From: Dictionary of American Fighting Ships

A town and county in Massachusetts.

(ScStr: dp. 1,375; l. 185'; b. 35'; dr. 14'3"; s. 10 k.; a. 1 11", 4 9", 1 60-pdr. r.)

The third Essex, a wooden screw steamer, was built by the United States and Donald Mackay at East Boston, Mass.; commissioned at the Boston Navy Yard on 3 October 1876, Commander W. S. Schley commanding; and reported to the North Atlantic Squadron.

During the following year Essex cruised to Liberia and along the west coast of Africa and in 1878-79 joined the South Atlantic Squadron. She sailed on the Pacific Station from November 1881 to December 1882 and thence on the Asiatic Station for 2 years during which she took on board Captain S. H. Morrison and crew members of the shipwrecked Ranier. Following repairs she returned to the Asiatic Station in June 1886 and in October anchored at Ponape, Caroline Islands, to afford protection to American missionaries during a native uprising. She returned to New York via the Suez Canal and was placed out of commission in May 1889.

Regarded as one of the finest ships of the fleet, Essex was designated next as a training ship. A 3-month cruise with cadets at Annapolis in 1893 was followed by two lengthy tours to train naval apprentices (January 1894-April 1898, and September 1898 to December 1903.)

Essex was lent to the Naval Militia of Ohio (1904-16) and served in the Ninth Naval District from 1917 to 1926. The Naval Reserve of the State of Minnesota used her as training ship from August 1927 until 27 October 1930 when she was stricken from the Navy List. She was sold on 23 December 1930.

Transcribed by Yves HUBERT (hubertypc@aol.fr)