William H. Webb Collection

Ships Plans Collection 51

Overview of the Collection
Repository: Daniel S. Gregory Ships Plans Library, Mystic Seaport
Creator: Webb, William H., 1816-1899
Title: William H. Webb Collection
Dates: 1895
Extent: 150 sheets representing 58 designs and additional non-vessel material
Abstract: The William H. Webb collection consists of a selection of folio plates removed from a copy of the book “Wooden Vessels built by William H. Webb in the City of New York, 1840-1869.” Plates depict commercial, military and recreational designs by William H. Webb and vessel designs by other naval architects including Henry Eckford and Samuel Humphreys as well as non-vessel material.
Identification: Coll. 51

Biography of Willilam H. Webb

William H. Webb was born in 1816. He began his career as an apprentice in the shipyard of his father, Isaac Webb (1794-1840). William Webb became noted as a designer and builder in New York City and later as founder of the Webb Institute of Naval Architecture, New York. He took over the shipyard upon his father’s death and built a variety of wooden-hulled vessels, including clipper ships, packets, steamships, military vessels, and others. In 1895, after retirement he published a two-volume set of books entitled “Plans of Wooden Vessels built by William H. Webb in the City of New York, 1840-1869.” William H. Webb died in 1899.

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Restrictions

Restrictions on Access

Available for use in the Daniel S. Gregory Ships Plans Library

Restrictions on Use

 Various copying restriction apply. Guidelines are available from the Daniel S. Gregory Ships Plans Library.

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Index Terms

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the G. W. Blunt White Library. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

 Persons:

Eckford, Henry, 1775-1846
Humphreys, Samuel, 1778-1846
Webb, Isaac, 1794-1840

Corporate Bodies:

New York Naval Shipyard
Webb and Bell

Vessels:

America (Steamship)
California (Steamship)
Charles H. Marshall (Ship)
Connecticut (Steamship)
Dream (Schooner)
Dunderberg (Naval steamship)
Flying Dutchman (Ship)
General Admiral (Steamship)
George Law (Steamship)
Guy Mannering (Ship)
Harriet Lane (Steamship)
James A. Borland (Bark)
Ligera (Fishing vessel)
Swordfish (Ship)
William H. Webb (Steamship)

Subjects:

Commercial power–Freighters
Commercial power–Steamships
Merchant ships, American
Naval architecture–Designs and plans
Naval ships
Paddle steamers
Sailing ships
Shipbuilding
Ships plans

Document Types:

Ships plans

Occupations:

Naval architects–United States
Shipbuilders–New York

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Coll. 51, Daniel S. Gregory Ships Plans Library, Mystic Seaport Museum, Inc.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection. For more information, please e-mail collections.

Vessel designs; 1895
51.1 ALICE TAINTOR; 140 ft. bark Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1855
51.2 AMERICA; 170 ft. sidewheel steamer Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1855
51.3 ASTORIA; 160 ft. screw steamer Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1855
51.4 AURORA; 200 ft. packet ship Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1854
51.5 BLACK HAWK; 180 ft. ship Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1857
51.6 CALIFORNIA; 200 ft. sidewheel steamer Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1848
51.7 CHARLES H. MARSHALL; 193 ft. ship Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1869
51.8 CHINA; 363 ft. sidewheel steamship Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1869
51.9 CONNECTICUT; 250 ft. sidewheel steamship Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; Date made unknown
51.10 CUBA; 200 ft. sidewheel steamer Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1856
51.11 DREAM; 45.75 ft. schooner yacht Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, Isaac Webb; 1833
51.12 DUNDERBERG; 378 ft. iron clad screw ram Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1866
51.13 FANNY; 85.5 ft. topsail schooner Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1853
51.14 FLYAWAY; 190 ft. clipper ship Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1853
51.15 FLYING DUTCHMAN; 190 ft. clipper ship Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1852
51.16 GAZELLE; 182 ft. clipper ship Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; Date made unknown
51.17 GENERAL ADMIRAL; 302.83 ft. Russian steam frigate Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1859
51.18 GEORGE LAW; 272 ft. sidewheel steamer Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1853
51.19 GOLDEN CITY; 341 ft. sidewheel steamship Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1862
51.20 GOLDEN GATE; 269 ft. sidewheel steamship Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1851
51.21 GUY MANNERING; 190 ft. packet ship Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1849
51.22 HARVEST QUEEN; 114 ft. bark Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1860
51.23 HARRIET LANE; 180 ft. revenue cutter Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1857
51.24 HAVRE; 156 ft. packet ship Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1845
51.25 HENRY CHAUNCEY; 320 ft. sidewheel steasmship Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1864
51.26 UNIDENTIFIED; 160 ft. steamer Designer, Samuel Humphreys; Builder unknown; Date made unknown
51.27 INVINCIBLE; 221 ft. clipper ship Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1851
51.28 ISAAC WEBB; 185 ft. packet ship Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1850
51.29 JAMES ADGER; 215 ft. sidewheel steamer Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1851
51.30 JAMES A. BORLAND; 143 ft. bark Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1869
51.31 JAPANESE; 214 ft. Russian corvette Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1858
51.32 JOHN MCKEON; 78 ft. pilot boat Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, Isaac Webb; 1838
51.33 JOSEPH WALKER; 180 ft. packet ship Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1850
51.34 JOSEPHINE; 130 ft. brig Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1855
51.35 LIGERA; 48 ft. fishing smack Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1842
51.36 MONTEZUMA; 162 ft. packet ship Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1843
51.37 NEVADA; 288 ft. steamer Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1872
51.38 OCEAN MONARCH; Packet ship Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1856
51.39 OHIO; 199 ft. line of battle ship Designer, Henry Eckford; Builder, Brooklyn Navy Yard; 1820
51.40 PELAYO; 200 ft. sidewheel steamer Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1854
51.41 PLANDOME; 101 ft. schooner Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; Date made unknown; MANHASSET; Builder, William H. Webb; Date made unknown
51.42 RAMON DE ZALDO; 90 ft. brig Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1844
51.43 UNIDENTIFIED; 179.5 ft. steamship Designer, William H. Webb; Builder unknown; Date made unknown
51.44 UNIDENTIFIED; 171 ft. steam revenue cutter Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1857
51.45 UNIDENTIFIED; 179.58 ft. sidewheel steamship Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1856
51.46 RE D’ITALIA; 283 ft. iron clad steam frigate Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1862 to 1863
51.47 SACRAMENTO; 304 ft. sidewheel steamship Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb and Webb and Bell; 1863
51.48 SAN FRANCISCO; 276 ft. sidewheel steamer Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1853
51.49 SNAP DRAGON; 140 ft. bark Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1853
51.50 SWORDFISH; 170 ft. medium clipper ship Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1851
51.51 TENNESSEE; 210 ft. sidewheel steamer Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1848
51.52 Timber forms Designer, William H. Webb; Builder unknown; Date made unknown
51.53 TRIESTE; 135 ft. bark Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1857
51.54 UNITED STATES; 243 ft. sidewheel steamer Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1847
51.55 VIGILANT; 56 ft. schooner Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1843
51.56 VOLANTE; 112 ft. brig Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1853
51.57 WILLIAM H. WEBB; 190 ft. sidewheel tugboat Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1856
51.58 YORKTOWN; 250 ft. sidewheel steamer Designer, William H. Webb; Builder, William H. Webb; 1859

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This collection inventory was funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).