Jacob S. Ellis

Jacob Samson Ellis (October 25, 1820 –July 8, 1902), was a 19th-century prominent shipbuilder in Tottenville, Staten Island. He had a large successful shipyard business for over thirty years, with a reputation for his skill in designing vessels. Ellis died in Tottenville in 1902. His son, Hampton C. Ellis, continued with the shipyard constructing boats through the 1920s.

Early life
Jacob's brother, Cornelius C. Ellis (1825-1905) was a tugboat captain and Harbourmaster for New York City.

Career


He learned the shipbuilding trade of at Webb's shipyard in New York. In 1850, he moved to Belleville, New Jersey where he built freight schooners until 1861 when he returned to Staten Island and purchased the shipyard that became known as "J. S. Ellis & Son". He had a large successful business for over thirty years. His son, Hampton C. Ellis (1856-1928), went into partnership with his father when he was twenty-five years old and became a junior member of the firm.

In 1857, Jacob S. Ellis established a shipyard in Tottenville between Main and Tyreel Streets in Tottenville, Staten Island. The shipyard was Tottenville's first shipyard and continued through the 1920s. The town of Tottenville made "Ellis Street" his namesake. It was called the Jacob S. Ellis & Son or just "J. S. Ellis" shipyard. At this shipyard, he built most of his vessels including ships, steamships, brigs and pilot boats (see list below). By 1912, the shipyard employed 18 men. The shipyard had a reputation for the designing fine vessels.

William H. Starbuck


The pilot boat William H. Starbuck was launched from the J. S. Ellis & Son shipyard on May 30, 1886. About a thousand people witnessed the launching, including William H. Starbuck, Captain Josiah Johnson of the Edmund Blunt, No. 2, James Hawkins of pilot-boat No. 4, as well as others. She was named after William H. Starbuck, a railroad financier, who paid for the cabin and presented the colours, including the signal flags. The Starbuck was modelled after Hempton Ellis and her lines were drawn by Howard I. Chapelle.

Joseph F. Loubat


The Sandy Hook pilot boat Joseph F. Loubat (1880) was built and launched from the Jacob S. Ellis's shipyard. The Staten Island Railway brought a large number of pilots and their families to Tottenville to participate in the launch. Ellis supervised the launch. She was built at an expense of $13,000, for co-ownership with Electus Comfort, W. J. Barry, James McCarthy, and Maurice J. Mariga. Her length was 88 feet, breadth of beam 21 feet, depth of hold is 9 feet and 150 tones.

The schooner Harry Knowlton was built in 1890 by the Jacob Ellis & Son shipyard. She hit the steamboat Larchmont on February 11, 1907 near Providence, Rhode Island. After being blown ashore, the crew of the Knowlton abandoned the wrecked boat.

List of boats
Jacob S. Ellis & Son built the following boats (1834-1907): • Benjamin Franklin (1834) steamship

• Thomas D. Harrison pilot boat

• Joseph F. Loubat (1880) pilot boat

• William H. Starbuck (1886) pilot boat

• Charles Runyan tug

• Rambler tug

• E. E. Heipershausen (1894) tug

• Joseph Peene, Jr. tug

• D. S. Dalzell (1912) tug

• Nettie brig

• Robert Dillon brig

• John Zittolosen bark

• Luola Merchison schooner

• E. S. Porrel schooner

• Sunny South schooner

• Harry Knowlton (1890) schooner

• A. C. Lyon (1865) schooner

• Oliver Schofield schooner

• Helen A. Hoyt schooner

• Unnamed Oyster boats (1905) 85-feet oyster boats

• Teddo San (1907) for Walter Murray Bleling

• Unnamed Tugs (1907) for Standard Oil Company and Limond, McKensie Co.

Death
After Jacob's death, his son, Hampton C. Ellis, continued with the shipyard constructing boats through the 1920s.