T. J. Stevenson & Company, Inc.
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Shipping |
| Founded | December 2, 1935 in New York City, United States |
| Founder | Thomas J. Stevenson |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
Area served | United States, worldwide (wartime operations) |
Key people | Thomas J. Stevenson (founder) |
| Products | Merchant shipping services, cargo transport |
T. J. Stevenson & Company, Inc. was a shipping enterprise headquartered in New York City, established by businessman Thomas J. Stevenson on December 2, 1935. Stevenson, who had begun working as a ship broker in 1920, utilized his extensive industry knowledge and family heritage—his father, Henery Stevenson, had been active in the shipping sector since 1910—to develop the company. The firm significantly contributed to the transportation sector by operating United States-owned merchant vessels during World War II. Following the war, T. J. Stevenson & Company grew its fleet through the purchase of surplus cargo ships, thereby strengthening its competitive position. Thomas J. Stevenson (1892–1968) guided the company through key expansion periods.
World War II
Throughout World War II, T. J. Stevenson & Company managed merchant marine ships under agreements with the United States Shipping Board, Maritime Commission, and War Shipping Administration. Their operations focused on chartering Liberty and Victory ships, which were essential for wartime supply chains. The company’s personnel handled vessel navigation and operations, while U.S. Navy Armed Guards were responsible for defense and communication duties. This cooperative arrangement with government agencies enhanced the company’s reputation and financial performance.
- Vessels owned:
- USS Valencia (AKA-81), acquired in 1947 and renamed Garden City.
- SS Raymond Clapper, a Liberty ship bought in 1947; subsequently sold multiple times and renamed Shamrock, Master Nicky, Thryols, and Elias Dayfas II; ultimately abandoned in 1966 after leaking near the Yucatán Peninsula.
- SS George S. Boutwell, Liberty ship constructed in 1943; purchased in 1955 and renamed Rayvah; experienced several ownership transitions and renamings before being dismantled in 1964.
- SS George W. Kendall, Liberty Tanker built in 1943; acquired in 1948 and renamed Dorothy Stevenson; sold several times before being scrapped in Taiwan in 1967.
- USS Ibex (IX-119), an Armadillo-class tanker built in 1943; purchased in 1948 and renamed Helen Stevenson.
- Alpha Carl R. Gray, Liberty Tanker constructed in 1943; acquired in 1948 and renamed Alpha; changed ownership multiple times before scrapping in 1966.
- William Winter, Liberty Tanker built in 1943; purchased in 1949; underwent several renamings before being scrapped in 1962 following grounding near Oregon.
- SS Koloa Victory, built in 1945; operated by Seas Shipping Company during wartime; later sold numerous times with name changes including American Judge and John F. Shea; dismantled in Taiwan in 1971.
- Ships operated during World War II:
- Liberty Ships:
- Meyer London, constructed in 1944; sunk by torpedo attack from German submarine U-407 off Libya.
- William W. Seaton
- SS William W. Loring, operated between 1945 and 1946
- SS Stephen Beasley, under operation from 1944 to 1948
- SS Henry Hadley, managed from 1944 to 1948
- Raymond Clapper, operated from 1944 until sale in 1947; later renamed T. J. Stevenson by Ocean Freighting & Brokerage Corp.
- William H. Jackson
- William H. Welch, lost after running aground near Scotland in 1944
- Noah Brown, operated during 1946–47
- Edward L. Grant, operated from 1946 to 1948
- SS John B. Gordon, managed between 1943 and 1946
- George Clement Perkins, operated from 1946 to 1947
- Charles Paddock, operated during 1948–49
- Laura Drake Gill, operated from 1944 to 1946
- Edward W. Burton, managed between 1945 and 1948; later commissioned as USS Interceptor (AGR-8) in 1956
- Coastal Explorer, operated in 1946; previously known as USS Pipestone (AK-203)
- Victory Ships:
- East Point Victory, operated from 1945 until 1947
- M. I. T. Victory, troop transport vessel active from 1945 to 1947 as part of Operation Magic Carpet
- Additional:
- USS Bosque (APA-135), underwent repairs conducted by T. J. Stevenson in 1955