John H. Mathis & Company
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Shipbuilding |
| Founded | January 1, 1900 |
| Defunct | 1961 |
| Headquarters | Camden, New Jersey , United States |
| Products | Luxury yachts, commercial vessels, naval ships |
John H. Mathis & Company was established circa 1900 as a shipbuilding enterprise situated at Cooper Point in Camden, New Jersey, U.S., along the Delaware River. Their facility, located at the intersection of Point and Erie Streets, specialized in crafting luxury yachts alongside commercial vessels. Throughout World War II, the yard contributed to the production of multiple naval ships. Operations at the Mathis shipyard ceased in 1961.
John H. Mathis & Company
This firm was responsible for constructing a wide array of commercial and military watercraft, including freighters, ferries, fishing vessels, FS ("Freight and Supply") ships commissioned by the Army, as well as minesweepers, net tenders, patrol boats, lighthouse tenders, tugboats, and barges.
- 4 of 32 s
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- 3 of 95 s
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- 5 gasoline barges, 2 water barges
Mathis Yacht Building Company
In 1910, Norwegian naval designer John Trumpy partnered with John H. Mathis to create and build private yachts. Both the John H. Mathis Company and Mathis Yacht Building Company operated concurrently at the Camden location.
The yacht division was known for producing houseboats, tenders, and custom yachts for influential American clients, notably including the Sequoia (1925), which functioned as the Presidential yacht from 1933 until 1977. Following John H. Mathis's passing in 1939, Trumpy assumed full ownership of the yacht business. Between 1924 and 1925, Mathis constructed thirty 75-foot patrol boats (referred to as Six-Bitters) for the U.S. Coast Guard at Camden (designated CG-100 through CG-114 and CG-278 through CG-292).
John Trumpy & Sons
By mid-1942, growing government contract demands required exclusive use of the Camden yard, leading Mathis Yacht Building Co. to move operations to Gloucester City, New Jersey and adopt the name John Trumpy & Sons in 1943. The Gloucester yard produced vessels such as the USS Maquinna (YTB-225) in 1944. In 1947, after purchasing the Annapolis Yacht Yard, the company relocated to Annapolis, Maryland.
A fire devastated the Annapolis facility in 1962. After John Trumpy's death in 1963, his son John Trumpy Jr. succeeded him. Despite this transition, escalating expenses, labor disputes, and competition from lower-cost fiberglass hulls ultimately caused the business to close in 1974.