James Rees, the founder of James Rees & Sons Co., was born on Christmas day, 1821. He worked as a
young man in shops which turned out steamboat machinery at Pittsburgh and at Brownsville, Pa., then became
associated as a partner with Andrew Hartupee at Pittsburgh in the same line of work. In 1854 he established his
own shop at Duquesne Way and Fancourt Street, Pittsburgh. This location is in today's "Golden Triangle." The
Rees firm specialized in steamboat engines, machinery and boilers, and contracted for boats complete and ready
to run, both for foreign and domestic waterways. They built steamboats for themselves commanded at various
times by a brother of James Rees, Capt. Rees Rees, and by a son of James Rees, James H. Rees. Another son,
Thomas M. Rees, followed in his father's footsteps and managed the Pittsburgh plant.
      James Rees was an advocate of metal hulls, and was associated with J. Tomlinson & Co. when that firm
built the U.S. Revenue steamer MICHIGAN for Lake Erie service in 1843 (she later was renamed WOLVERINE).
This steamer was fabricated at Pittsburgh, then "knocked down" and reassembled at Lake Erie. James Rees
later became a specialist at this type of work and under his supervision, and later by his son Thomas M. Rees,
boats were produced in Pittsburgh for rivers of South America, Africa, Europe and Asia. James Rees & Sons Co.
became truly international in scope. Hardest "nut to crack" was selling steel hulls to domestic customers. Thomas
M. Rees built a steel hull towboat, the VESTA, at cost, for the Jones & Laughlin Steel Co. Repeat orders followed,
and J&L later ordered the HENRY A. LAUGHLIN and the B. F. JONES, JR. (both pictured in this catalogue on
page 14) and then the ALIQUIPPA in 1914, just after this catalogue was first printed. They also built for
Carnegie Steel Co. the towboats W. H. CLINGERMAN (the present W. P. SNYDER, JR. now on display at
Marietta, 0.) and the HOMESTEAD. They built complete the excursion steamer IDLEWILD in 1915 which still
operates, renamed BELLE OF LOUISVILLE (see page 45).
      James Rees & Sons Co. discontinued business in February, 1930, at which time Thomas M. Rees had just
celebrated his 85th birthday.

                                                                                   Price: $3.00
                                                                     Available From:
                                                                         Capt. Frederick Way, Jr
                                                                         121 River Avenue
                                                                         Sewickley, Penna. 15143


                                                                         G. W. "Jerry" Sutphin
                                                                         204 Chestnut Street
                                                                         Huntington, West Virginia 25705