The SS John Sherman, originally the USRC Sherman or USRC John Sherman was built for the United States Revenue Cutter Service in 1865 before being disposed of by the United States Government in 1872. It was a United States sidewheeler ship initially used as a Revenue Cutter on the Great Lakes of North America before being used for ferry service across Lake Michigan between the states of Michigan and Wisconsin. In 1874 the ship was chartered by Flint and Pere Marquette Railroad to become the first ship used by the company transporting freight and passengers. Description The vessel was long by wide with a hold and propelled by diameter paddle wheels fitted with buckets with a face and a dip and built in Cleveland, Ohio. History On November 11, 1866, the schooner George Worthington (initially reported as the George Washington) was carrying iron ore ran into difficulties and went ashore at the mouth of Cleveland harbor with 2 of the 8 crew drowning in the process. The Sherman started pulling on the Worthington on November 12, hauling it off on November 15, and towing her into port. On November 7, 1867, the Sherman refloated the schooner J. F. Prince after it had been driven ashore near the water works in Cleveland on the previous day. The Prince was then towed into port by the tug Levi Johnson. Around June 23, 1871, the Canadian schooner Denmark ran aground on the shore of Lake Eire at Rond Eau or Rondeau in Ontario, Canada. After several days of unsuccessful attempts to refloat the Denmark, the Sherman steamed to the location and the Denmark was refloated and under way again shortly afterwards. The owners of the Denmark offered payment which was declined, after which they sent a letter to the newspapers praising the work of the Sherman. The USRC Sherman was sold to a private buyer in Cleveland on June 25, 1872 and in July, the Sherman was slightly damaged when she went ashore at Bois Blanc on the Detroit River in Ontario, Canada. Then in October the Sherman suffered an engine failure whilst sailing on Lake Michigan and needed to be towed to Chicago. After this she was refitted and became the SS John Sherman. In 1873 it was then sold to a group of people including D. Cole by the company River & Lake Shore for $18,357. The John Sherman had already