.The wooden hull, sidewheel steamer May Queen was built in 1853 at Trenton, Michigan by Eli Bates. In 1861 the vessel was valued at $28,000 and rated B1 by the Board of Lake Underwriters. She did not have a registry number.
The May Queen was a side-wheel steamboat, 694-27/95 ton burden. She was built at Trenton , Michigan, 1853. On September 17, 1865 the May Queen was wrecked off Sheboygan, Wisconsin. She was pumped out and towed to Milwaukee for repairs. While tied up at Jones Island, she burned to the water's edge on January 13,1866. The engine was salvaged and later (1867) installed into steamer Manitowoc. The burned out hull was sold for $600 to Galen Eastman to be rebuilt and used as a barge. She later foundered while under tow near Kalamazoo.