schooner yacht Grayling belonging to ex-Commodore Latham A. Fish capsized in the lower bay and lay between Upper and Lower Quarantine with about 12 feet of her topmast above the water line. It was the third trip for the new Yacht which had been launched on April 23. There were 14 people on board when the yacht sailed from the Atlantic club in Bay Ridge aiming for the lightship. In addition to Mr. Fish and several guests there were: the captain, the mate, a cook, a stewart and a crew of six men.

The yacht was also accompanied by the schooner-yacht Montauk. The two boats raced down the bay. They were about half a mile below the Narrows when a squall hit and the Grayling went over gradually. The Montauk came to the rescue. No one was hurt. The Montauk attached a cable to the grayling to keep her from drifting. Mr Fish hailed the tug Maggie Moran and contacted up a wrecking company to undertake the raising of the Grayling which was expected to happen after a few days. 1884:

NY Times and the Brooklyn Union February 26 - The tug Maggie Moran reported passing the wreck of the three masted schooner John K Shaw off Woodlands, New Jersey. The Shaw had left from Newport News for New Haven on February 20 with a load of pig iron and coal. Only her stern and two spars were above the water. The identity of the vessel was established by a small brass bell that the Moran's crew took from the wreck. The fate of the captain and the crew of seven was unknown - but they were feared lost. The vessel was valued at about $12,000 and was believed to have been uninsured.

1886:

The tug Maggie Moran pulled the tug John t. Pratt and the barges she had in tow off Randell's Island when she went aground in September 1886.The captain ("owner") of the Maggie Moran claimed salvage but the captain of the Pratt refused it. They went to court and the captain of the Maggie Moran was awarded $75. (NY Times 11 February 1887)

The steam tug Eugene F. Moran

The have been multiple tugs called the Eugene F. Moran, named for Eugene Francis Moran (1872-1961) the son of Moran Towing founder, Michael Moran.

1. The "Eugene F. Moran," sold to the Mexican Railroad Company in 1906, was operating on the Puget Sound by 1920. (America's Maritime Progress By George Weiss, 1920)

2. A steel hulled, coal fired, steam tugboat Eugene F Moran built by Neane & Levy, Philadelphia, PA in 1902 - 91 feet long had a 22 foot beam and displaced 164 gross tons. - originally named Charles E. Matthews -

   "On December 9, 1917 while towing two pile drivers from New York thought 60 mph gale winds the Maron suddenly slipped beneath the waves. She took her entire crew of 11 with her to a watery grave.

   The Eugene Moran was wire dragged and dynamited as a hazard to navigation. Today she lies scattered in 25 feet of water on the Atlantic City sandbar."

   (aquaexplorers.com)

3. Built in 1951, by Jakobson Shipyard Incorporated of Oyster Bay, New York - the Eugene F. Moran for the Moran Towing Company of New York, New York. (tugboatinformation.com)

1905: The Eugene F. Moran US Supreme Court Case

"At about half past seven, in the evening of February 1, 1905, the railroad company's car-float was proceeding up the Hudson River in tow of the tug Matthews, the navigation of the two being conducted solely by the master of the tug. They met the tug Moran, which was towing two mud scows down the river, scow 15 D, immediately behind the Moran, on a hawser, and behind 15 D scow 18 D on another hawser. A collision took place between the car-float and 15 D. Neither 15 D nor 18 D had the required lights. There was an employe of the owner in charge of each scow, and it was their duty as well as the duty of the master of the Moran to have the lights put up. The Moran was guilty of other faults also, so that the tug and the scows all three wrongfully contributed to the damage done to the float. The tug Matthews also was to blame, but the car-float was not, unless, contrary to Sturgis v. Boyer, 24 How. 110, answerable for the faults of the Matthews, which her owner had hired to move her from place to place in the harbor. The cases in the District Court are reported in 143 F. 187; in the Circuit Court of Appeals, in 154 F. 41, and 83 C. C.A. 153.

1905:

The Eugene F Moran was an ocean going tug that on April 08, 1905 was being used to tow scows filled with mud and earth that had been excavated from the "Chelsea improvement" out to sea to be dumped. Returning with four empty scows from such a mission to 13th street a smaller tug, the Greenville, went alongside in order to tow two of the barges to the dock. A strong tide swung the Greenville about and the line between the Moran tug and the Greenville became very taut causing the Greenville to tip sidewards allowing water to flow in. The tug "turned turtle" and ended upside down. Three men were drowned. Three were saved. The drew of six included the captain, and engineer, two deckhands, a steward and a fireman.

A sleet storm that effected New York and New Jersey was responsible for four deaths including two reported by the tug Eugene F. Moran . One man was swept overboard by the heavy seas and another was drowned when a scow in tow of the Eugene F. Moran capsized when the hawser came loose. Sleet, snow, and rain coated everything.

Several newspapers around the country reported that the Moran steel tug Eugene F. Moran had been sold to the Mexican Central railroad. She was to be fitted out in Philadelphia to make the 14,000 mile trip around the Horn to Manzanillo on the west coast of Mexico.

"The "Eugene F. Moran," which was sold to the Mexican Railroad Company, is now being operated on the Puget Sound." (America's Maritime Progress By George Weiss, 1920)

"The "Eugene F. Moran," now named "Colima," and which was engaged for several years on the work of improving the harbor of Manzanillo on the west coast of Mexico, is now located at Seattle, Washington." (The Nautical Gazette, Volume 80, 1911)

1906:

Aug 4 - The Julia C Moran and the Eugene F Moran raced against each other. The Julia C Moran won by a city block. (Chicago Tribune)

1906: Aug. 29

On August 29 The private yacht Illini and the tug Eugene F. Moran met the steamer Princess Irene off Sandy Hook to greet the return from Europe of the politician William J. Bryan.

Lincoln Journal Star

1906: September 5

"The unaffrightened and unarmored cruiser Eugene F. Moran, manned by newspaper men, artists, photographers and other extraordinary seamen" was described as and "ocean tug" when it steamed out to join other vessels in Oyster Bay for a Naval Review before President Theodore Roosevelt.

1907: May 28

The local Board of Steamboat Inspection judicator a case brought by Mrs. Isaac L Rice, President of the Society for the Suppression of Unnecessary Noises, against the tugs Julia C. Moran and Eugene F. Moran with "having blown their boat whistles in an uncalled for manner near her home , 170 Riverside Drive. The sipper of the Julia C. Moran proved he was asleep at the time so the case against him was dropped. The skipper of the Eugene F Moran was to be tried formally by the board at a later date. (NY Times)

Julia Rice was a wealthy New Yorker, a physician and a philanthropist.

"In 1905, Julia Rice began her campaign against noisy river traffic, especially the sirens and whistles sounded by tugboat pilots. A year later, Mrs. Rice founded the Society for the Suppression of Unnecessary Noises." (Riverside Park: The Splendid Sliver)

The New Yorker article about Julia Rice

1907:

June 4, "Tug Eugene F. Moran, from New York for Baltimore passed Sandy Hook at 6 A. M. on the 3rd." (Baltimore Sun)

1907:

The Eugene F. Moran from New York to Baltimore passed the Capes at 5:40 A. M. with the schooner Mary T. Quinby from Punta Gorda to Baltimore. (Baltimore Sun)

1907: June 8 -

The Eugene F. Moran passed in the Capes at 12:40 P. M. the bark Baltimore from Savanna for Baltimore (Baltimore Sun)

1907: June 11 -

"After placing outside the Capes the schooner Van Allens Boughton, from Baltimore for Boston, the tug Eugene F. Moran passed in towing the oil barge Conemaugh from Port Arthur". (Baltimore Sun)

1907: June 14

The Eugene F. Moran left for the Capes with the schooner Gardener G. Deering for Boston and passed Cove Point ar 4:30 P. M. (Baltimore Sun)

1907:

June 16 "at 7 A. M. the Eugene F. Moran was off the Capes "seeking" (Baltimore Sun)

1907:

June 17 the Eugene Moran was off the Capes "seeking". (Baltimore Sun)

1907:

June 19 The Eugene F. Moran left New York for Boston with the schooner Ruth E Merril in tow. (Baltimore Sun)

1907:

June 20 the Eugene F. Moran towed out the schooner Eagle Wings for Portland and the White Wings for Savannah. (Baltimore Sun)

1907: June 23,

The Eugene F. Moran place clear of the Capes the schooner Alice M Lawrence for Boston (Baltimore Sun)

1907: June 24

On June 23 the Eugene F. Moran and the Peerless were off the Capes - both seeking. (Baltimore Sun)

1907:

June 26 the Eugene F. Moran arrived with the schooner Davis Palmer form Boston (Baltimore Sun)

1907: June 28 -

The Eugene F. Moran left for the Capes with the schooner Eagle Wing, bound for Boston. (Baltimore Sun)

1907:

July 10, The Eugene F. Moran arrived with schooner Nathaniel T. Palmer from Portland. (Baltimore Sun)

1907: July 14

The Eugene F. Moran "placed clear of the Capes at 5:15 P. M. Friday the schooner Frances M bound for Charleston". (Baltimore Sun)

1907: July 17,

The Eugene F Moran left port with the schooner Fannie Palmer bound for Boston (Baltimore Sun)

1907: July 29

The Eugene F. Moran brought in the schooner Singleton Palmer from Boston (Baltimore Sun)

1907: July 31

The Eugene F. Moran place clear of the Capes at 1:40 P. M. the schooner Cora F. Cressy from Baltimore to Portland. (Baltimore Sun)

1907 August 7

The tug Eugene F Moran which was under charter with the Baker Whiteley Coal company, is now in New York being fitted with wireless telegraphy for the New York Herald to be used in sending dispatches between the coming yacht races and the Stock exchange. Brokers viewing the race will thus be able to keep in touch with their business." (Baltimore Sun)

The tug had been under the command of Capt. Herbert McNamara, while she was in Baltimore. He returned her to New York.

1907: October

The "big America bark Freeman" was bound for Boston from New York in ballast on October 6th when she got caught in a pocket between two barges, in tow by the New York tug Eugene F. Moran, and several schooners. There was a large fleet of vessels in the channel at the time. All of the vessels were proceeding rapidly over the shoals on a fair tide just after dark. But the Freeman was being crowded towards the lightship Shovelful on the Shovelful shoal.

"The strong easterly current, however carried the bark down upon the lightship so rapidly that a collision was unavoidable, and her big bowsprit and long foreyard raked the floating beacon for and aft, carrying away both of her mastheads and damaging her rails and deck fittings, but fortunately not extinguishing her lights."

Luckily all the damage to the Shovelful was above the water line and she did not sink and none of the nine men on the vessel were hurt by flying debris. Meanwhile the captain lost complete control of the Freeman and she was driven aground. The Eugene F Moran who witnessed the distress came to the aid and pulled the Freeman off the shoal as the tide was rising. The Moran tug towed the Freeman to a point off Chatham and returned for her barges. Two days later the Freeman was towed into the harbor by the tugboat Sadie Ross. The captain of the Freeman stated that the accident was "unavoidable" but he but the blame on the Eugene F Moran who he alleged "crowded the bark to the edge of the channel where the easterly current caught her and carried her against the lightship."

The Freeman was not damaged.

(Boston Gobe)

1908:

The tug Eugene F. Moran towed the British Bark Johanna when she arrived in Boston Harbor from Java to pick up a load of case oil destined for the far east.

1909: Feb 22, nytimes

"SUNKEN BELL GUIDES BLINDFOLDED PILOT

"Tug Brought Over Three Miles to the Ambrose Lightship in Testing New Apparatus. WILL HELP SHIPS IN FOG New Device Can Also Be Attached to Ships at Sea So as to Warn Other Vessels.

"A man blindfolded piloted the tug Eugene F. Moran from a point three miles out in the open sea to the Ambrose Channel Lightship yesterday, picking up the light vessel by the sound of the submarine signal bell and following the course by the guiding sound of the bell ringing some thirty feet below the surface. "

1909:

"August 11. - A slight collision occurred between tug Julia C. Moran and tug Eugene F. Moran at entrance to Woods Hole Harbor, Vineyard Sound. About this time, George Parker, cook of the Eugene F. Moran, sitting on her rail, went overboard and was drowned. There was but very slight damage to the Julia C. Moran, and none to the Eugene F. Moran. The burden of keeping out of the way of the other tug seemed to be on the Eugene F. Moran. Her master was charged with negligence and put on trial. The charge not being sustained, and it appearing from the evidence that the man was not knocked overboard by the shock, but got overboard some other way, the master of tug Eugene F. Moran was exonerated from blame. Case dismissed." (Reports of the Department of Commerce and Labor)

1909:

Provincetown, Mass. 12 August The Eugene F. Moran carried the press representatives during a rough weather yacht race. She "bucked gale and sea far into the night, the water knee-deep over her lower deck and the spray fling over pilot house at every plunge." Not able to make headway under the conditions she retuned to Provincetown. (NYTIMES)

1910: June 18,

A elaborate military exhibition was held in New York on June 18 to receive Ex-President Theodore Roosevelt on his return from a yearlong trip to Africa. A naval parade consisting of first class battleships, torpedo boats, Yachts, merchantmen, pleasure boast, tugs, etc. cruised up the Hudson to 59th street and then back to the Battery where Roosevelt disembarked from the US Revenue Steamer Androscoggin. The Sixth Division of the flotella included: the Eugene F. Moran, the M. Moran, the Edmund Moran and the Julia Moran. (BE)

1910:

September 5 (Brooklyn Daily Eagle) When the politician Herman A. Mertz retuned from Europe aboard the Hamburg-American steamship Cleveland he was greeted at Quarantine by several local political friends who arrived aboard the tug Eugene F. Moran. The tug had left pier A at the Battery around 7:45 A. M. "The little tug danced alongside of the big travel-weary steamer" during an exchange of verbal broadsides between Mertz and his friends. After several aborted attempts Mertz boarded the tug via a ladder to the cheers of the liner passengers.

1910: November 12

The tug Eugene F. Moran with a large contingent of newspaper men and photographers started out with a fleet of other vessels to meet the Hamburg-American liner Pennsylvania from which a proposed aeroplane flight was to be made from a point 50 miles off Sandy Hook to Governor's Island. Much to the disappointment of the thousands lined up along the shore and in boats in the bay, the flight was aborted due to a cracked propeller. (The Wright brothers made their first flight in 1903.)

(Standard Union)

1912: On October 6, 1912 the tug Eugene F. Moran got a pile of floating debris which was attached to a wire cable caught in her propeller causing $1,635.94 in damage. (Reported in the Brooklyn Eagle on May 16 1915)

1917: The New York Times - DEC. 9, 1917

TUG SINKS AT SEA
ELEVEN LIVES LOST
The Eugene F. Moran Founders Off Atlantic City and All Hands Are Lost.
HAD TWO BOATS IN TOW
Four Men on These Rescued by Life Guards, Who Battled with Huge Waves.
SIXTY-MILE GALE BLOWING
Guards Use Motor Boat When Lifeboats Are Swamped - Bodies Washed Ashore.

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J., Dec. 8. Eleven men lost their lives by the sinking of the tugboat Eugene F. Moran, owned by the Moran Towing and Transportation Company of New York, which foundered without warning on the Atlantic City Bar late today and dragged the entire crew into the sea.

Four bodies washed ashore. Seven other crew were drowned and it was believed their bodies washed further down the coast.

The tug was towing two barges containing pile-drivers from New York to Hog Island Shipping company in Philadelphia. Two men on each of the towed barges were saved. The men watched in horror as the tug that had them in tow lost the lines and went down before their eyes.

The tug was 2 to 3 miles off the coast of Atlantic City when she went down.

10 December 1917 - The Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported that an investigation was being made into the feasibility of raising the Eugene F. Moran. They were also endeavoring to find the remaining bodies, only five having been recovered. The "two" boats which the Eugene F Moran was towing were undamaged. Those who lost their lives were the captain, chief engineer, second engineer, steward, 4 deckhands, oiler, and 3 firemen.

The Annual Report of the Supervising Inspector General, Steamboat Inspection of 1917 reported three lighters in tow and 13 men lost.

Aqua Explorers, Inc.

Note: The Capes were/are at the mouth of the Chesapeake between Virginia and Maryland.

Julia C Moran

There have been a number of tugs called the Julia C. Moran.

1906: September 17 (Hartford Daily Courant)

A party of eight set out from Sheepshead Bay on a Friday afternoon to cruise the lower bay on a 17 foot yawl, the Sausage. When they ran into mechanical trouble, an attempt was made to raise sales but the sails ripped. About two miles south of Hoffman Island the boat floundered around until Saturday morning when the tug Julia C Moran passed by with several empty scows in tow, the last of which was the garbage scow Olympia. The Olympia hit the Sausage causing it to capsize. The entire party of four men and four women aboard the Sausage were thrown into the water. Two women and one man were drowned. The three men and one woman managed to grap onto the capsized Sausage and hold on until help came in the form of the steamer El Paso. The other women ended up in the open well of the scow Olympia where she had a hard time making her presence know. The Olympia was fitted with a patented bottom that allowed two leaves to fall down. After the dump the leaves hung down so they could be flushed of any excess debris.

1906: New York Tribune 17 September - A rowboat carrying three men capsized in the North River off 50th street. One man drowned the other two were rescued by the tug Julian C. Moran. Efforts to recover the body of the drowned man were not successful.

1907:

The tug Julia C Moran arrived in New York Harbor with dredge No. 6 and two scows from Baltimore. (Baltimore Sun)

1907: December 04, Boston Globe The tug Julian C Moran passed out south from Boston with good weather before a totally unexpected snow storm hit the coast off Boston after midnight. Without the slightest warning a clear sky turned nasty and quite a number of vessels were caught out in the blinding snow and raging gale.

1908: Boston Globe 30 June - the Julia C. Moran was hired to tow the Johanna, a duble decker vessel 239 feet long, from Nantucket to Boston harbor. The British steel bark, Johanna, was carrying a load of sugar from Java. She had traveled 17,000 miles from port to port on a seven months journey when she she got caught in heavy fog off Nantucket bound for the Delaware breakwater. She dropped anchor on June 13 and remained in place for two weeks until the Julia C. Moran towed the ship to Boston quarantine and refused to take her further into the harbor.

1909: May 28, (Brooklyn Daily Eagle) The ferryboat Shinnecock left the Battery about six in the morning in a thick fog and ran aground on a sand bar at Governor's Island. No one was hurt and the passengers were disembarked and transferred back to the Battery. The only passengers to remain on board was a white horse that had been pulling a yellow "truck" and the driver of the truck. The boat was not damaged but was stuck fast. The tide started to tun around ten o'clock and it was hoped she could be floated on the high tide. However, the paddle wheels failed at their job and the Shinnicock was pulled off the island by the Julia C Moran as the fog lifted and the tide was high.

1909: Philadelphia Inquirer - 29 December - The tug Julia C. Moran pulled the scow, Anna Marie, off the rocks at New York Quarantine and towed her to the Erie Basin in Brooklyn. The scow full of water. No one was on board.

1910: The tug Julia C. Moran left 19th street, south Brooklyn with dumper No 7 in tow at 150 fathoms and dumper No 24 trailing 50 fathoms behind headed for the dumping grounds. About a mile inside the Scotland lightship dumper 24 started to list and the dumper's skipper, Captain Eugene Davis, got his life ring and got ready to open the pockets of the scow to let her dump even if it was illegal to dump in those waters. However, he did not make it in time Between 11 o'clock and midnight the dumper gave a lurch and capsized. Davis went into the water and the Julia C Moran sailed on oblivious to what had happened. Davis spend several hours treading water until he was rescued by a passing tug. He claimed his biggest worry was sharks.

Eugene Davis was the captain, mate and crew of the Moran Towing company's scow No 24.

(Harrisburg Daily Independent, Asbury Park Press and other papers) 05 August 1910

1911: On November 10, 1911 the tug Julia C. Moran had a log foul her propeller wheel which broke the wheel and shaft and caused $1,635.94 in damage. (Reported in the Brooklyn Eagle on May 16 1915)

1912: 19 September Boston Globe - The New York tug Julia C. Moran arrived in Boston with two new scows in tow. They were Nos 1 and 2 of a proposed fleet of six built at St. George, Staten Island. The were 120 feet long and 36 feet wide. Each scow carried 300 tons of coal. The Julia Moran sailed at noon for Gloucester to tow the Italian ship Antares to New York

1912: The Baltimore Sun - 31 October Tug Julia C Moran left Baltimore towing barge no 87 for New York

1912: Baltimore Sun - November 2, 9:40 A. M. tug Julia C Moran towing barge 87 from Baltimore for New York.

1912: Baltimore Sun 11 November - Tug Julia C. Moran with barge from Baltimore for Portland in Vineland Have on the 9th.

1913: On March 20, 1913 the Julia C. Moran suffered damaged estimated at $1,479.50 when she come in contact with a submerged object of Sailors Snug Harbor, Staten Island. (Reported in the Brooklyn Eagle on May 16 1915)

1913: Boston Globe 27 March The tug Julia C. Moran left Boston harbor for New York with two scows in tow but had to return to Boston Harbor as a strong westerly gale and high seas forced a standstill in shipping.

1914: - Brooklyn Life 20 June - The Montauk Club Bowling Association held an outing aboard the sea going tug Julia C. Moran. There was "Cards, refreshments and colored entertainers on board." The tug left Battery Place at nine and sailed to Karatsonyi's, Glenwood-on-the-Sound. It arrived at noon when bowling and baseball was the entertainment until the three o'clock clam bake. About 100 members took part.

1914: New York Tribune June 26 - The committee tug Julia C Moran and the Mott's Point buoy formed a line for the cup yacht races in the Long Island Sound.

1914: Philadelphia Inquirer - July 30 - Sandy Hook July 28 The Julia C. Moran was anchored off Swash Channell with a steam pipe blown out. The tug M Moran went to her aid and proceeded with the disabled tug and two scows in tow.

1930: 29 January (Boston Globe) - the tug Julia C Moran arrived at Boston January 28 1957: (North Adams Transcript) 28 August 1957 - Norfolk Va., The decommissioned submarine Tarpon was being towed from New Orleans to Baltimore to be scraped. She was in tow of the tug Julia C. Moran when she started taking on water and sank in 150 feet of water about thirty miles off Hatteras.

1911 Moran Tug History

The Nautical Gazette, Volume 80, 1911

TUG "COLIMA," Now IN SERVICE AT SEATTLE, FORMERLY THE "EUGENE F. MORAN," OF NEW YORK. the fourth tug of the Moran fleet operating on the Mississippi, the others being the tug "R. C. Veit," built by the Morans in 1891 and sold in 1895, and now hailing from Chicago, Illinois; the tug "A. W. Booth," built in 1899 and sold in 1902 to the United States Engineer's Department and now named the "Morganza," hailing from New Orleans, and the "DeWitt C. Ivins," another Moran tug, hailing from Jacksonville, Fla., which is being operated between New Or1eans and Florida ports. A number of other tugs formerly of the Moran fleet are located in various ports on the East and West coast of the United States, as well as the Gulf of Mexico. The tug "Catharine Moran," sold to the Isthmian Canal Commission, and now named "Cocoli," is towing out of La Boca on the Pacific end of the canal. The "Eugene F. Moran," now named "Colima," and which was engaged for several years on the work of improving the harbor of Manzanillo on the west coast of Mexico, is located at Seattle."

A 1920 History of Moran Towing

(America's Maritime Progress By George Weiss, 1920)

The "Catherine Moran," which is now owned by the Isthmian Canal Commission, is being operated at La Boca, at the Pacific end of the canal. The "Eugene F. Moran," which was sold to the Mexican Railroad Company, is now being operated on the Puget Sound. Another tug, the "A. W. Booth," is being operated by the United States Engineers on the Mississippi River, and still another Moran tug, the "M. Moran 1st," which was sold to Southern parties, was the first merchant vessel flying the American flag to enter the harbor of Havana on the cessation of hostilities with Spain.

In September, 1916, the Moran Company sold the tugs "M. Moran 2nd," "Eugene F. Moran" and the "J. C. Moran" to the English Government for coastwise towing and defense purposes. The tug "M. Moran" sailed from St. Johns, Newfoundland, making the trip across without stop to Queenstown. The "Eugene F. Moran" and the "Julia C. Moran" sailed from St. Johns, making a stop at the Azores en route, the Moran tugs being among the first to be sent from these shores to aid in the defeat of the Hun.

The company does a general towage, lighterage and contracting business, coastwise towing and transportation all along the Atlantic Coast, Bermuda and Havana, and operates four ocean-going tugs, eight harbor tugs and sixty-five lighters, scows and barges. They dispose of cellar excavations, ship ballast and steam ashes, furnish material for the reclaiming of land, and have completed numerous contracts for the Texas Company, Galena Signal Oil Company, Holbrook, Cabot & Rollins, and United States Realty and Improvement Company.

Eugene F. Moran, now president, is a member of the Maritime Exchange, and was chairman of its harbor and rivers committee for seven years, was president of the New York Board of Steam Navigation for two terms, president of the Manhasset Club for five terms, is a member of the Montauk, Crescent, Whitehall and Fox Hills Clubs, B.P.O. Elks; chairman of the Emerald Society of Brooklyn, life member of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of New York, and of the Roman Catholic Orphan Asylum.

During the war he served as Lieutenant-Commander in the United States Naval Reserve, in charge of purchase of yachts and supplies for coast defense purposes on the English and French coasts. On September 23, 1918, he became chief of harbor floating equipment, shipping control committee.

Joseph H. Moran, secretary and treasurer, was charter president of the New York Boat Owners Association (two terms), is chairman of purchasing committee of the New York Tow Boat Exchange, member of the New York Harbor Board of Arbitration, the Montauk, Whitehall, Marine and Field, and Cathedral Clubs, and life member of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of New York and Roman Catholic Orphan Asylum of Brooklyn.

Edmond J. Moran, vice-president, grandson of the founder, joined the firm in 1916. During 1917 and 1918 he was on active duty in the Navy Department, became Ensign on the U. S. S. "Winchester," and later on the "Allancia" and "Passaic" making several trips to Brest and other French ports, delivering Army supplies, was promoted to Lieutenant, junior grade, and then served at San Francisco until the cessation of hostilities.

The Moran Towing and Transportation Company has thus for three-score years been a factor of enterprise and usefulness in connection with harbor and coastwise towing and transportation. Its methods and efficiency have resulted from careful study of and close contact with the problems of towing and transportation by three generations. Growing with the development of New York as a port and harbor, the company enjoys a position of recognized leadership in the branch of maritime work it covers.

A Survey of Liquor Dealers in Red Hook mid to Late 1800s

Red Hook Liquor Dealers - The Families

Balfe - Ball - Baumann - Behnken - Bell - Black - Boysen - Bray - Brickwedel - Callaghan - Carberry - Cassin - Cavanagh - Collimore - Collins - Coogan - Cordes - Curran - Daly - Dawson - Dempsey - Depperman - Devan - Dixon - Dockery - Donovan - Doran - Ehrichs - Fay - Finkeldey - Fitzgerald - Garahan - Gillen - Graef - Haack - Henry - Higgins, Hugh - Higgins, George - Hoehn - - Hoffman - Hughs - Hunold - Hussey - Judge - Kassenbrock - Keleher - Knoop - Krohler - Kuhn - Lamont - Lever - Little - Looney - Madigan - Mahnken - McAvanny - McGee - McGrath - McKenna - McQuade - Meyers - Molloy - Mooney - Mullady - Munsinger - Murray - Noble - O'Brien - O'Hara - Oberdieck - Powers - Ropke - Schmadeke - Schwanemann - Shea - Sheridan - Siebe - Simmons - Struve - Sullivan - Weinphal - Winkelman Carroll Towing